Forums >General Running>Looking for BQ times from the 70's, 80's 90's. I know current times.
I agree that more than 10% of runners could qualify for Boston if they trained properly. However, reality is that only 10% actually do BQ. If that is the BAA intent, then the current standards do a good job of facilitating it. (See http://mysite.verizon.net/jim2wr/id202.html.)
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Runners run
I agree with Mike....well said, Jake! I guess what I was trying to say....and didn't do a good job of it....is that more runners could BQ than do. And even more people who are non-runners could if they chose to run and train for a BQ. But, as you said, so what? It's theoretical and indeterminant. All that matters is reality.
>All that matters is reality In trying to answer the question as to why times have gotten slower??? Do you think I'm off base in saying that it's because *runners aren't, on the average, training as much as they once did? Geez, it's not as though I'm accusing them of beating their children. Hell, there have been many years since in started when I didn't log many miles. I didn't run nearly as fast as when I trained more either, but I don't think it make me a bad guy. I thinks it's a reasonable answer to the question "Seems times have got a lot easier. Why is this I wonder?" *runners, for purpose of this discussion are people who enter foot races--especially marathons
I don't think you are off base at all. See: http://mysite.verizon.net/jim2wr/id78.html, http://mysite.verizon.net/jim2wr/id79.html and http://mysite.verizon.net/jim2wr/id199.html.
Why is it sideways?
Which actually leads to my main question. In all of your proposed reasonings for why the above is happening, you leave out one important thing: a comparison to other American sports. (If I missed it, my apologies). If all the reasons you offer for the decline in marathoning are true - from air conditioning to diet to video games - there ought to be a similar decline in the level of competitiveness in all sports, shouldn't there? I realize its hard to quantify that in sports that don't have exact time measurements. So outside of track and field and perhaps swimming, maybe its hard to assess. Are American baseball players less competitive compared to 30 years ago? I don't know. But how's this: what about non-marathon track and field? Are Americans less competitive? I don't really follow that scene - but based on what I see every four years at the Olympics, we sure don't seem to be declining much.