On average, the prime of mid-distance based U.S. track athletes is only four years, starting at age 23 and ending at age 26.

Seems short, right?

Well, numbers don't lie, and based on the past 12 years of U.S. championships, having a relevant track career in your late 20s/early 30s is less common than you think.

Where These Numbers Come From:

We first listed every American track athlete who has made a U.S. outdoor final in the 800m or 1500m from 2006 to 2017. Regardless if that athlete eventually moved on to other events such as Brandon Johnson (400m hurdles), Evan Jager (3K steeplechase), or Shalane Flanagan (10K/marathon), if he or she made a U.S. outdoor final in a mid-distance event between 2006-2017, then he or she was added to a list.

We then analyzed all the athletes on this list and documented what their exact age was when they made their first outdoor track final and what their age was when they made their last outdoor track final.

*As for athletes who switched nationalities such as Bernard Lagat (Kenya to USA) and David Torrence (USA to Peru), we made educated guesses if they would have made a U.S. final based on their season that year. For example, we listed Lagat's first final as being in 1999 and Torrence's last final being in 2017 since he ran the world standard this year.

Examples:

Alan Webb
1st Track Final: Age 18.5 (2001)
Last Track Final: Age 26.5 (2009)

Brandon Johnson
1st Track Final: Age 23.4 (2008)
Last Track Final: Age 31.4 (2016)

Nick Symmonds
1st Track Final: Age 22.5 (2006)
Last Track Final: Age 31.5 (2015)

Shalane Flanagan
1st Track Final: Age 22.0 (2003)
Last Track Final: Age 36.0 (2017)

After compiling the 190 athletes, the average age one made his or her first outdoor final was 22.8 and the average age for his or her last final was 26.3.

After removing athletes whose "last final' was in 2016 or 2017--in order to account for a majority of "still active" athletes--the averages adjusted to a 23.1 starting age and 26.2 finishing age.

Fast Facts From Analysis:

Longest Male Prime: 18 years (Bernard Lagat)
Longest Female Prime: 15 years (Shalane Flanagan)
Youngest Female First Final: 16.8 years old (Jordan Hasay and Chanelle Price)
Youngest Male First Final: 18.5 years old (Alan Webb)
Oldest Female First Final: 31.9 years old (Krista Ferrara)
Oldest Male First Final: 28.8 years old (Liam Boylan-Pett)

Full Data:

