runner, anyone?

I've been doing lots of workouts lately, until i realised that my favourite was running, either on the treadmill or outside. So i've been considering getting more serious about running, and i had a few questions:

a) is/was anyone here a serious runner? and if so, could you please tell me a bit about:

b) how many km you run per day in order to exercise,

c) a runner's nutrition and calorie intake

d) whether you need to be a certain weight/height to be a runner and

e) whether 17 is to late to think about becomming professional at this...(sorry if i didn't explain everything very well, but english is not my first language..)

Thanks!

I run everyday. Its wonderful and has made me very healthy. Here are some facts about my activities:

-I run 4-6 miles everyday and do one long run of 10 miles on weekends.

-I eat anywhere between 2400-3000 calories a day.

-My weigh, BP and Cholesterol have all come down. I was 248lbs  3years ago and now am at 190lbs.

-I'm 56 yo and never felt better. 

I started by walking daily for a year. As far as a young person going professional....I see no problem with that but it takes years of work. 

a) I'm not sure if a qualify as a 'serious' runner especially since I've taken the past month off due to runner's knee, which I developed during my first half-marathon in October... :(  but it is something I'm passionate about so I'll throw in my two cents for the heck of it.

b) Before my knee issues, I was running between 30 and 40km a week, usually three or four 7k runs with a long run on the weekend between 10 and 16km. I did the majority of my runs first thing in the morning as I found that's when my energy levels were at their best.

c) I've actually been better at my focusing on nutrition since I've taken a break from running since I'm not getting that cardio I don't want to gain weight. When I was running that much. I think I was maintaining on around 2200 calories a day but that is just an estimate.

d) I don't know much about the height/weight factor or how it would affect running.  I don't think height matters. I'm 5'4" and at the start of the year I was around 125 or more lbs and by the end of summer I was maintaining at 118 lbs.

e) I don't think its ever to late to take up running! Although you'd have to elaborate by what you mean when you say 'professional'.  But I've heard of lots of professionals who were breaking their own records into their 30s.   Anyway there was a dude in the same marathon I ran in last month who I read was 100 years old and he only started running when he was  83! So there you have it. :)

I love running!!

a) I run 5-6 miles a day during weeks and rest sat/sun and sometimes longer runs if training for a race

b) no special nutrition. I probably don't have the healthies diet but I still very fit. I probably eat 2700 calories a day. 5"11 172 lbs

c) You can run at any weight although it certainly helps to be leaner. If you see guys who are really into competitive cross country/distance running, they are incredibly lean, but your avg runner doesn't look like that.

d) Running is going to be a hobby for 99.99 percent of runners, if not greater. Maybe you can design running shoes or running gear or become a track coach.. I don't know about simply running to make money. Vast majority of runners aren't making any money running.

Good luck running man!! Have fun

Thanks for the replies everyone! they have been veru helpful:)

By professional, i didn't mean running for money, but running in competitions, 5k, marathons etc.. actually, i have just discovered that there will be a 10k race in my town in february, so i started training for it:D

10 K! awesome.. i wish I was as motivated at 17 as you are!