Forums >Racing>Why the Kenyans are so fast
To end Kenyan dominance in distance running I propose we start a non profit with shoe company backing. It's mission will be to shod everyone from birth to about 40. It's just that simple.
Your poor mother. What size were they? I hope they weren't xc spikes.
Size 16 now, but probably smaller then. Wingtips I think.
The dominance should be about over. Kenyan kids wear shoes about as much as most places on the planet these days. Actually, there have been many places where children were less likely to have shoes all along. Hmmm....
children going to school in Rift Valley, Kenya:
(this would be more fun if I thought the sport jester comment was genuine)
I think it has to do with their body type and the altitude they grew up in. They all have the same type. skinny, long legs and lean. I really don't think it has much to do with form. jeptoo who won the womens nyc marathon has preeetty bad form. And they are all from altitude which has been proven to boost performance
> are all from altitude which has been proven to boost performance
Aha, that's why Bolivia dominates distance running.
#artbydmcbride
> are all from altitude which has been proven to boost performance Aha, that's why Bolivia dominates distance running.
Nah, their husky calves prevent them from getting really fast.
Runners run
It's simple. They train harder. They're philosophy is very similar to weight lifters, train to failure. Run as fast as you can till you can no longer run, whereas the western program dictates pacing and not running so fast that you aren't able to finish the prescribed workout.
Personally I think that their motivation to succeed is higher. Do or do not, there is no try. If someone is holding your head underwater with full intention of drowning you, there is no, "I tried", there is only life or death. They want it that bad. My $.02
It's simple. They train harder.
There are about 7 billion people on the planet. About 0.005 billion of them are Kalenjin. Yet they dominate distance running. Are there really not any among the 99.9% who train just as hard? Are they the only non-western people running? Plenty of the Kenyans have non-Kenyan coaches and plenty of runners have tried to mimic Kenyan training. The "work harder" hypothesis doesn't hold up.
Why are the Eastern European women distance runners so fast?
Why is it sideways?
Why are the Ethiopians so fast?
But kenya those east african countries are the only ones who are growing up at altitude WHILE running.
Queen of 3rd Place
Teff. Dur.
Ex runner
old woman w/hobby
They walk 10 miles back and forth to school...Up hill both ways.
steph
According to my Dad, he had to do that in six feet of snow, but he was never much of a runner that I could tell. I never understood that story though, because both of his parents taught at the school he went to. You would think he could have just caught a ride in with them.
The guy who set the marathon world record started running at age 21.