Jeff Eggleston: I think there’s a cultural problem in the U.S. Too much reverence for 2:10 and not enough drive for 2:07

pr100 wrote:

Couldn't help myself wrote:

I don't understand how someone thinks people are shooting for 2:10 and that aiming for 2:07 would make a difference. I'm a miler, and I was shooting for setting the world record. Of course my goal made no difference - I never got under 4:10!

The performance people train for and try to achieve makes a difference to the possible results.

Someone who trains for 2:10 and sets out at 2:10 pace is not going to be any faster than 2:10. Someone who trains for 2:07 and sets out at 2:07 pace might achieve it. They might fail, but at least they have a chance, however small.

It's too easy for Americans to train for 2:10 and be happy with that and make a living out of their running. There's no point in a Kenyan training for 2:10 - they'll never amount to anything or make any money from it.

If that were true there would be no 2:10 Kenyans, and there are in fact lots of them.

Couldn't help myself wrote:

If that were true there would be no 2:10 Kenyans, and there are in fact lots of them.

No, they are generally shooting for something higher and failing. There is a difference, expressed by Eggleston and well-articulated by pr100.

Snoopy Music wrote:

You're actually agreeing with Eggleston. These are examples of guys using 2:10 as the standard to break rather than 2:08 as the standard to break.

No- those were examples of guys who saw 2:0X as their standards to achieve.

ttc wrote:

Snoopy Music wrote:

You're actually agreeing with Eggleston. These are examples of guys using 2:10 as the standard to break rather than 2:08 as the standard to break.

No- those were examples of guys who saw 2:0X as their standards to achieve.

If I ran a 4:30 mile & said, man- I gotta get to 4:20- I'm focused on achieving 4:20. Otherwise, I'd just say let's break 4:30. But Nick A & Ritz didn't say that.