Genetics matter - Identical twins run in US Olympic marathon trials all the time, siblings hardly ever

I know where this is going. You will have to delete your own thread.

Not news to anyone on here, especially the ones who play the genetics card on anyone faster than them.

rojo wrote:

So there you have it, genetics are huge to running.

They are also quite important in terms of cognitive ability...

How many total participants have there been since 1984? Aren't there an average of more than 100 on both the women's and the men's side?

The rate of identical twins is ~1 in 285.

My guess is the number of identical twins in the Olympic trials is not different from the number in the general population at a level that reaches statistical significance.

Kenenisa and Tariku Bekele aren't twins.

Tirunesh and Genzebe Dibaba aren't twins.

Haz Bin wrote:

Kenenisa and Tariku Bekele aren't twins.

Tirunesh and Genzebe Dibaba aren't twins.

And your point is?

Mr. Obvious wrote:

How many total participants have there been since 1984? Aren't there an average of more than 100 on both the women's and the men's side?

The rate of identical twins is ~1 in 285.

My guess is the number of identical twins in the Olympic trials is not different from the number in the general population at a level that reaches statistical significance.

The point is if your identical twin is in the Olympic trials, it's more likely that you are as well.

The point is NOT that identical twins make the trials more often than non twins.

not an answer wrote:

Mr. Obvious wrote:

How many total participants have there been since 1984? Aren't there an average of more than 100 on both the women's and the men's side?

The rate of identical twins is ~1 in 285.

My guess is the number of identical twins in the Olympic trials is not different from the number in the general population at a level that reaches statistical significance.

The point is if your identical twin is in the Olympic trials, it's more likely that you are as well.

The point is NOT that identical twins make the trials more often than non twins.

It does not prove this at all. You are still lacking any underlying data. How many people with an identical twin have run (but whose twin hasn't)?

The only contrary evidence is a lack of brother-sister combos. Are there brother/brother combos? Sister/sister combos?

Rojo has no understanding of statistics.

In 2012 brothers Josh and Jason Ordway both ran in the men's marathon trials. They are 7 years apart in age (though obviously not bro/sis).

They finished 47th and 60th.

http://www.usatf.org/events/2012/OlympicTrials-Marathon/results/Men.asp

Josh's wife placed 121st int eh women's race

Here is a family profile from 2012

http://www.runnersworld.com/elite-runners/daytons-ordway-family-qualifies-three-to-trials

An Ordway sister has a half marathon best of 1:15:59 so she just missed qualifying.

http://www.thelocalelite.com/

Ryan and Steven Shay have both run in the marathon trials.

not an answer

The point is if your identical twin is in the Olympic trials, it's more likely that you are as well.

The point is NOT that identical twins make the trials more often than non twins.

No, the point that Rojo is trying to make is that it is because of genetics. It's a wrong and dumb conclusion so I hope he is just kidding. But purposely trolling is also dumb so I don't know which is worse.

Mr. Obvious wrote:

not an answer wrote:

The point is if your identical twin is in the Olympic trials, it's more likely that you are as well.

The point is NOT that identical twins make the trials more often than non twins.

It does not prove this at all. You are still lacking any underlying data. How many people with an identical twin have run (but whose twin hasn't)?

The only contrary evidence is a lack of brother-sister combos. Are there brother/brother combos? Sister/sister combos?

Rojo has no understanding of statistics.

Well let's see. About 2000 participants since 1984. 1 in 285 people have an identical twin. With a random group of 2000 people you'd expect about 7 individuals who have an identical twin.

Less than 0.01% of Americans will ever compete in the OT Marathon. But from what we know, if your identical twin is in the OT marathon there is a good 50% chance that you are too. That's a lot better than 0.01%.

YOU have no understanding of statistics.

rojo wrote:

We just put a RRW story about how Brendan and Katlin Gregg Goodman will become the first brother-sister combo compete at same US Olympic Marathon Trials since 1984.

http://www.letsrun.com/news/2016/02/brendan-katlin-gregg-goodman-will-become-first-brother-sister-combo-compete-us-olympic-marathon-trials-since-1984/

During that time frame, at least 4 sets of identical twins (same genes) have done so.

So there you have it, genetics are huge to running.

I don't think identical twins have ever had a brother-sister combo run the olympic trials.:)

Identical (and faternal) twins have the advantage of being the same age. The best running family I know has an 6 year age gap between the oldest guy (2:18) and 2nd youngest guy (2:14). By the time the youngest was running marathoners, the oldest had pretty much moved on (turned 32, had the first kid,...). See Ryan and Stephen Shay for another example.

Isn't running prowess supposed to be linked to genetics? How can mom, dad, grandparents, and siblings be hobby-joggers, while the twins are at the top of the world? Is there such a thing as genetic running IQ? If so, then the family should be as fast as the fastest kids.

Haz Bin wrote:

Kenenisa and Tariku Bekele aren't twins.

One of them is world class, the other one is not.

Kinda proves the point that rojo was making.

Mo Farah has an identical twin brother - he never ran though, despite having the same talent. Crazy to think about.

The other guy! wrote:

Haz Bin wrote:

Kenenisa and Tariku Bekele aren't twins.

One of them is world class, the other one is not.

Kinda proves the point that rojo was making.

Mo Farah has an identical twin brother - he never ran though, despite having the same talent. Crazy to think about.

Tariku was absolutely world class. Had there been a world champs in 2010 he would have won. He beat out his brother for a medal in 2012.

The problem I have is brother-sister combo != sibling combo. I wonder how many non-identical brother-brother and sister-sister combos have run at the Trials before? It may even be more than the identical count.

So I don't think the genes don't really have that much to do with this; moreso the genders, which makes sense because it's much easier for two guys / two girls to train together than a guy and a girl for obvious reasons.

come on now wrote:

Tariku was absolutely world class. Had there been a world champs in 2010 he would have won. He beat out his brother for a medal in 2012.

Give me a break. His PR for the 10,000 is over 27min. Put into perspective, Kenny would have almost lapped him.

He sucks a little less in the 5,000 but still never broke 12:50.

In terms of Ethiopian runner, he is an "also-ran".

The other guy! wrote:

come on now wrote:

Tariku was absolutely world class. Had there been a world champs in 2010 he would have won. He beat out his brother for a medal in 2012.

Give me a break. His PR for the 10,000 is over 27min. Put into perspective, Kenny would have almost lapped him.

He sucks a little less in the 5,000 but still never broke 12:50.

In terms of Ethiopian runner, he is an "also-ran".

He was ranked top 10 in the world 7 times with a peak of #2. He was world class.