Why is it that when American kids run 14:20 we freak out but when Kenyan Kids run 13 minutes we don't care?

Kind of indirect to the topic, but how could a runner even possibly achieve a 14 minute 5000m with only 12 months of previous training?

Really?? wrote:

Kind of indirect to the topic, but how could a runner even possibly achieve a 14 minute 5000m with only 12 months of previous training?

I'm guessing that 12 months is just "formal training" and they had actually been living a very active lifestyle before that, with some running at least. Then, for a talented runner, 12 months of serious training can comfortably get them to a sub-14 5k with plenty of room for improvement left.

Really?? wrote:

Kind of indirect to the topic, but how could a runner even possibly achieve a 14 minute 5000m with only 12 months of previous training?

The same way Erin Sullivan could take up distance running her junior year of high school and end up winning Foot Locker a few months later.

I'm asking because even a highly atheltic person would take atleast 6 months to reach the kind of mileage needed for a sub 14 5k, and that would be the most talented type of runner with the highest capacity. Even then without completely destroying the athlete I think it would still take 16 months sustained and that kind of mileage to achieve that effort. So can someone who has experience with athletes enlighten me how they acutally manage to run that quick and get the milage needed to achieve a 5k time that fast?

Kim won NCAA XC as a freshman, ran 3:54 on a 1600m split, ran 13:11 5000m. He won the NCAA title 6 times and it was the tip of the ice burg cause he couldn't stay healthy. He is one of the most talented athletes ever to run in the NCAA.

Kenyans !!!

What do I care about the Kenyian's genetic advantage ?

I can't beat masters white ladies.

A women passed me walking her dog, was she and her dog raised in the Riff Valley ?

Cool story bro.

Has anyone else noticed this but Verzbicas bounces up and down way too much when he runs? Kind of like Ryan Hall? He has beautiful, flowing form but with that much waste of energy I wonder if he shortened his stride and made it quicker would he run faster?

Yeah it wastes a lot of energy but how do you suppose he can fix it without messing up his natural stride?

It will probably fix itself if he switches to running full time and starts to put on some mileage. (otherwise, let's see him bounce at the end of a 70.3 or ironman-probably not going to be an issue)

I ran sub 14 in age of 20 and nobody felt affected:-(

Running camps at very young ages in Kenya? Another blatant lie and piece of fiction. None of the athletes in the camps in Iten or Eldoret are under the age of 17 or 18, which would be the minimum age.

The runners under 18 who run are part of the SCHOOLS SYSTEM, and not the camps system, where it would be basically illegal for minors (under 18) to live in a camp with seniors.

Younger runners who are lucky to go to a school like St Patricks, which, by the way, is a 'posh' private school, with tennis courts, cricket fields and many of the accoutrements of the British private school system (interestingly called 'Public school' in the UK).

Kenya is really tight on education and not letting minors leave school before school leaving age, in most places. The only places where minors don't go to school are in the remote impoverished areas, far from the major cities. And in those places, youngsters have no time or energy for high level, occupied, as they are, with the mundane tasks of daily life, and helping their families put food on the table.

Ghost in Saudi,

www.kfupm.edu.sa

, apply today.

Ghost, Do you really think Sammy Wanjiru ran 58:55 when he was 18 if you can't go to a running camp before you are 18? That woud be humanly impossible. You should really look up some famous Kenyan runners and what they did to become succesful. Because clearly, you are not seeing the view here.

I don't expect 11 year olds to be in a running camp, but I'd say probably 14 and up you would start to see some runners in a running camp. And yes, your right, not everyone in Kenya runs. But clearly you are not educated on the subject and need to start searching on goggle "Elite Kenyan runners and how they do it".

Sammy Wanjiru went to Japan as a high school 16 year old. He would probably not have achieved what he did had he not gone to Japan. Ironically, the sports system, including Ekiden road relays, is more developed in Japan compared with Kenya.

I have been to Kenya twice and seen all the main running camps. If there are minors there, then they are hiding somewhere, because I never saw them when I was there for weeks at a time! Everyone in the camp appeared to be 18 or older.

Young Kenyan runners belong to the school system, not the camp system! It is highly regulated.

People talk too much bs about Kenya. Go there and see for yourself.

Ghost in Saudi,

www.kfupm.edu.sa

, apply today.

Ghost you are either clueless or not very bright.

Over 50% of the best kenyan runners do not have a high school education. They may tell you that there are not any juniors in the camp, but there are.

Nothing in Kenya is highly regulated, it is as corrupt as it comes.

Tell me the difference between what you looked like at 18? and what you looked like at 16?

Chris Derrick is almost 21 and if someone told me he was 16 I would believe them.

Alan Webb looked 21 at 17.

Greg Odem looked 40 at 18

Ghost you drink that cool aid they serve at the camps. I bet you donated money to Mayio while you were there too.

Ghost you have no clue what your talking about. Does a 16 year old Kenyan somehow look much younger than a 20 year old Kenyan? If you've actually seen elite Kenyans some of them even talk about dropping out of school. Go read wikipedia and do your homework, because once again, you have very little valid points and obviously you know very little of what you are talking about.

COOL

the same reason you'd care more if someone from your state ran a 14:20 than if some guy from alaska ran 13:00. the same reason you'd care more if someone from your school ran 14:20 than if some guy across the state ran 13:00. the same reason you'd care more if your sibling ran 14:20 than if your teammate ran 13:00.

its selfish and tribal, but its fundamental human nature

blaznbison24 wrote:

The Real UncleB wrote:

[quote]jhsdahf wrote:

their age is an estimate that could be anywhere from 18 to 22

.

That must be it. Kenyan junior runners are so good only because they are older than they claim.

And you know this because..? It must be because the Kenyan senior runners are not good. Oh, wait, that's not exactly true, is it. You thus must know this because you have evidence to support your claim. Oh, wait, you don't have that either.

"It's common knowledge that Kenyans are frequently older than they are listed at".

That's it. You say it is common knowledge. That is your proof?