We like to have 1 thread per topic so we merged two threads together and kept the title of this thread. The other thread was entitled, "Assefa performance."
She ran 2:11 not 2:01 so not sure why you're talking about biological differences here, she's nowhere near top men. Still waiting for facts that would show that it is impossible for a female runner to break 2:11 without drugs btw. Cause so far you have nothing but nostalgia for yester times.
Another clueless fan. Doping is throughout the sport and has been so for years. It is in the men's events as well as the women's events. All times have improved through the use of doping, over and above what talent, training and technique can account for. This latest ridiculous performance in the women's marathon is not an exception; it simply draws attention to the sheet pervasiveness of doping in the sport and how it is transforming what can be achieved.
Okay, so no facts. Got it. Thank you for admitting that you have nothing but conjectures here.
The lestrun joggers wiping their tears away, go ahead and vent people, or should I say Americans, you still have Basketball, well no Europeans are taking over that. OK you still have golf :)
It's funny watching people on this thread go wild. 100% Americans here I'm sure. Jealousy from the joggers. As soon as she accomplished this unprecedented feat I couldn't wait to see the sweat dripping hatred here. Lets face it in the next 10 years women will run a 2:10 marathon, 1/2 marathon in close to 1 hour, a 5k in 13min range, run a 10k in 28 min range and come close to the 4 minute mile and there is nothing the joggers of Letsrun can do about it. But it will be funny over that time watching the reactions here :)
Another clueless fan. Doping is throughout the sport and has been so for years. It is in the men's events as well as the women's events. All times have improved through the use of doping, over and above what talent, training and technique can account for. This latest ridiculous performance in the women's marathon is not an exception; it simply draws attention to the sheet pervasiveness of doping in the sport and how it is transforming what can be achieved.
Okay, so no facts. Got it. Thank you for admitting that you have nothing but conjectures here.
You're on a running site and you know nothing about the history of doping in the sport. Figures. That's the typical dumb-ass fan.
USA had an oragon operation that made Galen Rupp, a noboady to finish 2nd in Olypic 10k. Here you are moaning about Africans. Take it like a man, Ethiopians are clean and have been running and dteaching the world how its done since Abebe Bikila won the Olympic GOLD running bare foot, yes running bare foot and destroying the like of Emil Zatopek. Not only did he win bare foot and when Europeans coentators were saying who is this guy claiming to have run faster , his stop watch must be broken, he also did it again at the Tokeyo Olympics. Only man to win 2 Olympic Gol mendals in history. We have pedgree, we have been there done it and we will do it again and again. You can keep saying its EPO. Do you really think the testers are asleep or their machines and ystem don't work. # bitter
If memory serves, she is now FASTER that 2 time OLY Champ Abede Bikila....
You may be right but there is also an emancipation of women in all aspects of public life. Women are coming to the fore in everything even being president and CEOs of authority. So while genetic and sexual differences still exist women are probably transcribing slightly more male hormones and proteins in their bodies as they draw closer to equality with men. This is consistent with the blurring of lines between the 2 traditional sexes/genders with increasing modernity. Women start to view themselves slightly differently relative to their male counterparts and this will affect how their nervous systems behave and react.
Perhaps it is under such a psycho social environment that said drugs and supershoes piggyback and steamroll ahead all the women's WRs?
Between drugs and supershoes, I tend to attribute more weight to the supershoes. The drugs work too but not relatively more than the shoes. Between windbreaking pacers and drugs, I also think the former is ahead because of the calming effect it has on the nervous system, kinda like a refuge or sanctuary at least until the penultimate lap. All an athlete needs to do after the penultimate lap is just sprint to victory, very easy. While as for wavelights and drugs the latter is ahead of the former. No matter how good the lights are if your legs and body don't have it (drugs) you are not going to be able to follow the lights.
You haven't a clue. Social and political progress for women does not eradicate biological differences between the sexes. The best women athletes cannot reduce the gap that separates them from the best males. Abebe Bikila was no hobbyist but a highly-trained full-time athlete. She is faster than he was. That is drugs. That is the sport today - and has been so for years.
I just read that Bikila was a great pioneer and that he wasn’t exhausted after his record marathon time.
He probably needed more competition and a world record bonus to go sub 2:10.
A lot of small things change over time and can eventually make you go minutes faster.
Did you guys read the LRC article? Gault says: "Unless Assefa is using some new superdrug, it’s hard to explain a run like this with PEDs alone. We’re not aware of any drug that can make you more than two minutes faster than anyone else in history."
You're on a running site and you know nothing about the history of doping in the sport. Figures. That's the typical dumb-ass fan.
Any facts? No yet? I'll wait all night, baby.
The most glaring fact is that she is faster than one of the greatest male marathon runners in history. The other is that she is participating in a sport that WADA likens to bodybuilding for risk of doping. Further, most dopers are never caught. But don't you bother yourself about any of that. You're obviously happier living in Wonderland.
This post was edited 3 minutes after it was posted.
1) Praise the best T&F WR of all time? 2) Revise the point system to account for.... new shoes? 3) Ask questions?
Take a look at that one more time. Can anyone here seriously think she would beat Faith in a 1500 and set a world record or beat Target in the 5k and set a new world record?
Tangential question here: now that women can bust out 2:11 for a marathon, are we still supposed to accept that women are too fragile to play best-of-5 matches in Tennis majors?
The most glaring fact is that she is faster than one of the greatest male marathon runners in history.
He is a 2:12 guy. He just happened to run at a time when running wasn't as popular and thus the amount of talent in the sport was lower. Just like Bannister isn't "one of the greats", he was just a pioneer. When the sport blew up we found a million kids more talented than him.
This will run the same cycle. She'll run a few more major marathons but much slower. Cashes up. 'Injured' for the Olympics. Either disappears or does a Kipsang. Who's her manager/agent? That can tell us something I think.
What was the men's world record in the mile back in 1964? Something like 3:55? Faith Kipyegon just ran 4:07 which is nowhere close to 3:55.
Interesting how the women have improved much more in the marathon compared to men vs the shorter distances. It can't just be drugs. Maybe the super shoes worn for road racing help a lot more than the super spikes on the track?
The men's world record in '64 for the mile was 3:54. 1:44 for the 800. The women's marathon record is now faster than the men's marathon record of that era. That is a massive and exponential increase in female endurance. It can only be achieved by drugs - training and shoes alone won't do it.
It's not 1964 anymore, gramps. You don't get to keep women in the house anymore.
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