KUFI wrote:
I think that east/west African explanation is exagerated. That would be like saying that Americans in the South and west coasts are genetically supererior because most of our elite runners come from those regions.
That's not the same thing at all.
is tirunesh dibaba an african american or an american of african descent?
doug225550 wrote:
is tirunesh dibaba an african american or an american of african descent?
Neither.
How did you come to the conclusion that whites avoid sprints?
What about high schools that are predominantly white, why dont they produce sprinters of significance? Whites avoid sprints in the rest of the world also? Blacks in East Africa must avoid sprints also. Maybe only African Americans, Carribean Africans and European African do not avoid the sprints.
Peoples from Africa have the most genetic diversity of any continent also the most homogenous sub populations = physical differnces between the various regions/countries
So what..There are differnecs in capabilities among different people. Get over it
This is a pretty stupid topic. West Africans are good at sprints/jumps because of their muscle fiber makeup, just like North and East Africans are better at longer distances because of their muscle fiber makeup. Granted you get some borderliners who run mid distance in both areas, but you don't see any West African marathoners or East African 100m runners. White's are typically inferior to west africans at the sprinting events. Unfortunately we are also typically inferior to the North and East Africans at the longer distances. This doesn't mean that EVERY white kid is slower than EVERY African/African American, is just means in general. If you have to argue this fact, you're a moron.
Welcome wagon wrote:
I Am A Dreamer wrote:Yes thank you it is obvious that I should have clarified that. Why did someone say that Maree is not American?
Why did someone say that Maree is NOT an American? Because he is NOT. He renounced his citizenship years ago -- he's now a South African citizen awaiting trial for bank fraud.
Sydney Maree is not an "African-American." He's not even American. Keep up on your current events, would ya?
Reminds me of the introduction given to a South African of a rather darker hue by a PC American. During the intro, it was apparent that the person did not want to say black African so came up with "African-American African".
Anybody ever see athletic looking African Americans (presumably of West African descent) try running for a long distance?
More often than not, I see terrible form and really heavy breathing. I admit that it makes me feel good that I am capable of doing something physically that they are not, because I'm sure they could out sprint, out jump, and out lift me by a lot.
Show me the scientific study! (I know I know....I've seen world rankings. But back it up with science, please.)
Hugh? Hugh Thomas? from ATL? and AAMU alumni?
Mary Akor. She isn't going to beat Radcliff anytime soon but she is doing pretty good for an American.
Don't forget Herm Atkins, of Everett Washington, a great elite marathoner of the 70's and 80's, who finished in the top 10 - sub 2:15 - in Boston at least once, and placed very well all over the U.S. and in other races.
A black American can run a world class marathon just as a white man can run a world class 100m.
The reasons for world listings these days is NOT SCIENTIFICALLY CONCLUSIVE (after years at letsrun I STILL await a real study!) and those morphothingies or slave background stupidity, but cultural.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Thomas_%28historian%29MLW wrote:
Hugh? Hugh Thomas? from ATL? and AAMU alumni?
If I'm not mistaken Herms PR was 2:11:52. A very good runner for any color American.
father time wrote:
If I'm not mistaken Herms PR was 2:11:52. A very good runner for any color American.
Agreed, Herm was a great marathoner who just happened to be a colored person.
The whole discussion on race and genetics in Africa is well discussed in a variety of books, including "Guns, Germs and Steel", which addresses a pretty wide range of topics related to the success of various civilizations over others.
Anyway, given that this East/West Africa debate comes up often, its interesting to note that there was a period in African history called the Bantu expansion, where Bantu speaking peoples of West Africa initially headed east and then South.
Bottom line is that 3000 years ago there were all sorts of people made of different genetic stuff, whereas today most black Africans and their descendants (Carribeans, African Americans) all share a common Bantu heritage. What has occurred since this migration throughout Africa, is that people living in certain areas have adapted to altitude, heat, and other factors related to their geography.
All that to say that it has less to do with who you are than where you're at (and how long your people have thrived there).
By this same logic, once white people have lived at altitude in Colorado for multiple generations and a couple thousand years, you may have similar adaptive behaviour.
Of course according to this same logic you may find that people are far too mobile and intermarry with people from disimilar geography to allow this to happen effectively.
All the other populations that have been at altitude for generations? Where are they as distance running goes?
How old are you?
Where did you grow up?
Where do you live now?
Did you ever particpate in track or any other sport?
Are you strictly a road runner?
Well, not all high altitude areas are condusive to running but certainly in some South American countries there is a heritage of running, and Mexico has had some excellent marathoners over the years. Morocco (non-Bantu people) are excellent distance runners who predominately train in the Atlas Mountains. Ethiopia (non-Bantu people) are excellent distance runners.
Titan wrote:
How old are you?
Where did you grow up?
Where do you live now?
Did you ever particpate in track or any other sport?
Are you strictly a road runner?
Oh boy...I'm not sure where this is going. :)
I'm 44.
I grew up in England and Canada.
I live on Vancouver Island.
I have been immersed in running for 30 years, coaching too.
I do road and track, casually now. 31:09 10k, 3:57 1500m before.