Why are elites never tired at the end of a race?

I'm far from elite, but I know I've finished PR races and felt great just because I was so excited.

EPO, plain and simple.

With some, yes - who was the steeple WR holder for a while? ... he ran sub 8:00 for the steeple, walked over, did an interview within 15 seconds, wasn't even breathing hard. Busted a few months later.

Sp!kes wrote:

EPO, plain and simple.

All those hyperventilating amateurs are giving 110% of their current ability in their short and naive career and that's what it looks like, and the pros are not and that's what they look like.

I coached 2 guys who before races in different stadiums would look around for a good place to puke after the race where the crowd wouldn't see them. These 2 often won and were very good. After a race, they always looked composed, but it was just an act. When everyone left them alone, they would go to their spot and puke their guts off.

One thing that is important in distance running, as was said earlier, is keeping your form and relaxing. They can keep composed at the end of races, not because they aren't hurting as much, but because through hard work, they have learned to do it.

Here are three examples of "elites" being tired after races:

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/comeback-kid-finds-himself-in-the-company-of-legends-1999098.html

This quote: ""My dad e-mailed me after the race, saying that he remembered Dave Bedford when he ran his world record 27:30, watching him throw up afterwards on TV." I threw up after my best race too. Sometimes it's necessary.

Robby Andrews post NCAA 2011 victory:http://www.flotrack.org/speaker/6179-Robby-Andrews/video/495608-Robby-Andrews-Virginia-1st-M-800-NCAA-Outdoor-Track-and-Field-Championships-2011interview He's tired. I think this is a reasonable amount of exhaustion.

This interview with Laura Roesler:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/28/sports/olympics/28roesler.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

With this hilarious quote: "At the end, either the race or the moment left her lightheaded. She placed a bottle of water on her neck and cheek, and told reporters, “I gotta sit down.”

She then vomited into a trash can, but returned to continue her interview sitting in a chair, still breathing with the exertion of the race." who, btw has yet to improve on any of her times as a Duck, although her anchor leg on the 2011 4x4 was impressive.

It's worth noting that two of these three are very young and one is from a fair bit in the past. I honestly think that elites today could run harder. I know it sounds crazy but I'm reminded of one of Ventolin's posts- he's grown on me, by the way, at first I couldn't stand him and I still really dislike his writing style- where he predicted Rupp could go 7:27 in the 3k. People shouted him down for it but after the 10 last summer it seems really reasonable, but you'd never see it, Rupp never pushes it to the edge in an event like the 3k at his peak.

Also, really peak fitness athletes have been conditioned through years of experience to be fairly conservative racers, so they never do what Jenny Simpson did in the NB 3k this weekend (go our hard and die). Only time I can recall seeing an elite athlete absolutely collapse and still finish was Nick Willis at the Daegu champ round. You see absolute catastrophe a lot more in the marathon, however. But then they tend to drop out.

Kenyan guy who won NYC Marathon a few years ago had to kick to win. 10 seconds or so after crossing line, interviewer asks him question, he tried to answer, but couldn't as he was too winded. Took him maybe 15 more seconds, then he talked, but was clearly still very tired and not able to communicate clearly (beyond language), so it's not true that elites never are tired at end of race. However, I do agree it does seem that on average they are more composed than HS kids when you would think given their faster times that they would be more spent.

If you haven't got your answer yet, it's all pacing and fitness. Average high schooler in my state runs maybe 40 mpw at peak. Average elite around 80-120 mpw which is a huge difference on time on your legs, pace, workouts. They are more aerobically developed and know what pace they can run comfortably at and still win. Therefore they race better and finish stronger. I'd also say most high schoolers go out too fast anyway, and that leaves them dead unlike elites who negative split.

I remember Ovett nabbing the last qualifying spot when he had bronchitis or something. He collapsed and maybe had to be hosptialized.

When everything is going your way, you are in fantastic shape, you are the best runner in the race AND you win the race, it isn't suprising that a runner doesn't look super tired at the finish.

Sp!kes wrote:

EPO, plain and simple.

FlakJacket wrote:

With some, yes - who was the steeple WR holder for a while? ... he ran sub 8:00 for the steeple, walked over, did an interview within 15 seconds, wasn't even breathing hard. Busted a few months later.

No recent men's steeple WR holder had been busted for anything. Pull your head out of your ass.

Medal ceremony delayed because gold and silver winners too tired:

http://www.fordham.edu/alumni_relations/alumni_news/2008/Summer/Summer.html

(scroll down to middle of the page)

Reported training of the guy who won gold:

http://www.britishmilersclub.com/bmcnews/2002spring.pdf

(go to page 6)

toro wrote:

Fitness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvCsj7eJKKA

Here are a couple of guys that just ran a 3:43 mile and seem fine immediately after.

The more you train and the better you train, the quicker you recover form any stressful running.

Um, El G in '99 is probably not the best example to use . . .

I found out when I won at conference in college. Adrenaline is insane. The other reason is that, once developed, aerobic capacity in terms of breathing is not a limiting factor. It's more about your muscles not being able to do more work.

I remember my last 800 race and PR in high school. It was the most pain I have felt at the end of the race.

But I also remember looking at footage of the race and thinking that when standing around a few seconds after the race, I didn't look nearly as tired as I knew I felt, and I was doing like 20 miles a week, so I imagine that elites who are in incredible aerobic shape are able to recover much quicker, obviously.

Point of the story, unless you collapse or have trouble standing, that does NOT mean you aren't in incredible pain.

Also, a question to ask yourself. Were you in more pain at the end of your PR or at the end of some other strong but not PR races? For me, as I got more experience, I probably ate more proper before a race. As a HS Freshman, who knows what I ate the night before the race and what was in my stomach. Then next morning I run my ass off in a XC meet and am keeling over at the end. By the time I was a SR, I was running much faster and this never happenned (though I was still damn tired). In addition to better eating, I also just chose not to sit down. Walking it off helps recovery quicker and all elites would do this, even if they are in pain.

Ummmm, Ever hear of Brahim Boulami?

toro wrote:

Fitness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvCsj7eJKKA

I like that this is showing up as a related video:

wuzthere wrote:

I found out when I won at conference in college. Adrenaline is insane. The other reason is that, once developed, aerobic capacity in terms of breathing is not a limiting factor. It's more about your muscles not being able to do more work.

I agree. When I'm in my best shape my breathing feels good in races.

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