SEX	BIRTH	ATHLETE	START	END	S. AGE	E. AGE	YEARS
W	07/08/81	Shalane Flanagan	2003	2017	22.0	36.0	15
W	09/19/84	Shannon Rowbury	2006	2017	21.8	32.8	12
W	08/23/86	Jenny Simpson	2007	2017	20.8	30.9	11
M	01/01/85	Lopez Lomong	2007	2017	22.5	32.5	11
M	03/08/89	Evan Jager	2009	2017	20.3	28.3	9
W	09/08/87	Brenda Martinez	2009	2017	21.8	29.8	9
M	03/07/87	Jordan McNamara	2009	2017	22.3	30.3	9
W	06/27/86	Lauren Paquette	2009	2017	23.0	31.0	9
W	03/21/90	Emily Infeld	2010	2017	20.3	27.3	8
M	01/31/90	Ryan Hill	2010	2017	20.4	27.4	8
M	11/23/89	Charles Jock	2010	2017	20.6	27.6	8
M	10/18/89	Matthew Centrowitz	2010	2017	20.7	27.7	8
M	11/26/85	David Torrence	2010	2017	24.6	31.6	8
M	03/29/91	Robby Andrews	2011	2017	20.3	26.3	7
M	02/03/90	Andy Bayer	2012	2017	22.4	27.4	6
W	10/30/86	Nicole Tully	2012	2017	25.7	30.7	6
W	05/16/86	Sara Vaughn	2012	2017	26.1	31.1	6
W	05/08/94	Ajee' Wilson	2013	2017	19.1	23.1	5
W	12/19/91	Laura Roesler	2013	2017	21.5	25.5	5
M	12/21/89	Erik Sowinski	2013	2017	23.5	27.5	5
M	12/15/89	Ben Blankenship	2013	2017	23.5	27.5	5
W	10/24/88	Kate Grace	2013	2017	24.7	28.7	5
W	02/08/93	Shelby Houlihan	2014	2017	21.4	24.4	4
W	07/16/91	Charlene Lipsey	2014	2017	23.0	26.0	4
W	06/18/90	Amanda Eccleston	2014	2017	24.0	27.0	4
M	04/05/90	Riley Masters	2014	2017	24.2	27.2	4
M	02/26/95	Clayton Murphy	2015	2017	20.3	22.3	3
W	05/04/87	Lauren Johnson	2015	2017	28.2	30.2	3
W	02/20/97	Alexa Efraimson	2016	2017	19.4	20.4	2
M	10/18/96	Isaiah Harris	2016	2017	19.7	20.7	2
W	09/07/96	Raevyn Rogers	2016	2017	19.9	20.8	2
M	05/01/94	Craig Engels	2016	2017	22.2	23.2	2
W	03/31/93	Chrishuna Williams	2016	2017	23.3	24.3	2
W	01/31/92	Sara Sutherland	2016	2017	24.5	25.4	2
M	12/07/91	Johnny Gregorek	2016	2017	24.6	25.6	2
W	11/10/99	Sammy Watson	2017	2017	17.6	17.6	1
W	08/18/98	Katie Rainsberger	2017	2017	18.9	18.9	1
M	09/05/97	Drew Hunter	2017	2017	19.8	19.8	1
M	04/15/97	Donavan Brazier	2017	2017	20.2	20.2	1
M	12/27/95	David Ribich	2017	2017	21.5	21.5	1
M	08/04/95	Abraham Alvarado	2017	2017	21.9	21.9	1
W	07/21/95	Emily Richards	2017	2017	21.9	21.9	1
M	03/08/95	Ben Saarel	2017	2017	22.3	22.3	1
M	01/28/95	Drew Piazza	2017	2017	22.4	22.4	1
M	10/29/94	Sam Prakel	2017	2017	22.7	22.7	1
W	10/23/94	Nikki Hiltz	2017	2017	22.7	22.7	1
W	06/15/93	Shannon Osika	2017	2017	24.0	24.0	1
W	05/17/93	Eleanor Fulton	2017	2017	24.1	24.1	1
M	05/09/93	Josh Thompson	2017	2017	24.1	24.1	1
W	11/19/92	Emily Lipari	2017	2017	24.6	24.6	1
M	09/26/92	Cristian Soratos	2017	2017	24.8	24.8	1
M	07/22/92	Drew Windle	2017	2017	24.9	24.9	1
M	12/12/74	Bernard Lagat	1999	2016	24.6	41.6	18
W	04/15/83	Sara Hall	2004	2016	21.3	33.3	13
W	04/23/86	Alysia Montaño	2006	2016	20.2	30.2	11
M	09/12/84	Leo Manzano	2006	2016	21.8	31.8	11
M	11/03/85	Garrett Heath	2007	2016	21.7	30.7	10
W	03/10/85	Morgan Uceny	2007	2016	22.3	31.4	10
W	09/21/91	Jordan Hasay	2008	2016	16.8	24.8	9
M	11/21/87	Andrew Wheating	2008	2016	20.6	28.7	9
M	03/06/85	Brandon Johnson	2008	2016	23.4	31.4	9
W	08/30/88	Phoebe Wright	2009	2016	20.8	27.9	8
