Kenya usually represents with some 400 meter runners.
Kenya usually represents with some 400 meter runners.
Nobody seems to bring up the fact that these guys live at elevation. Not just some of the time, all of the time. And even more importantly, so did their ancestors since who knows when.
If they do have a genetic advantage it would be due to evolution. You can take a caucasian American, even an infant, and have him live at altitude his whole life, eating a Kalenjin diet, running as much as they do etc. You would get good results, but if his ancestors were all "designed" to live at sea level (as most white Americans' ancestors are) then he couldn't suddenly adopt the Kenyans' mitochondria count, vein size, or whatever it is that makes them superior.
The question I would like to have answered is whether sedentary - or just untalented - Kalenjin people also exhibit these physiological advantages. That seems to be the proof of genetic advantage.
Art, I think at the same pwr you would be slower as a smaller dude by a slight bit. The point is with their weight/size they have a Better pwr. Not trying to be rude, just sayin.
So the household cat can run faster and further than the cheetah?
What about social factors?
I'm sure Paul Tergat, Tegla, Haile, Bekele are celebrities in their respective countries. As a young adult, wouldn't this motivate you to try it...
It's the desire and motivation that 'we' do not possess as a whole.
I disagree with their being a 'genetic' difference. Look at the moroccans/algerians, they are caucasians as are europeans/north americans..
Everyone:
Stop being so black and white on this issue.
Do not say East African dominance is due solely to genetics, or lifestyle differences, or training differences, or social factors, or anything.
A variety of factors contribute to their current success.
It will be very difficult to isolate the many factors that cause their success, in order to compare Kenyans to Euro-Americans, but I'm sure someone can think of some methods.
Except you?
Canucks are genetically better at skating/shooting/fighting?
If you want a dog to win a race you get a greyhound.
If you want a dog to win a fight you get a Pittbull.
If you want a horse to win a race you get a thoroughbred.
If you want a man to win a marathon you get a Kenyan.
Tell your Bookmaker it's not genetics.
Were you talking to me snatch? Same pwr and the cheetah dominates the cat in my scenario. Also with the smaller body but nearly equal heart,lungs,power etc, the smaller guy usually wins, IE cheater vs panther or something. Not the best example or wording but I think most of you get the point.
This conversation is absolutely moronic. You all are just speculating as to wheter Kenyans are genetically superior. NO ONE has the answer to this question because NO ONE has produced scientific evidence either way - therefore, all of you who make claims like "Kenyans are built for running" and "genetics has nothing to do with it" are full of shit. Furthermore, nobody has even determined what the optimal body struction for running is, so obviously it would be impossible to determine who is better built for running. In conclusion, you all are idiots, so shut the hell up.
Ritz Specific wrote:
Adam Goucher is said to have notoriously high mitochondrial amounts.
Did some elite athlete or big-name coach reccommend that runners start sniffing acetone? Holy shit!
To add to the previous list:
If you want to find someone Who can't see the Wood for the trees get someone with a P.h.d. It makes them feel important.
snatch wrote:
If you want a dog to win a race you get a greyhound.
If you want a dog to win a fight you get a Pittbull.
If you want a horse to win a race you get a thoroughbred.
If you want a man to win a marathon you get a Kenyan.
Tell your Bookmaker it's not genetics.
snatch,
u snatched my attention with your humour!
the whole world needs to get over the Kenyans..... they are poor, suffer from malnutrition and have no structured training.... the only advantage they have is that they are NOT LAZY.
the sooner the caucasian world changes its perspective on this and realises that we have the resources to beat the Kenyans the better.
(I'm not having a shot at the kenyans, im just saying that genetics has little to do with it)
No one really knows why Kenyans are that good for they are. Many explanations have been floated but the most bizarre is the one which offers to explain that the Kalenjins- call them the Nandis were cattle rustlers. That is ludicrous.
Gonna post this again since nobody payed attention when it was a thread of its own...
I'm really starting to get annoyed by people always posting supposed "facts" and evidence of certain nations' "superior" genetics. I mean, what do you want..huh? Have an Olympics or World Champs where everybody except Africa is invited because its unfair that they're born faster?
The bottom line is that there are fast people out there and you have to train hard to beat them. If I ever got to that level, I would hope that everybody in that race is superior to me genetically...because then it would be that much sweeter that I'm able to compete with them.
That goes for age too. Everybody complains about people lying about their age and running with younger age groups. Who the f*** cares?! Unless its like a 20 yr old competing against high schoolers...it really shouldn't matter. People will mature and grow into their adult bodies at different ages.Age won't matter once you're at the level of Championship races. You don't hear Rui Silva complain to the press that he got 3rd only because Lagat and El G are older.
And I know that everybody may not get to that level where age and genetics shouldn't matter...but who cares if you can't win your little invite or your local 5k. If you really wanted to win, then instead of posting on these boards you should be training or stretching or doing something to better yourself.
Runningart2004 wrote:
If I was 5'6', 120lbs or less while keeping the same power to weight ratio I'd be a world beater too. The genetic advantage they have is simply a weight and height issue. If the average American runner is 5'10, 140lbs, then the average Kenyan is likely 5'8', 120lbs.
1. If you are small you have less weight to carry and require less oxygen to move your body.
2. If you have strong legs (say, through running up hills) then you'll develop the leg strength needed for a high power to weight ratio...Plainly put, you'll be able to run with a longer stride.
Kenyans, and east Africans in general, are simply smaller due to thousands of years of evolution. If most runners are small and country A has a higher % of smaller people than country B then country A will produce a higher % of successful runners.
That being said. Don't let genetics get you down. Just train hard.
Yo Art,
Who was that one cat that wrote a book on this thing? I want to say it was John something, but I really cant remember. It was big talk back on tnfmedia.com.
Gav800.... that sounded mighty racist to me.
yo yo yo wrote:
Gav800.... that sounded mighty racist to me.
Gav800 is condescendingly patronising.