PEDs are at least policed. cheater shoes make the sport an absolute clown show. none of my running friends have half the interest in pro track/marathoning that they did pre-2018. the sub 2 idiocy was the last straw. absolutely embarrassing, cheater shoes make pro running more like the WWE or the XFL than the olympic running I grew up on.
Implement the Adebe Bikila rule: you must race barefoot.
Not sure why this is the go-to argument for super spikes. Shoes were invented thousands of years ago. Spikes were invented in the 1850s. There are no times on any lists anywhere that were run when shoes or spikes weren’t available. Up until super spikes, the only advantage to wearing shoes was to protect your feet and traction. Throughout the years, the only developments were limited to making them weigh less and be more comfortable. There is very little difference (in terms of aiding performance) between spikes from the 1950s and spikes from the 2010s other than, maybe, a few ounces.
With peds and bouncy shoes, it's as fake as pro wrestling.
7/10. Got three pages of responses already. Posting on a running site about people not being interested in running. You think it'd be too obvious, but people fell for it.
With peds and bouncy shoes, it's as fake as pro wrestling.
7/10. Got three pages of responses already. Posting on a running site about people not being interested in running. You think it'd be too obvious, but people fell for it.
You are confusing running with watching elites run. Those two activities are distinct from each other. I am very interested in personally running (yes, hobby jogging!!!). I have absolutely no interest in watching elites run.
I am a runner. I am not a running fan. And given the peds and bouncy shoes, I don't see how anyone could be. It's a straight up 🤡 show.
It's not awesome to see fast times anymore because we all know they're due to peds and bouncy shoes. They engender nothing but yawns from me. It baffles me that anyone is still a fan of this nonsense.
Nice sh!tpost, but lets talk in hard numbers.
How much do you think that, say, Marco Arop has benefited from "peds in bouncy shoes" in the 800?
I would say he has picked up 0.0 seconds from PEDs and at most 0.5-0.7 seconds from the current Adidas Ambition spike (relative to a previous version).
It's funny to hear people saying they don't tune in to trackbbecause of the PEDs when the other sports they watch are all laced with PEDs. They differnec is, of course, track testing is more credible. Sure there's cover ups and plea deals, but not to the extent of protection in MLB and NFL. These leagues understand irs business first, and a free big names popped does not help revenue. Revenue is more important than integrity for them.
With peds and bouncy shoes, it's as fake as pro wrestling.
I wonder why I read (and occasionally post) on these boards - with all the trolls, idiots (morans), and bots. It's almost as fake as <insert your most hated politician / media outlet>.
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We have enough Youth, What we need is a Fountain of Smart.
I honestly disagree with the "bouncy shoes" argument. SHOES are an advantage over not having shoes. Lighter shoes are an advantage over older heavy shoes. Better soles from a running shoe is an advantage over a pair of Chuck Taylors. Bouncy shoes are not a motorcycle or a pair of roller skates. There is a limit to what shoes can add and at the final analysis, it does become the runner who has to be better than the competition.
I agree. While it is true that technology has always been an influence on the sport, the rate and quality of change presented by the new shoes has rendered the chronometric parameters of even a few years ago unrecognizable to many of us. Combined with the hyper-focus on time (seen in the stupid wave light technology), I don’t find the sport to be enjoyable anymore. To those reared on video games and minute attention spans, I guess this new gamified track system is fun. To me it’s just a big disappointment.
It's funny to hear people saying they don't tune in to trackbbecause of the PEDs when the other sports they watch are all laced with PEDs. They differnec is, of course, track testing is more credible. Sure there's cover ups and plea deals, but not to the extent of protection in MLB and NFL. These leagues understand irs business first, and a free big names popped does not help revenue. Revenue is more important than integrity for them.
And just think of the thousands of other plastic, fiber, and compositions things we buy and use and dump into the earth and oceans. But anything to make things easier for us. Faster, easier, instant obsolescence-and non-biodegradable. What could go wrong?
It's funny to hear people saying they don't tune in to trackbbecause of the PEDs when the other sports they watch are all laced with PEDs. They differnec is, of course, track testing is more credible. Sure there's cover ups and plea deals, but not to the extent of protection in MLB and NFL. These leagues understand irs business first, and a free big names popped does not help revenue. Revenue is more important than integrity for them.
With peds and bouncy shoes, it's as fake as pro wrestling.
To your point I have lost complete interest unless there is someone racing I personally know. Track is dead. No one watches it. The meets are boring and none of the best even show up to race. Just not a fan like I used to be. The hilarious part is that Let’srun followers and certain pros think the whole country knows them. No one knows them. I mentioned the name of the most popular 1500m US runner in recent history who won a gold medal and they were all clueless as to who he was. Let alone those that never win gold
It's funny to hear people saying they don't tune in to trackbbecause of the PEDs when the other sports they watch are all laced with PEDs. They differnec is, of course, track testing is more credible. Sure there's cover ups and plea deals, but not to the extent of protection in MLB and NFL. These leagues understand irs business first, and a free big names popped does not help revenue. Revenue is more important than integrity for them.