M	06/06/86	Jeff See	2009	2016	23.1	30.1	8
W	06/25/86	Gabe Grunewald	2010	2016	24.0	30.1	7
M	03/17/91	Casimir Loxsom	2011	2016	20.3	25.3	6
W	11/12/87	Katie Mackey	2011	2016	23.6	28.7	6
W	08/04/87	Molly Ludlow	2011	2016	23.9	29.0	6
W	05/03/96	Mary Cain	2013	2016	17.2	20.2	4
W	07/29/91	Stephanie Brown	2014	2016	22.9	25.0	3
M	10/03/89	Eric Avila	2014	2016	24.8	26.8	3
M	07/30/91	Daniel Winn	2015	2016	23.9	25.0	2
M	06/13/91	Colby Alexander	2015	2016	24.1	25.1	2
M	11/19/90	Kyle Merber	2015	2016	24.6	25.7	2
M	04/17/94	Izaic Yorks	2016	2016	22.2	22.2	1
M	12/19/92	Boris Berian	2016	2016	23.6	23.6	1
M	01/01/90	Harun Abda	2016	2016	26.5	26.5	1
W	12/23/81	Maggie Vessey	2005	2015	23.5	33.5	11
W	10/27/81	Treniere Moser	2005	2015	23.7	33.7	11
M	12/28/84	Duane Solomon	2006	2015	21.5	30.5	10
M	12/30/83	Nick Symmonds	2006	2015	22.5	31.5	10
W	08/22/90	Chanelle Price	2007	2015	16.8	24.9	9
W	10/15/86	Sarah Brown	2008	2015	21.7	28.7	8
M	10/28/87	Michael Rutt	2009	2015	21.7	27.7	7
W	12/09/86	Brie Felnagle	2011	2015	24.6	28.6	5
M	03/23/89	Ryan Martin	2012	2015	23.3	26.3	4
W	01/19/87	Heather Kampf	2012	2015	25.5	28.5	4
W	05/29/92	Cory McGee	2013	2015	21.1	23.1	3
W	09/04/91	Amanda Mergaert	2013	2015	21.8	23.8	3
W	05/31/89	Kerri Gallagher	2013	2015	24.1	26.1	3
M	10/06/90	Ford Palmer	2014	2015	23.7	24.7	2
M	05/23/90	Pat Casey	2014	2015	24.1	25.1	2
M	06/24/93	Shaquille Walker	2015	2015	22.0	22.0	1
W	02/04/93	Hannah Fields	2015	2015	22.4	22.4	1
M	07/15/92	Will Geoghegan	2015	2015	23.0	23.0	1
W	07/18/91	Rachel Schneider	2015	2015	24.0	24.0	1
W	09/20/87	Dana Mecke	2015	2015	27.8	27.8	1
W	03/05/86	Natalie Picchetti	2007	2014	21.3	28.3	8
M	04/15/85	Will Leer	2007	2014	22.2	29.2	8
W	12/17/88	Latavia Thomas	2008	2014	19.6	25.5	7
M	07/11/87	Dorian Ulrey	2009	2014	22.0	27.0	6
M	04/13/88	AJ Acosta	2011	2014	23.2	26.2	4
W	03/31/88	Jackie Areson	2011	2014	23.3	26.3	4
M	10/24/90	Elijah Greer	2012	2014	21.7	23.7	3
M	05/08/92	Matt Hillenbrand	2014	2014	22.2	22.2	1
W	07/25/88	Stephanie Charnigo	2014	2014	25.9	25.9	1
M	09/11/85	Liam Boylan-Pett	2014	2014	28.8	28.8	1
M	01/19/82	Matt Tegenkamp	2001	2013	19.4	31.4	13
W	01/18/87	Geena Gall	2007	2013	20.4	26.4	7
M	03/06/85	Russell Brown	2007	2013	22.3	28.3	7
M	08/03/87	Craig Miller	2009	2013	21.9	25.9	5
M	02/15/87	Tyler Mulder	2009	2013	22.4	26.4	5
M	06/01/87	Miles Batty	2012	2013	25.1	26.1	2
W	06/16/94	Amy Weissenbach	2013	2013	19.0	19.0	1
W	04/24/92	Hillary Holt	2013	2013	21.2	21.2	1
M	10/17/90	Mac Fleet	2013	2013	22.7	22.7	1
W	06/13/90	Heather Wilson	2013	2013	23.0	23.0	1
M	09/08/85	Matt Elliott	2013	2013	27.8	27.8	1
M	07/19/76	Khadevis Robinson	1998	2012	21.9	36.0	15
W	10/03/81	Alice Schmidt	2003	2012	21.7	30.8	10
W	03/31/84	Anna Willard	2007	2012	23.2	28.3	6
W	04/10/86	Maggie Infeld	2009	2012	23.2	26.2	4
M	04/24/86	John Mickowski	2010	2012	24.2	26.2	3
M	12/25/84	Mark Wieczorek	2011	2012	26.5	27.5	2
W	07/11/80	Christin Wurth-Thomas	2005	2011	25.0	31.0	7
M	11/07/89	Michael Hammond	2011	2011	21.6	21.6	1
M	05/25/88	Sam Borchers	2011	2011	23.1	23.1	1
