Neil Owen wrote:
I just don't live in an imaginary world. Pre had the highest tested VO2 max in the world in his day. All that talk about running on guts when he was simply born with more talent than anyone else. Do you coach your athletes to run off the front and lead wire to wire? Why Not? Because it is stubborn and stupid. It would be sad if Pre died of cancer, but he didn't. He died of stupidy, specifically his own.
The reality is that he wasted, in more ways than one, what might have been the greatest running gift in human history to that point. That's what's sad.
If you want to romanticize him, go ahead. But don't dump on me for facing reality. Real life isn't a movie with a Chariots of Fire soundtrack.
You do live in an imaginary world. Fact is you are an idiot. Pre took 4th in the olympics in 1972. When exactly are you suggesting he checked out instead of aging badly? The man who won was 1.5 years older than him (who would go on to double in teh 5k/10k back to back olympics), which at the age of 21/23 can make a big difference. In fact at age 21 Pre was the youngest runner in the entire final, losing to two 23 year olds and a 34 year old (defending champion). Two years later he had dropped 7 seconds from his 5k pr and looked ready to drop it even further. You have no grasp on reality. The reality is the prefontaine in 1974 when he ran his 5k pr, might have been a silver at the 72 olympics, at an age comparable to the people he lost against. He had 6 prs in 1974 between 3k/10k indoors and outdoors. But you're right...he checked out instead of aging badly...a guy setting prs left and right should def retire....
Who exactly are we comparing Pre against when you said he had the highest TESTED V02 in the world. Were all 3 guys who beat him tested? Didn't realized VO2 made you the best in the world....that age and years of training had nothing to do with it, or other factors involved in running. Oh and blood doping, something most people think Viren did, that wouldn't help you win either would it? VO2 test, that's the end all....nothing else matters genetically does it....you're right.
Nothing you wrote shows you have a grasp on reality or what transpired back then.