You must be new here. You may have missed how the vast majority of this board feels about Galen Rupp, Alberto Salazar, and pretty much anyone associated with the Nike Oregon Project or the Bowerman Track Club (Centrowitz, Jager, Kincaid, Fisher, etc.). We are equal opportunity suspicious or supportive of anyone. I will never say anything bad about Emma Coburn, Molly Huddle, or Elle St. Pierre, and I would really only question Athing Mu's dedication to the sport, but never her talent or integrity.
The simple fact is that Parker Valby is completely dominating the NCAA 5K/10K/cross country in a way that we have really never seen, and she's doing it on very little actual running training. That raises questions! I don't know if Nico Young is clean or not, but I don't really care at this point because he hasn't won squat until NCAA indoors this year, and it's frickin indoors, so no one cares. Jakob gets questioned about being clean in a new thread at least once a week. Valby is getting these questions/suspicions because she is very good. Almost too good to be believed. The BroJos welcome this open dialogue "questioning" what we see in this sport, because they are not blind to what goes on in it.
Completely dominating NCAA 5k/10k includes Lisa Uhl and Amy Skieriez… how they turn out?
Oh, two other runners who decided to train with dirty Nike training groups after their dominant college career and promptly had their careers flame out very quickly due to injury? They were also both not as fast as Valby in college.
Why bring academics into it? Valby majored in Sports Management, not Physics. Young did Exercise Science.
Young is barely faster than Habtom Samuel. Can you imagine the scrutiny if either of them was running for Florida training only 30 miles a week on an arc trainer? No?
It is not rocket science why people are skeptical.
Y'all misunderstand wut Parker's doin. Those 30 miles a week are the same 2 hard workouts and a long run that everyone else does. The arc trainer only subs out the recovery and easy run days.
I would guess soothers will soon try this. So far though, most only use the machines as a sub for running only when injured.
This is also how she came back from injury quickly. While recovering she continued with elliptical, so she had not lost much cardiovascular fitness when she could run again.
People may have to come to the realization that cross training might actually work and work very well. Training changes over the years as we learn more. In the 90’s we did VO2 to death. High mileage took over and while obviously highly effective has a massive injury rate. PV is not the only example. Bell, as mentioned, Eliot Giles, Neil Gourely,etc. Jakob had to cross train for 4 months and debuted his season with a 3:45. I’m sure it will be studied more and more now and it could be possible that aerobic training can be optimized equally running or cross training. Obviously, we still need to run. But running in conjunction with cross training may end up becoming more of the norm.
Y'all misunderstand wut Parker's doin. Those 30 miles a week are the same 2 hard workouts and a long run that everyone else does. The arc trainer only subs out the recovery and easy run days.
I would guess soothers will soon try this. So far though, most only use the machines as a sub for running only when injured.
This is also how she came back from injury quickly. While recovering she continued with elliptical, so she had not lost much cardiovascular fitness when she could run again.
People may have to come to the realization that cross training might actually work and work very well. Training changes over the years as we learn more. In the 90’s we did VO2 to death. High mileage took over and while obviously highly effective has a massive injury rate. PV is not the only example. Bell, as mentioned, Eliot Giles, Neil Gourely,etc. Jakob had to cross train for 4 months and debuted his season with a 3:45. I’m sure it will be studied more and more now and it could be possible that aerobic training can be optimized equally running or cross training. Obviously, we still need to run. But running in conjunction with cross training may end up becoming more of the norm.
You can't replicate the pounding of running for a distance race with cross training. I think cross training can be worthwhile to replace junk miles, but you need to hit some key aerobic runs in addition to your workouts. I literally don't think it's possible to be great in the 10K (which is Valby's best event) without hitting at least 60 miles a week of running.
You can't replicate the pounding of running for a distance race with cross training. I think cross training can be worthwhile to replace junk miles, but you need to hit some key aerobic runs in addition to your workouts. I literally don't think it's possible to be great in the 10K (which is Valby's best event) without hitting at least 60 miles a week of running.
This is the great question: how much running is necessary to keep your legs fit for running? How much mileage needed for 10k, half marathon, marathon, if your easy miles are cross training?
We got a bit of that answer when PV debuted at 10k in 30:50. She made it look pretty easy and there was no problem with her form, fitness over 10k.
It's a great question for an exercise science PhD comparing sport specific running for your legs v heart/lung training on a machine. A cyclist who never runs is aerobically fit, but can't run properly. Somewhere is the perfect sweet spot of just enough running.
You can't replicate the pounding of running for a distance race with cross training. I think cross training can be worthwhile to replace junk miles, but you need to hit some key aerobic runs in addition to your workouts. I literally don't think it's possible to be great in the 10K (which is Valby's best event) without hitting at least 60 miles a week of running.
This is the great question: how much running is necessary to keep your legs fit for running? How much mileage needed for 10k, half marathon, marathon, if your easy miles are cross training?
We got a bit of that answer when PV debuted at 10k in 30:50. She made it look pretty easy and there was no problem with her form, fitness over 10k.
It's a great question for an exercise science PhD comparing sport specific running for your legs v heart/lung training on a machine. A cyclist who never runs is aerobically fit, but can't run properly. Somewhere is the perfect sweet spot of just enough running.
If her only running has been at hard efforts, then it’s likely she avoids entraining bad form that manifests from junk miles.
"Valby is thought to be commanding a base annual payment of $650,000 to $800,000 per year. Although agent Tom Ratcliffe negotiated Valby’s NIL deal for her, Valby’s father, Kyle Valby, is said to be negotiating her pro contract. Agents in running typically take a 15 percent fee from an athlete’s sponsorship and prize money, although occasionally athletes negotiate lower fees. Efforts by Runner’s World to reach Kyle Valby were not successful."
