Boston, the sea-leve elite running mecca?

I agree, this is nonsense. Some of the worst weather in the country for several months per year. It worked for the old time distance guys pounding out the long slow miles, not working these days, the times they are a changin.

Why would it work then, but not now? The weather' the same.

Horst Girth wrote:

Just a thought. Let's face it, from 800 up, you need a training block at altitude.

most of the USA's top distance runners, Rupp, Jager, Teg, Solinsky, C. Derrick, etc. have been training in Portland/Eugene Oregon the last decade or so, so no altitude training for them.

(note Rupp and maybe others in Salazars group do sleep in an altitude tent). still most runners training in Oregon, have not bothered with altitude training.

Huh?? wrote:

Why would it work then, but not now? The weather' the same.

becuase 2:12ish doesn't cut it anymore.

pipe dreamer... wrote:

Huh?? wrote:

Why would it work then, but not now? The weather' the same.

becuase 2:12ish doesn't cut it anymore.

So you want them to train where runners were even slower back in the day?

Salazar and his guys do training blocks in Utah, at altitude. Very close as the jet flies.

pipe dreamer... wrote:

I agree, this is nonsense. Some of the worst weather in the country for several months per year. It worked for the old time distance guys pounding out the long slow miles, not working these days, the times they are a changin.

It's nowhere near the worst weather in the country, the city deals extremely well with that weather, there are multiple excellent indoor tracks available, and the weather outside of the winter is actually pretty good.

pipe dreamer... wrote:

Some of the worst weather in the country for several months per year.

Utter nonsense. Boston weather is rather mild. Rarely gets below 10F or above 90F. Roads are cleared the day snow falls. Not a lot of thunderstorms or other severe weather.

For what it's worth, as a college kid I'd thrive on fartlek sessions on freshly plowed roads in very cold weather, down to about 15F. The miler workout: 10 @ (4 phone poles) a bit faster than mile pace.

Just be sure to triple layer over your unit, boys.

That being said, I still think Boston elites will need altitude blocks somewhere.

douglas burke wrote:

Horst Girth wrote:

Just a thought. Let's face it, from 800 up, you need a training block at altitude.

most of the USA's top distance runners, Rupp, Jager, Teg, Solinsky, C. Derrick, etc. have been training in Portland/Eugene Oregon the last decade or so, so no altitude training for them.

(note Rupp and maybe others in Salazars group do sleep in an altitude tent). still most runners training in Oregon, have not bothered with altitude training.

Because NIKE has altitude tents for them im sure.

Because NIKE has altitude tents for them im sure.[/quote]

Since when has adidas been the The Little Sisters of the Poor?

the weather sucks in comparison to somewhere like the bay area / Portland / Victoria, BC and even Seattle. Sure you can deal with crap like plowed roads and indoor tracks, but why would you ever want to if you are a pro runner? There were some days in Boston when ice storms would hit (about 2 per year), where running outside was almost impossible. For january and february it rarely gets above 32. Living outside of San Francisco, in 5 years, I think I've done every run between 50F and 88F. If you are a professional runner, go where you can run.

Not only that, compared to west coast cities, Boston's trail system sucks. Try comparing the charles, emerald, even the fells to something like the trails of mt tam in marin county or even the trails behind berkeley. no comparison.

The average high is 36 in January and 39 in February. I also think you're overstating these ice storms. That said, it is tough to understand why a pro runner would choose to move here.

Then again Huddle and Hastings are in Providence, so what do I know?

knox harrington wrote:

The average high is 36 in January and 39 in February. I also think you're overstating these ice storms. That said, it is tough to understand why a pro runner would choose to move here.

Then again Huddle and Hastings are in Providence, so what do I know?

Ray Treacy, Mark Coogan, and Terrence Mahon could sway a runner to move. They have resources and experience training professional runners.

Horst Girth wrote:

For what it's worth, as a college kid I'd thrive on fartlek sessions on freshly plowed roads in very cold weather, down to about 15F. The miler workout: 10 @ (4 phone poles) a bit faster than mile pace.

Been running poles for a long time. Nice.

New Englander wrote:

knox harrington wrote:

The average high is 36 in January and 39 in February. I also think you're overstating these ice storms. That said, it is tough to understand why a pro runner would choose to move here.

Then again Huddle and Hastings are in Providence, so what do I know?

Ray Treacy, Mark Coogan, and Terrence Mahon could sway a runner to move. They have resources and experience training professional runners.

Ray Treacy has success when he gets some good foreigners, Coogan has only had one success. Mahon?

The weather is miserable, try Boulder for a winter some time, see if you want to come back to Boston? And if running along the Charles floats your boat, then good for you. If the training is important then there are many better options.

It doesn't matter. You know, Bill Rodgers ran 2:09 with most of his mileage was on a 1.5 mile loop. Frank Shorter, Galloway, etc had a thriving distance crew in Gainesville, the Hansons are in MiddleofNowhere, Michigan, Dick Beardsley trained in Minnesota. The rainy season makes training difficult in Kenya for a month or two. I think that making a place a training mecca is more about gathering talent and giving a little support than having the best trails and the most perfect training days.

pipe dreamer... wrote:

New Englander wrote:

Ray Treacy, Mark Coogan, and Terrence Mahon could sway a runner to move. They have resources and experience training professional runners.

Ray Treacy has success when he gets some good foreigners, Coogan has only had one success. Mahon?

The weather is miserable, try Boulder for a winter some time, see if you want to come back to Boston? And if running along the Charles floats your boat, then good for you. If the training is important then there are many better options.

Jesus, you're soft.

PS: There are many many places besides the Charles to run. I probably run there once a month or less.

Jamaica Pond Scum wrote:

It doesn't matter. You know, Bill Rodgers ran 2:09 with most of his mileage was on a 1.5 mile loop. Frank Shorter, Galloway, etc had a thriving distance crew in Gainesville, the Hansons are in MiddleofNowhere, Michigan, Dick Beardsley trained in Minnesota. The rainy season makes training difficult in Kenya for a month or two. I think that making a place a training mecca is more about gathering talent and giving a little support than having the best trails and the most perfect training days.

This