I'm 5'10", 200lbs with size 11 feet, lol. I want a Tall Athena division!

 

Very interesting, thanks for sharing LtH.

5'11" here, and my running shoe is a size 11 MENS.  (I am a woman).  And based on weight, I don't think I'll ever not qualify as an Athena.  Though I've never done a race with that category...  Maybe I should, it would certainly give me a better chance of a category AG award than the races around here.

 5'11" here, and my running shoe is a size 11 MENS.  (I am a woman).  And based on weight, I don't think I'll ever not qualify as an Athena.  Though I've never done a race with that category...  Maybe I should, it would certainly give me a better chance of a category AG award than the races around here.

My wife is 6' 0.25" (about 3 inches taller than men who are "six feet" tall).  I'm not allowed to say what size shoe she wears, but they're bigger than yours (long feet are sexy).  She's a runner, much faster than I am, and could clean up in Athena divisions, but she has no interest in racing.

It was a very interesting article. But what really caught my attention is this:  So really, even though we sort of fit stories to what we think is going on, we can't observe the genetics; we don't know what's really going on.

I believe everything the author is saying. But until we really know more about the subject, what's the point of worrying about it? If it's true that somehow we all respond differently to training, because of our genetics, then the best that I can do for myself at the moment is to continue following my gut instinct when it comes to my own running.

It was a very interesting article. But what really caught my attention is this:  So really, even though we sort of fit stories to what we think is going on, we can't observe the genetics; we don't know what's really going on.

 

I believe everything the author is saying. But until we really know more about the subject, what's the point of worrying about it? If it's true that somehow we all respond differently to training, because of our genetics, then the best that I can do for myself at the moment is to continue following my gut instinct when it comes to my own running.

I think there's a difference between worrying about it and knowing about it.  One of the things I've seen in the past year (not just in this interview, but various articles in Running Times, Alex Hutchison's Sweat Science blog) is that runners who are larger tend to have a much more difficult time in warm weather.  Learning about this (and why it happens), along with my personal experience of that, has influenced my training/racing schedule.  There is a big half-marathon here that my team always participates in, and tries to have a good showing for, that takes place at the end of May.  This year I was cheering instead of running, and I didn't feel guilty for that decision, partially because of that research.

I think in general knowing this stuff makes it easier for those who aren't naturally fast, or don't improve rapidly.  It can be tough feeling like you must be doing something wrong because you're not running x:00 minute miles after 6 months, or a year, or two years running.  It's comforting, in a way, to know that you're not necessarily doing anything wrong; you might just be slow to respond to exercise, or you might need to change something in your training to better suit your physiology.

I always like to look at it like this: I know where I started, and I know where I am, but there's no way to know what my genetic limits are.  So you train the best you can in order to find out, and come closer to those limits, whatever they may be.

 

I believe everything the author is saying. But until we really know more about the subject, what's the point of worrying about it?

It is basically irrelevant for us weekend warriors.  But parents are actually wanting genetic testing to tell them which sports to have their children pursue.  I read a fascinating book, Game On* by Tom Farrey, a few years ago and exchanged some emails with him.  I'd recommend it.

China, the USSR, and others have for decades sought to identify VERY early which athletes are most promising in what.  For such things, it's a big deal.

A slightly different story is in the past the Australian national crew (rowing) team always sucked.  But they knew that the best rowers had a certain tall build.  So they went around to college campuses and walked around looking for girls with that build but no rowing experience and invited them to train as rowers.  In not too many years, they were pretty good as a national team.

For me, genetics and natural ability have no impact on what I choose to do as hobbies.  I love distance running and playing music and have no natural talent for either.  If I tell people I have no musical talent, they argue because I can play guitar and hold my own.  But I've been around people with talent and I know I don't have it.  It takes hard work for me to be mediocre.  Running is similar.  I could probably be pretty good in rowing or speed skating, but I don't want to do that.  I could get a lot closer to my ceiling in running, but I honestly don't care too much about being good in running either, I just like doing it.

So it's not that applicable for most of us, but I think it's very interesting, and it does have applications.

*synopsis of Game On book:  http://www.tomfarrey.com/farrey-synopsis.htm

Seems like that would be a good genetic trait to have if you wanted to be a kicker.  It would be like using one of those giant drivers on the golf course.

We're moving and I found a box with old photos my mom gave me.  Below is one from when I was 17.  I don't know what I'm flexing, at that point I'd never lifted a weight in my life.

 

But what I really noticed is that even when I was a skinny kid, I had thick ankles and lower legs, which that article informs me are bad for distance running.

 

GC, I think it matters for weekend warriors.  I have seen people become terribly frustrated at their lack of progress.  They are doing the things they ought to be doing but they are improving very little.  Unfortunately, everyone else also assumes they are doing something wrong so they get advised to try this or that training method or to change their footstrike or to "always run with 180 steps per minute" or some other such conventional wisdom.  Or, they keep trying to push above some arbitrary mileage goal and keep getting hurt.  Accepting that you do have performance limitations can help you to enjoy running as a healthful activity without stressing over some performance goal you may not have the ability to reach.

By the same token, sometimes those who progress rapidly assume that everyone can progress rapidly if they'll just do the same things.  It drives me crazy when I see posts from people who talk glibly about ramping up from couch to a BQ in a year and glibly act like that's normal.  Well, it's not normal.  Most people who try to emulate such a training program will either fail miserably or get hurt trying.  This book is a reminder that it's not just about how hard you work at it.