Bekele (and scientists) calls for asterisks on Cheptegei's records

We need to pay convicted dopers to sauce to the max and run trials to scientifically exactly how much technology assists times.... the sauce is just to ensure that the athletes are motivated, since they are out of competition

Bekele was and is a high responder to drugs. He needs to shut up.

Ugh. Now AI is clogging up the boards with twaddle.

"Skunk Works" refers to an advanced, innovative project or a group within an organization given a high degree of autonomy and unhampered by bureaucracy, tasked with working on highly confidential or cutting-edge projects.
Nike ZoomX foam and wavelights represent significant technological advancements in the realm of athletic performance, particularly in long-distance running. Here's an argument highlighting their benefits:

Wavelights Technology: Pacing Assistance:
Wavelights are embedded lights on the track that provide visual pacing cues to runners. These lights move at a predetermined speed, helping runners maintain a consistent pace throughout their race or training session. Consistent pacing is critical in distance running to avoid burnout and optimize performance.
Wavelights offer immediate feedback on a runner's pace relative to their target.
Nike ZoomX foam is made from a material called Pebax® (polyether block amide), a type of thermoplastic elastomer. Pebax® is known for its lightweight, highly responsive, and durable properties. Here are some key characteristics of ZoomX foam:
Lightweight: Pebax® is significantly lighter than many other foams used in athletic shoes, which helps reduce the overall weight of the shoe, enhancing running efficiency and speed.
Energy Return: The unique chemical structure of Pebax® provides exceptional energy return, meaning it can compress under pressure and then quickly return to its original shape. This property is critical for providing the "springy" feel that propels runners forward with each step.
both of these are akin to the speedo LZR and should be treated as such:
The Speedo LZR Racer swimsuit was banned primarily because it provided swimmers with a significant technological advantage that was deemed unfair and inconsistent with the spirit of the sport. Here are the key reasons for its ban:
1. **Performance Enhancement:**
The Speedo LZR Racer was designed with advanced materials and technology that significantly reduced drag and increased buoyancy. This resulted in a notable improvement in swimmers' performance, with many world records being broken shortly after its introduction.
2. **Polyurethane and Neoprene Materials:**
The suit was made from a combination of polyurethane and neoprene, which provided exceptional compression and buoyancy. This gave swimmers an artificial boost, as the suit helped maintain an optimal body position in the water, reducing resistance and conserving energy.
3. **Technological Inequality:**
The availability and cost of the LZR Racer created a technological disparity among athletes. Swimmers who could afford the high-priced suits had a distinct advantage over those who could not, leading to concerns about fairness and equal competition.
4. **Governing Body Regulations:**
In response to the controversy and the growing concerns about the impact of such high-tech suits on the integrity of the sport, the International Swimming Federation (FINA) decided to implement stricter regulations. In 2009, FINA banned full-body polyurethane swimsuits, including the Speedo LZR Racer, to ensure a more level playing field and to emphasize the importance of athletic ability over technological enhancements.
The ban aimed to preserve the fairness of the sport and to ensure that competitions were decided by the athletes' skills and training rather than by technological advantages provided by advanced swimwear.

xemptyz

I'm done reading right there. World records isn't proof something changed. World records on the roads have been beat every couple years for a very long. The records are still being broken in 'super shoes' since they were originally broken by 'super shoes'. They'll continue to be broken the next several years, and then continue being broken. The marathon world record marathon was high 2:05 in the early 2000's and high 2:02 only 10 years later. And one sub 2:01 10 years later from that. The progression has maintained the same trajectory and is slowing down. In 10-15 years it'll probably be a low 1:59, by someone who can run a 57:30 half marathon.

Yes, unlike supershoes that just seem like a natural next step in shoe tech evolution, wavelights seem more like a fundamental advantage that removes one aspect of challenge from the sport.

Although one could also argue that it’s only a matter of time when highly accurate GPS watches with track mode and sound/light effects are as effective as wavelights, so it’s not fundamentally different from having access to a watch that’s always been allowed.

Exactly this. In principle, looking at a watch alters your form a bit, while the pace lights are "just there." But I can already set up my watch to beep or buzz if I get out of my HR zone. I doubt it's much of a stretch for Coros or Garmin or another brand to add vibration or a beep if you're outside of a specific pace.

I got a watch with "track mode" this year, and it's pretty incredible how good it is during interval workouts.

Sports tech will keep improving. If they haven't already, someone's going to take Maurten bicarb to buffer their lactic acid - does that get an extra note? What about caffeine? Wasn't that Komen's "secret"? What about advances in training theory? etc.

The thread and topic is a fool’s errand of a discussion. Evolution will always continue, in every sport. Should records acquired barefoot and with no watches be the only ones that count? Maybe we should also only count marathon records pre-gels and carb/fuel drinks too?

There is literally no point to this. Is there an asterisk over records that were not set on grass? Records with spikes at all? People need to get with the times - many years down the line what will be the point of these records being asterisked when there probably will have been even more development.

Wow, this basically says everything I typed, wish I saw this before I sent a response.

If anything, the shoes need to be regulated, not the lights. You need to be fit and have the ability to run fast to catch/chase the lights. If you want to get rid of the lights, get rid of the clocks on the track as well. Aren't those a visual aid like the lights?

chatGPT brother

I’m sure that WA and the IOC are going to continue to treat track stars, (clean or not), like dogs.. so let them be rabbited as such.. who cares.. and as far as super shoes, just give everyone up to their original sin.. putting the sport into the hands of Big Shoe-Tech, BS bureaucracy and policies that just encourage people to cheat anyways.

No one even knows the long term bio mechanic impact on runners elite or not that might be dependent on this tech psychically now because it makes them “fast”. My opinion, let people walk around thinking they’re badass now that they can run 4min faster in a half marathon with no astrek next to their name.. in the end it doesn’t add inches to your thang.. (what ever that might be)..

Now, I don’t get how attacking Bekele’s character or historic accomplishments gets anyone anywhere.

That’s a simple request to just have numbers at the very top of the marked after an unprecedented acceleration of performance across the board. I think it points to the period in time when this revival happened.. and people will ask themselves why.. and you don’t need a PHD to see what happened..

But track fans love to keep everyone in the dark and claim that they are the true know it alls with exclusive historical info that no one else can access.. it’s baloney.

People should understand this mechanism that enables these faster times.. and just own it.. the game is not just rubber, EVA/Poly, and upper anymore.. We allowed this transformation and deserve all that come with.. it was the forbidden fruit! (Also my nickname)

Wave light makes a person faster but not something that is actually connected to the runner? Nice logic. Makes perfect sense.

Can we get an asterisk for weather, pacers, how long in training cycle, not Olympics or Worlds year, bad rest the night before, difficult workout on Tuesday, and whatever I ate wasn't sitting well in my stomach???

Haha! I just went to active.com to see if there were any wars in the near future to sign up for!! I really do like the idea!

What is the difference between using pacers and wavelight? Arguably the use of pacers/rabbits is of greater assistance in that they can shield the competitor from the wind for several laps. Nobody trying to invalidate world records with pacers (other than men pacing women for some reason).

I know right bruh? PEDs are just part of that evolution right bruh? How ‘bout rotating tracks? Or composite bats in MLB? Or electric bikes in the tour-de-France? Right bruh? Evolution will always continue right bruh?

Calm down. We’ll still count your 16:00 5k even if it was ran in cheat-shoes. But we might have to put an asterisk next to your 33:00 10k.