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RoadToad
   
USA
276 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 10:49:18
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Way to shake 'em up, JF!
JF posts this question here every couple yers. It's a good topic too. No Mystery. It's a national phenomenon. Nobody should misconstrue it as "bashing" or "bullying". It's just a fact. But what does it mean?
Boyce has the best response yet. Very subtle. He's right. Those hordes of faster runners in the '70's and '80's did not have near as many races to choose from and probably would have only run a handful of races anyway. The guys and gals doing intense training still race that way: Sparingly. You won't see 'em out there every week. They're too busy training. Yesterday's road races were all business. They were just races. Today, the "race" is also a party.
Maybe things aren't so different after all? Perhaps the stats people could follow up on this idea. Maybe we should look at the totality of all the race results for an entire year and compare that rather than single races? I have not done that but it might be revealing. I suspect the trend will hold but not be as pronounced.
The Road Toad
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ABS0LUTERIC
   
100 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 13:22:04
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| yeah thats a good point. More race options speads out the group alittle bit. compaired to years ago when there wernt so many to choose from |
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Roosterm
   
USA
207 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 14:12:00
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Have races always been for a charity or is this a recent change? It seems more races are created to raise funds then to provide a venue for sub 5min mile runners.
As a race director, would you rather: A. Have 23 people show up and 90% of them run a 4-5min mile B. Have 500 people show up and have 5% run a 4-5min miles C. Have 3 kegs of Flying Bison, 1000 runners and no one runs under a 5min mile.
What single event in Buffalo draws in the most sub 5min mile runners? Subaru 4mile? Mueller Mile?
Mark |
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ABS0LUTERIC
   
100 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 14:18:39
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| I would like to see more team scoring at events...It would make it a little more interesting then just seeing a few cleaning up the field. And it would give you something to work for in a race other then a PR.... |
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Boyce
   
USA
105 Posts |
Posted - May 16 2012 : 09:45:49
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There is usatf niagara club team scoring at Lilac and at Bergen this year. Just need to be a usatf-niagara member and be apart of a club
quote: Originally posted by ABS0LUTERIC
I would like to see more team scoring at events...It would make it a little more interesting then just seeing a few cleaning up the field. And it would give you something to work for in a race other then a PR....
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GrandIsland68

USA
6 Posts |
Posted - May 16 2012 : 20:54:53
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quote: Way to shake 'em up, JF!
JF posts this question here every couple yers. It's a good topic too. No Mystery. It's a national phenomenon. Nobody should misconstrue it as "bashing" or "bullying". It's just a fact. But what does it mean?
theres no phenomenon..... people have just realized that sprinting and lower mileage gives you a better physique, more muscle mass, and saves alot of time. (not to mention less injuries)
The US is more sprint oriented simply because sprinters are glorified over distance runners by just about every public (except of course former or current "distance runners" themselves)
women dig the chisled body of a sprinter and drool as he blazes through a sprint race, but with the often skinny and slower paced distance runners..... not so much.
This means that when faced with the choice to focus on speed and physique or sacrafice physique for more endurance.... runners often decide to lay off the mileage willingly
they paved paradise, and put up a parking lot.... |
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SonOfRoxy
   
426 Posts |
Posted - May 16 2012 : 21:26:14
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Uh...next.
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lkizz
   
USA
945 Posts |
Posted - May 17 2012 : 07:29:55
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| well at least this explains why Bob looks the way he does ... |
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OldGermanRunner
   
USA
213 Posts |
Posted - May 17 2012 : 11:19:16
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But women should dig the guys that can keep on going, and don't peter out after a short sprint.
OGR
"People do it everyday, they talk to themselves... they see themselves as they'd like to be, they don't have the courage I have, to just run with it."
See you around at the races. |
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jkrolick
  
USA
87 Posts |
Posted - May 17 2012 : 16:16:30
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quote: Originally posted by GrandIsland68
theres no phenomenon..... people have just realized that sprinting and lower mileage gives you a better physique, more muscle mass, and saves alot of time. (not to mention less injuries)
I believe the 20+ min 5k runners would be offended to be called sprinters rather than the distance runners they are. And those people you described would be considered typical Americans, Image obsessed, lunkheads, and lazy, Not to mention scared to risk to improve. None of our local runners fall into that category.
quote: Originally posted by GrandIsland68
The US is more sprint oriented simply because sprinters are glorified over distance runners by just about every public (except of course former or current "distance runners" themselves)
Yes they sprint from the couch to get a microwaveable dinner and a beer in between commercials of the latest reality show. Again these people are distance runners not sprinters. I have never met a Sprinter that would pay money to run 3.1 miles.
quote: Originally posted by GrandIsland68
women dig the chisled body of a sprinter and drool as he blazes through a sprint race, but with the often skinny and slower paced distance runners..... not so much.
I think you are confusing football, basketball players and wrestlers with track and field athletes. No girls paid much attention to whether you were a sprinter or distance runner in college all they knew was that you were on the track team and thats not wrestling, football, or basketball.
quote: Originally posted by GrandIsland68
This means that when faced with the choice to focus on speed and physique or sacrafice physique for more endurance.... runners often decide to lay off the mileage willingly
I am dumbfounded. Runners seek endurance. The only time they will lay off their mileage is when they are physically incapable of running their current level. Again your description is of a lazy American who with that mentality eventually ends up on the couch and another statistic to the obesity population.
As SOR said...NEXT!!
Hurt Pain and Agony |
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Bob K.
   
USA
535 Posts |
Posted - May 17 2012 : 17:28:10
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| Now how did I get dragged into this? I do have a nice sprinter's body. |
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Jan J.
   
USA
262 Posts |
Posted - May 17 2012 : 18:13:41
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@ Bob K:
Plus, you are so incredibly modest, to boot!
Jan J. |
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Boyce
   
USA
105 Posts |
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TFPIV
   
USA
1000 Posts |
Posted - May 21 2012 : 11:24:09
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Judging by all of the short fuses...it appears that people just need to get over their own personal issues and just run :) Lots of defensive people out there on this thread.
A wise man once told me - "Running don't care who you are."
Tommie P
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TFPIV
   
USA
1000 Posts |
Posted - May 21 2012 : 11:26:30
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| And looking at the Lilac 10K results - it's about the same results every year. Consistent - The Buffalo, NY Turkey Trot quality in a 10K. |
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HulkHogan
 
26 Posts |
Posted - May 21 2012 : 13:51:06
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quote: Originally posted by TFPIV
And looking at the Lilac 10K results - it's about the same results every year. Consistent - The Buffalo, NY Turkey Trot quality in a 10K.
The reason why no buffalo runners showed up!!!!! |
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