Some of us have little or no interest in the commercial sports franchises that you mention, for a host of reasons. To me, only one sport has ever been as captivating as track and field, from the sprints to the marathon, and the field events. (Ok, I don’t get race walking.) All human sport is constructed and in some sense arbitrary, but compared with track, the other sports pale in comparison because the way in which they are constructed requires the fans to accept what is to my mind way too much bullsh1t, from the stupid tribalism of “local teams” that in no way represent the regions where they are located, to records and statistics and team rosters that are jiggered with and orchestrated behind the scenes to a great degree. They might as well be professional wrestling. Even with PED, Track and field was far less at the mercy of such smoke and mirrors—in my opinion. But with the new shoes, the focus on time over racing, the sport has become less a competition between humans than an exercise in collaboration between technology and the body. I don’t care that Cheptegei can follow a light wearing shoes that make his stride look like he’s on a tempo run. I’d rather see Moorcroft run 13:00 on his own, or Gebreselassie clipping the heels of pacemakers who couldn’t hack the tempo, and then see if he can salvage the record attempt. (Yes, Geb may or may not have been doped—we will never know.) I’d even rather see a tactical race. Anything but the scene that we now have. I could have enjoyed a mile race where most of the field broke 3:50 if it came primarily through advances in training and more talent at the fine tip of the athletic pool—but that’s not why. It’s the shoes, by in large. It’s just not compelling to some of us, and that sucks because it used to be a beautiful thing. Personally, I have thought for a while that some shift in technology would ruin the sport, but I expected the sport itself to challenge it for longer. Instead they have opened the gates wide. The point of sports is not to overdetermine it to the point of sterility. Just my ten cents. I am genuinely pleased for those who still find it exciting. I just can’t myself.
I've stopped watching running as well. Not because of PEDs or crazy fast times, just because I can only watch so many people run in a circle before being bored out of my skull
I've stopped watching running as well. Not because of PEDs or crazy fast times, just because I can only watch so many people run in a circle before being bored out of my skull
It's funny to hear people saying they don't tune in to trackbbecause of the PEDs when the other sports they watch are all laced with PEDs. They differnec is, of course, track testing is more credible. Sure there's cover ups and plea deals, but not to the extent of protection in MLB and NFL. These leagues understand irs business first, and a free big names popped does not help revenue. Revenue is more important than integrity for them.
Some of us have little or no interest in the commercial sports franchises that you mention, for a host of reasons. To me, only one sport has ever been as captivating as track and field, from the sprints to the marathon, and the field events. (Ok, I don’t get race walking.) All human sport is constructed and in some sense arbitrary, but compared with track, the other sports pale in comparison because the way in which they are constructed requires the fans to accept what is to my mind way too much bullsh1t, from the stupid tribalism of “local teams” that in no way represent the regions where they are located, to records and statistics and team rosters that are jiggered with and orchestrated behind the scenes to a great degree. They might as well be professional wrestling. Even with PED, Track and field was far less at the mercy of such smoke and mirrors—in my opinion. But with the new shoes, the focus on time over racing, the sport has become less a competition between humans than an exercise in collaboration between technology and the body. I don’t care that Cheptegei can follow a light wearing shoes that make his stride look like he’s on a tempo run. I’d rather see Moorcroft run 13:00 on his own, or Gebreselassie clipping the heels of pacemakers who couldn’t hack the tempo, and then see if he can salvage the record attempt. (Yes, Geb may or may not have been doped—we will never know.) I’d even rather see a tactical race. Anything but the scene that we now have. I could have enjoyed a mile race where most of the field broke 3:50 if it came primarily through advances in training and more talent at the fine tip of the athletic pool—but that’s not why. It’s the shoes, by in large. It’s just not compelling to some of us, and that sucks because it used to be a beautiful thing. Personally, I have thought for a while that some shift in technology would ruin the sport, but I expected the sport itself to challenge it for longer. Instead they have opened the gates wide. The point of sports is not to overdetermine it to the point of sterility. Just my ten cents. I am genuinely pleased for those who still find it exciting. I just can’t myself.
Serious question: Did you enjoy the men's 1500 meters from last year's Olympics?
Some of us have little or no interest in the commercial sports franchises that you mention, for a host of reasons. To me, only one sport has ever been as captivating as track and field, from the sprints to the marathon, and the field events. (Ok, I don’t get race walking.) All human sport is constructed and in some sense arbitrary, but compared with track, the other sports pale in comparison because the way in which they are constructed requires the fans to accept what is to my mind way too much bullsh1t, from the stupid tribalism of “local teams” that in no way represent the regions where they are located, to records and statistics and team rosters that are jiggered with and orchestrated behind the scenes to a great degree. They might as well be professional wrestling. Even with PED, Track and field was far less at the mercy of such smoke and mirrors—in my opinion. But with the new shoes, the focus on time over racing, the sport has become less a competition between humans than an exercise in collaboration between technology and the body. I don’t care that Cheptegei can follow a light wearing shoes that make his stride look like he’s on a tempo run. I’d rather see Moorcroft run 13:00 on his own, or Gebreselassie clipping the heels of pacemakers who couldn’t hack the tempo, and then see if he can salvage the record attempt. (Yes, Geb may or may not have been doped—we will never know.) I’d even rather see a tactical race. Anything but the scene that we now have. I could have enjoyed a mile race where most of the field broke 3:50 if it came primarily through advances in training and more talent at the fine tip of the athletic pool—but that’s not why. It’s the shoes, by in large. It’s just not compelling to some of us, and that sucks because it used to be a beautiful thing. Personally, I have thought for a while that some shift in technology would ruin the sport, but I expected the sport itself to challenge it for longer. Instead they have opened the gates wide. The point of sports is not to overdetermine it to the point of sterility. Just my ten cents. I am genuinely pleased for those who still find it exciting. I just can’t myself.
Serious question: Did you enjoy the men's 1500 meters from last year's Olympics?
I did. That was a good race. Championship conditions. But such races are the exception now, and I enjoy almost none of the Diamond League Races.