What physical attributes make up running talent?

One factor is the length of one's nerve axions. Some have relatively long axions with few connectors while others have short axions with many connectors. Impulses are slowed as they pass through the connectors. Those blessed with long axions have an inherent speed advantage.

I am not a physiologist but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

proportions of legs to torso. the way your feet naturally hit the ground. core strength. vo2 max. size of red blood cells

Mechanics/ability to withstand injury-I'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet. Brian Sell is an example of this. He might not have as much raw talent as Ritz, but his ability to withstand high volume training over many years makes up for it. Having to take a month off here and a month off there for various nagging injuries will certainly limit your progress as a runner (two steps forward, one step back kind of thing). Do the East African elite runners experience the same rates of injury as our elite runners?

wellnow wrote:

You don't need special physical attributes to be a fast runner. A normal healthy body will respond to the stimuli you give it in a predictable way.

So if you want to be fast, get a good coach, who understands where you are now fitness wise, where you want to be in the future, and what you need to do to get there.

Having the genetic attributes to be a world-beating runner is like having the genetic attributes to be able to set the WR for the bench press... you have to be special to do it. Nobody without special gifts can go out and accomplish the feats that the best in the world have done, not even with a lifetime of training.

That goes for any realm, be it running, weightlifting, mathematics (not just anybody can go out and be the next Leonard Euler now, can they?), cycling... WHATEVER...

I've noticed that a narrow pelvic girdle is common among great runners. Meaning, there is minimal distance between the waist and the groin (they're "split high"). Not very many white people possess this trait, and nearly all black people do.

"talent" varies from person to person. one persons talent might be their finishing kick, anothers might be their ability to handle high work loads of training and never be "soft" in races... talent can be mental and physical.

"MENTAL" is to "PHYSICAL" as "3" is to "1"!

If you do not understand this you probably will never

"be all you can be".

I know hundreds of runners who train hard and race hard week in week out. They don't improve beyond a certain point. Why don't they improve? because they are social runners, just going though the motions without any real ambition or plan.

Then there are the young runners who try too hard and just end up tired. I know plenty of these too.

In my running club though, there are some awesomely talented young kids and you know what? they really do have a different mentality. They reall are more serious, more dedicated and more determined. They listen to my advice and put it into their running, whereas the other kids are not so keen to learn, they get enough lectures at school.

Harry Kooter wrote:

I would also be interested in knowing what results you refer to Mr. Wellnow.

This whole conversation reminds me of a saying that my grandfather used to use regularly in similar situation: "there's no use in arguing with a fool because a fool doesn't know when he's been beaten."

It's called constant improvement in fitness, something most of us can strive for if we want to. Most runners aren't training progressively, so they have no idea how good they could be.

You don't need special muscles or a special heart or lungs or body shape to be an outstanding runner. You need years of proper conditioning.

the speed/pace of your running ability is in direct coorelation to the size of your penis.

the smaller the penis = the faster times.

It's a well known fact.

Runningart2004 wrote:

Genetic predisposition for the following:

1. Longer than normal legs compared to torso

2. Lack of muscle.

3. Naturally high Vo2max.

4. For women: Hips more narrow than normal.

Not everyone can be 6'0" 140lbs. Some people are just naturally more muscular regardless of what they eat or how much they run. Also some people have longer than normal legs and a thin short torso while others will have a wider torso. Vo2max is related to weight, the lighter you are the high your Vo2max is. Mitochondira, capillaries, heart size, are all increased through training.

Alan

I like how you actually said things that make sense, not just some vague bull crap.

But, alas, I must disagree. I believe that those problems, while disadvantages, can be worked through. I do not believe we have come close enough to true human potential for those problems to stop someone from becoming an "elite" . With proper training, belief in yourself, and dedication which most would deem as "over the top" and "not worth it" almost anyone can become great. Unfortunately, at least in america, few find this path to be worth the pain one must endure.

These our my own thoughts, I have few to no examples.

Wejo may work, but many would say he had the talent and it just didn't show itself until post-high school(like many).

But if that is a fair argument, than isn't it fair to say that everyone has this talent, and just needs to induce it through training to bring it out? Is an extra necessary talent that everyone has really a talent at all? Or a skill that must be honed?

^o^

Blaze

wellnow wrote:

It's called constant improvement in fitness, something most of us can strive for if we want to. Most runners aren't training progressively, so they have no idea how good they could be.

You don't need special muscles or a special heart or lungs or body shape to be an outstanding runner. You need years of proper conditioning.

OK...mister Know-it-all (wellnow). You used to post under a different name because you had the identical same lame argument.

Follow along with this example. If you line up twenty 12 year old kids that have played soccer for the past 6 years (Lets assume they have played the exact same number of years...i.e. have gotten the identical training) If you line this kids up for a "all-out" effort 5K race their times would vary dramatically. Some will finish way ahead of the others. The reason for this IS what the OP was talking about. THERE IS AN IN-BORN GENETIC ABILITY THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE MORE OF THAN OTHERS. You are a complete idiot to believe that hard work, training, and mental preparation will get everyone to the same place. The BEST runners do the hard training but they also start out with a genetic edge and build upon it.

I believe this genetic edge is the ability to assimilate oxygen. (VO2 max stuff) Think of it an "engine" in a car. Some people are born with bigger engines than others. You can double the size of the engine with hard training so a small engine, at birth, with some training can beat a big engine that does not train much. If the Big engine, at birth, decides to put the training however, he will beat the small engine every time!

I liked it because it actually listed some things also. But I'm confused. What does # 2 mean lack of muscle?

I haven't read this entire post as it went off tangent. Back to the original posters question. I believe there are specific genetics which help, this is just my oppinion based upon my extended family and peers but here are a few observations.

Type 1 body type (no matter what you eat, you'll be skinny with low body fat %).

Mental toughness (hating losing at anything they do)

Bone structure (small boned)

Muscle density (small but firm, naturally strong)

Height (it appears between 5'6" and 5'10" are the most common)

Females - narrow hips small boobs.

Of course there are outlyers... but the vast majority of people who fall in these simple lines make up the majority of the successful runners.

Phillyrunner, I assume this is just the zillionth way of asking whats the secret to being a running star, and can letrunners please tell what it is?

Point one: It was established eons ago that success in distance running is largly genetics/anatomy. Argue away at the percentage but most physiologists range at about 70-80% for 10K. (vs. 90-95% for sprints) In other words a carthorse will never win the Derby.

Nothing you can do.

Point two: The rest you can do something about. But guess what? Of all the ways to train for distances (long slow runs, short faster runs, tempo, mid or long intervals, fartlek, hills, etc. etc.) the difference in effect is really negligible (sp?) except other factors such as potential for injury.

Point three: if the answer to your question was known, our sport would be much poorer, and I hope we never know it. While its easy to find out if you are talented (just race and see!) all the piles of research into the subject from Ken Cooper onwards has added nothing to our knowledge about why we have good days and bad days - and I hope it never does!

Genetic observer, you are making assumptions, not stating facts. The best runners don't have what you claim:

"I believe this genetic edge is the ability to assimilate oxygen. (VO2 max stuff)"

That is just pseudoscience.

Genetic observer, you are making assumptions, not stating facts. The best runners don't have what you claim:

"I believe this genetic edge is the ability to assimilate oxygen. (VO2 max stuff)"

That is just pseudoscience.

I think some of the best physical traits to be born with for a runner is a small bone structure, narrow hips and a good leg length in proportion to total height.

So Kenenisa Bekele has no chance then?