W	04/14/88	Christine Schmaltz	2011	2011	23.2	23.2	1
W	03/25/88	Erica Moore	2011	2011	23.3	23.3	1
M	05/15/85	Kyle Miller	2011	2011	26.1	26.1	1
W	08/16/81	Amy Mortimer-Garman	2003	2010	21.9	28.9	8
W	05/08/83	Erin Donohue	2005	2010	22.2	27.2	6
W	02/28/86	Laura Januszewski	2008	2010	22.4	24.3	3
M	12/07/84	Stephen Pifer	2008	2010	23.6	25.6	3
M	07/05/87	Karjuan Williams	2009	2010	22.0	23.0	2
M	09/17/84	Ryan Brown	2009	2010	24.8	25.8	2
M	05/10/89	Richard Jones	2010	2010	21.1	21.1	1
M	11/01/87	John Bolas	2010	2010	22.7	22.7	1
M	09/08/85	Jacob Hernandez	2010	2010	24.8	24.8	1
W	10/03/77	Hazel Clark	1997	2009	19.7	31.8	13
M	01/13/83	Alan Webb	2001	2009	18.5	26.5	9
W	01/18/77	Carrie Tollefson	2001	2009	24.4	32.5	9
M	04/24/84	Chris Lukezic	2004	2009	20.2	25.2	6
M	10/31/83	Christian Smith	2005	2009	21.7	25.7	5
W	08/24/83	Katie Waits	2008	2009	24.9	25.9	2
M	07/27/87	Tevan Everett	2009	2009	21.9	21.9	1
M	03/27/87	Andrew Jesien	2009	2009	22.3	22.3	1
M	12/19/86	Darren Brown	2009	2009	22.5	22.5	1
W	09/25/86	Lauren Centrowitz	2009	2009	22.8	22.8	1
W	08/02/86	Molly Lehman	2009	2009	22.9	22.9	1
W	02/15/86	Heidi Dahl	2009	2009	23.4	23.4	1
M	01/25/79	Gabe Jennings	1998	2008	19.4	29.5	11
W	09/25/77	Jenelle Deatherage	1999	2008	21.8	30.8	10
W	11/08/73	Nicole Teter	2001	2008	27.6	34.7	8
W	10/20/82	Tiffany McWilliams	2003	2008	20.7	25.7	6
M	03/05/82	Jonathan Johnson	2003	2008	21.3	26.4	6
M	12/10/82	Said Ahmed	2004	2008	21.6	25.6	5
W	11/29/81	Lindsey Gallo	2004	2008	22.6	26.6	5
W	01/13/81	Kameisha Bennett-Martin	2004	2008	23.5	27.5	5
M	08/05/80	Rob Myers	2004	2008	24.0	27.9	5
M	09/22/78	Jebreh Harris	2004	2008	25.8	29.8	5
M	02/09/82	Jon Rankin	2005	2008	23.4	26.4	4
W	08/10/82	Nikeya Green	2006	2008	23.9	25.9	3
M	10/31/85	Andy McClary	2007	2008	21.7	22.7	2
W	05/12/86	Becky Horn	2008	2008	22.2	22.2	1
M	05/05/81	Steve Sherer	2008	2008	27.2	27.2	1
W	12/03/73	Shayne Culpepper	1998	2007	24.6	33.6	10
W	06/17/78	Mary Jayne Reeves	1999	2007	21.0	29.0	9
M	11/22/79	Floyd Thompson	2003	2007	23.6	27.6	5
W	12/01/82	Anne Shadle	2005	2007	22.6	24.6	3
W	04/03/86	Lauren Austin	2007	2007	21.2	21.2	1
M	07/24/84	Golden Coachman	2007	2007	22.9	22.9	1
M	12/30/82	John Jefferson	2007	2007	24.5	24.5	1
M	06/15/82	Trent Riter	2007	2007	25.0	25.0	1
M	05/24/75	David Krummenacker	1999	2006	24.1	31.1	8
M	09/19/74	Jason Lunn	2000	2006	25.9	31.8	7
W	01/02/73	Sarah Schwald	2001	2006	28.5	33.5	6
M	02/13/81	Sam Burley	2003	2006	22.4	25.4	4
M	08/04/80	Sean O'Brien	2003	2006	22.9	25.9	4
W	07/27/80	Frances Santin	2004	2006	24.0	25.9	3
M	11/21/78	Jacob Koczman	2004	2006	25.7	27.6	3
W	01/01/85	Leslie Treherne	2006	2006	21.5	21.5	1
W	09/20/84	Jemissa Hess	2006	2006	21.8	21.8	1
W	05/24/84	Amy Lia	2006	2006	22.1	22.1	1
M	05/07/84	Adam Perkins	2006	2006	22.1	22.1	1
M	11/21/83	Aucencio Martinez	2006	2006	22.6	22.6	1
W	12/18/82	Natalie Hughes	2006	2006	23.5	23.5	1
W	08/14/81	Liz Woodworth	2006	2006	24.9	24.9	1
M	10/08/79	Blake Boldon	2006	2006	26.7	26.7	1
M	11/07/78	Kevin Elliott	2006	2006	27.6	27.6	1
W	07/22/74	Krista Ferrara	2006	2006	31.9	31.9	1