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When Records Fall (Read 177 times)

    Dakota Jones.

     

    Records may be arbitrary human machinations with little bearing on the rest of the world, but that doesn’t mean they are pointless. By setting standards we challenge others to improve, and the quest to better oneself always has positive effects on people and those around them. Every endeavour marks its progress somehow and constantly strives to extend its limits, the act of which proves its health. Politics are human machinations too, but that doesn’t mean they are pointless. They were put in place with a specific purpose – to govern – and they harbor many benchmarks themselves in order to reward accomplishment and record advancement. Running is little different. The act of running is healthy, and the sport of running brings people together to challenge each other in a positive way. In that sense, records actually do have bearing on the lives of others. Positive bearing.

    "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus

    DoppleBock


      Not sure I understand the deep meaning fully, but interesting how records stand for many years ... and then they can get bettered almost every year.  Sometimes it just takes the belief that the record can be broken.

       

      The Men's 24 hour world record has stood for a long time - I am not sure anyone really is a believer that they can break it.  But I believe that if it is broken, it will be broken repeatedly, just like the Men's and Women's US 24 hour records that stood for a long time until recently.

      Long dead ... But my stench lingers !

       

       

      zonykel


        If you're talking about running records where professionals are involved, or there is some other incentive (like an Olympic gold medal), then there is interest and competition. That naturally causes the records to be broken.

         

        the mental aspect is plausible. But couldn't it be also that training methods are refined and then everyone else copycats? Or perhaps some drugs become widely available that improve performance?

          The act of running is healthy, and the sport of running brings people together to challenge each other in a positive way. In that sense, records actually do have bearing on the lives of others. Positive bearing.

           

          I really liked this when I first read it. Then, I read it again, and I still liked it, but the ugly shadow of doping crept into my brain - not about this dude, or mountain racing dudes necessarily, but the running record chasing that brings out that ugly beast, that's decidedly unhealthy and not positive.

          Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and rogues
          We're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes
          LedLincoln


          not bad for mile 25

            Sometimes records fall because of a change of rules or equipment.  In such a case, I would consider the old records still valid for their environment.

             

            Sometimes records are vacated because of cheating.  They weren't records to begin with.

            zonykel


               

              Sometimes records are vacated because of cheating.  They weren't records to begin with.

              Not related to running, but in baseball, have they vacated the records set by Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa, etc?

                Not related to running, but in baseball, have they vacated the records set by Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa, etc?

                 

                The writers voting on the Hall of Fame candidates have.

                "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus

                AmoresPerros


                Options,Account, Forums

                  Sometimes records fall because of a change of rules or equipment.  In such a case, I would consider the old records still valid for their environment.

                   

                   

                   

                  So what do you consider the women's marathon world record, then?

                  It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.


                  Feeling the growl again

                     

                    So what do you consider the women's marathon world record, then?

                     

                    It's kind of laughable to claim that running near a few men took Paula two minutes under the next fastest time -- also hers.  The advantage of a downhill course and a stiff tailwind only took the 2011 Boston winner 34 seconds under the WR.

                     

                    Swimming records are another story.  Smile

                    "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                     

                    I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                     

                    LedLincoln


                    not bad for mile 25

                       So what do you consider the women's marathon world record, then?

                       

                      Too much work for me.  I prefer to let others actually figure/argue these things out.  I'll keep honing my trolling skills.