Forums >General Running>What is your opinion of Alberto Salazar as a coach?
That's your measurement for improving a runner? Biomechanic skill change?
Haven't you heard? At the London Olympics the medals will not be awarded to the distance runners with the fastest times. Instead judges will vote on 'best mechanics' and this score will be combined with 'measurements' of 'energy consumption' and 'weight'. These 'measurements' will be performed by 'experts' who lack scientific training and don't use standard scientific definitions.
The process is the goal.
Men heap together the mistakes of their lives, and create a monster they call Destiny.
I recently received my copy of Techniques, the magazine published by the USATFCCCA. I was impressed to find an article credited to Alberto Salazar in it. That's the kind of contribution to the larger running community that I enjoy seeing from a successful coach, regardless of his diverse motivations for contributing the article.
Alberto never claims to know everything about running. He's quite curious about everything he can legally do to improve running performance. If you ask him a question about running, he will give you the best answer he knows. I respect that.
Alberto has also coached athletes to national records and medals. I also respect that.
Discussion about his athletes can be fun, but it takes two to tango and it's hard to assign blame or praise just to the coach or athlete in this kind of relationship. Somebody mentioned Webb's brief stint with Salazar. A lot of people talk about it like a failure. Some people are leaving out the part where he ran with Galen in a turkey trot, then ran with the world's best milers indoors. He threw a fit because he didn't like his times that winter, but the guys he ran alongside went on to medal at worlds that year.
Ritz is an interesting case. He drew a lot of media attention due to his injuries and some of the adjustments made with Salazar. Perhaps we forget that these guys are full time coaches and athletes paid to think about running for hours per day. Should we expect any less of them than to be so thorough as to sometimes think about his running gait? Salazar's agreement with Ritz included the fact that they might make a lot of mistakes together, but at least they couldn't be accused of not trying to make a breakthrough. I don't hold anything against them for paying attention to detail.
When I read Duel in the Sun I came to the conclusion that Alberto and I would probably not make good conversation, but that his passion for the sport was enviable and undeniable. I don't begrudge him his success.
I'm still waiting to read what improvements in running skills he actually imparted to them.
Several posters have already identified runners who have had significant improvements in their racing performance and results under his coaching.
But your standard of 'performance' is apparently something else?
I can't recall, who was awarded the highest score for 'artistic impression' in the 10,000m at the last Olympics?
I recently received my copy of Techniques, the magazine published by the USATFCCCA. I was impressed to find an article credited to Alberto Salazar in it. That's the kind of contribution to the larger running community that I enjoy seeing from a successful coach, regardless of his diverse motivations for contributing the article. Alberto never claims to know everything about running. He's quite curious about everything he can legally do to improve running performance. If you ask him a question about running, he will give you the best answer he knows. I respect that. Alberto has also coached athletes to national records and medals. I also respect that. Discussion about his athletes can be fun, but it takes two to tango and it's hard to assign blame or praise just to the coach or athlete in this kind of relationship. Somebody mentioned Webb's brief stint with Salazar. A lot of people talk about it like a failure. Some people are leaving out the part where he ran with Galen in a turkey trot, then ran with the world's best milers indoors. He threw a fit because he didn't like his times that winter, but the guys he ran alongside went on to medal at worlds that year. Ritz is an interesting case. He drew a lot of media attention due to his injuries and some of the adjustments made with Salazar. Perhaps we forget that these guys are full time coaches and athletes paid to think about running for hours per day. Should we expect any less of them than to be so thorough as to sometimes think about his running gait? Salazar's agreement with Ritz included the fact that they might make a lot of mistakes together, but at least they couldn't be accused of not trying to make a breakthrough. I don't hold anything against them for paying attention to detail. When I read Duel in the Sun I came to the conclusion that Alberto and I would probably not make good conversation, but that his passion for the sport was enviable and undeniable. I don't begrudge him his success.
That was good post.
"If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus
Several posters have already identified runners who have had significant improvements in their racing performance and results under his coaching. But your standard of 'performance' is apparently something else? I can't recall, who was awarded the highest score for 'artistic impression' in the 10,000m at the last Olympics?
That was Saleshi Inline after running his 27:02 for the silver. He really impressed the judges.
Juan Carlos de la Ostrich ran 27:54 for 17th. Off day for him, I guess. Too many feathers on his uniform distracted the judges.
There was a point in my life when I ran. Now, I just run.
We are always running for the thrill of it
Always pushing up the hill, searching for the thrill of it
Biomimeticist
My grandfather used to have a favorite quip, "no number can't be cut in half," which he followed by stating that as well, nobody can't be improved.
It isn't about "artistic measure", Its about what defines perfection; what measurements define the point whereas a runner cannot improve biomechanically?
Without defining that reality, what is anyone being trained toward?
Experts said the world is flat
Experts said that man would never fly
Experts said we'd never go to the moon
Name me one of those "experts"...
History never remembers the name of experts; just the innovators who had the guts to challenge and prove the "experts" wrong
Ah yes ... and a runner called Hope, coached by Emily Dickinson, just beat Juan Carlos for 26th.
I told Juan Carlos that his costume was too much for the "experts" to appreciate. The bird brain has his head in the sand.
My grandfather used to have a favorite quip, "no number can't be cut in half," which he followed by stating that as well, nobody can't be improved. It isn't about "artistic measure", Its about what defines perfection; what measurements define the point whereas a runner cannot improve biomechanically? Without defining that reality, what is anyone being trained toward?
I don't think many runners really care their biomechanics as long as they run faster. Of course, you'll say, "Well, if I were training their biomechanics, they'd improve by 20% after just a few hours with me." If you can just show me results from a controlled study that you've done, I'd be happy to reconsider my opinion of your theories. But, as of yet, all you point to are other studies about how people walk and ostriches.
You have all these brilliant ideas that come to you once every minute and that are your blessing and your curse (or so Moon Shiver says, although, I don't know how he got into your mind like that); why don't you redirect some of that thinking to putting together a study that proves your theory? It might go a long way beyond just asking questions.
But by your standard, Rupp setting multiple American records early in his career under the coaching of Salazar doesn't represent improvement. Because you have stated that Salazar has imparted no improvement to his runners.
Ah yes ... and a runner called Hope, coached by Emily Dickinson, just beat Juan Carlos for 26th. I told Juan Carlos that his costume was too much for the "experts" to appreciate. The bird brain has his head in the sand.
You're closer to SJ than you realize. Your genius goes unrecognized.
Putting together a study is easy, having it published is another matter entirely....
>> When I read Duel in the Sun I came to the conclusion that Alberto and I would probably not make good conversation,
I know shit and shinola when it comes to competitive running, but I've met Mr S a number of times and he's pretty engaging and outgoing. Made for great conversation, and I'm kind of introverted.
(for the record, so does Dick Beardsley)
Right.
And cost the academic community millions in "research" grant money by solving the problem?
Reality is that I'm the only one who can describe, mimic, and teach how the women of Kenya carry 20% of their bodyweight with no increase in energy expenditure and nobody else in the world can.
Given they're referred to as "peer review" journals, then just who are my peers?
And cost the academic community millions in "research" grant money by solving the problem? Reality is that I'm the only one who can describe, mimic, and teach how the women of Kenya carry 20% of their bodyweight with no increase in energy expenditure and nobody else in the world can. Given they're referred to as "peer review" journals, then just who are my peers?