...
"Nike’s choices for distance runners, Bowerman Track Club and Union Athletic Club, aren’t seen as ideal fits for Valby. Bowerman, under coach Jerry Schumacher, has been a one-size-fits-all program and has seen an exodus of its top talent since the team moved from Portland to Eugene, although Valby’s former college coach, Chris Solinsky, is now a coach with the group."
...
"Rosario hopes that when the dust settles and athletes begin to announce their decisions, he’ll have a couple of new names on his roster, even if they’re runners who had NIL deals with companies other than Hoka. “I would certainly encourage anyone who signs a temporary NIL that only lasts through the end of your college years, to use that for what it’s for,” he said. “The money is great and that is wonderful, and then it’s over. And that means that the contract is completely over, and you owe that company nothing. And you move on to make your decision with a clear and open mind.”"
seems she would half to go with solinsky, if she signs with nike. he understands her training needs. everybody else would probably destroy her, no way she ever goes to the marathon, body can't handle the required training. just get her to the next olympics , exploit the endorsement money, which will be no problem with her looks and then call it a career.
This is the great question: how much running is necessary to keep your legs fit for running? How much mileage needed for 10k, half marathon, marathon, if your easy miles are cross training?
We got a bit of that answer when PV debuted at 10k in 30:50. She made it look pretty easy and there was no problem with her form, fitness over 10k.
It's a great question for an exercise science PhD comparing sport specific running for your legs v heart/lung training on a machine. A cyclist who never runs is aerobically fit, but can't run properly. Somewhere is the perfect sweet spot of just enough running.
If her only running has been at hard efforts, then it’s likely she avoids entraining bad form that manifests from junk miles.
There's some research that suggests that any run at a faster than 8:00 per mile has a positive impact on running economy, but runs slower than this pace could produce poor form, as you mention. I would highly doubt Valby or anyone of her caliber would run slower than 8:00 per mile, although I would bet there would still be quite a few runs in the 7:00 to 7:30 range as opposed to around 6:00 flat like a lot of other elites. Clearly, cross training can get her super aerobically fit, but I would worry about doing enough to stress the bones, ligaments, and tendons that some pounded out aerobic runs can help adapt.
"Valby is thought to be commanding a base annual payment of $650,000 to $800,000 per year. Although agent Tom Ratcliffe negotiated Valby’s NIL deal for her, Valby’s father, Kyle Valby, is said to be negotiating her pro contract. Agents in running typically take a 15 percent fee from an athlete’s sponsorship and prize money, although occasionally athletes negotiate lower fees. Efforts by Runner’s World to reach Kyle Valby were not successful."
...
"Nike’s choices for distance runners, Bowerman Track Club and Union Athletic Club, aren’t seen as ideal fits for Valby. Bowerman, under coach Jerry Schumacher, has been a one-size-fits-all program and has seen an exodus of its top talent since the team moved from Portland to Eugene, although Valby’s former college coach, Chris Solinsky, is now a coach with the group."
...
"Rosario hopes that when the dust settles and athletes begin to announce their decisions, he’ll have a couple of new names on his roster, even if they’re runners who had NIL deals with companies other than Hoka. “I would certainly encourage anyone who signs a temporary NIL that only lasts through the end of your college years, to use that for what it’s for,” he said. “The money is great and that is wonderful, and then it’s over. And that means that the contract is completely over, and you owe that company nothing. And you move on to make your decision with a clear and open mind.”"
seems she would half to go with solinsky, if she signs with nike. he understands her training needs. everybody else would probably destroy her, no way she ever goes to the marathon, body can't handle the required training. just get her to the next olympics , exploit the endorsement money, which will be no problem with her looks and then call it a career.
I agree that Solinsky makes the most sense and that she's not going to the marathon. Frankly, she may be limited to the 5K only if she can't get enough mileage. The double threshold approach is really demonstrating its effectiveness for 1,500 to 5,000, and I think this approach could work quite well for her with two double thresholds per week, two aerobic runs, and three days of cross training. That's still approaching 50 miles per week plus cross training though.
I agree that Solinsky makes the most sense and that she's not going to the marathon. Frankly, she may be limited to the 5K only if can't get enough mileage. The double threshold approach is really demonstrating its effectiveness for 1,500 to 5,000, and I think this approach could work quite well for her with two double thresholds per week, two aerobic runs, and three days of cross training. That's still approaching 50 miles per week plus cross training though.
As Morpheus said, you have to open your mind. What specifically about her collegiate record 30:50 10k shows that she's not doing enough mileage for 10k?
If she followed exactly the same training plan, and just adjusted her workout paces for a 30:20 race goal, she could enter a DL race and see if she could hit that target.
Achieve that, then gear up for 30:00.
It's only our conventional thinking that keeps bringing it back to mileage.
By the way, it's not like I hate mileage, I just like the experiment they are doing and am curious just how far they can take it.
British athlete Georgia Bell cycles 100 miles per week and only runs 25-30 miles. She finished fourth in the women’s 1500m final at the 2024 World Indoor Championships.
But as she’s not Parker Valby, she doesn’t suffer the same scrutiny.
Bell is a middle distance runner who runs the 800m/1500m, not the 5k/10k. Her PR in the 5k is 15:35. You are not making the point you think you are.
Well then, consider that when Eilish McColgan ran a 1:06 Half Marathon, a Runners World article at the time said she had gotten up to 50 miles/week (and was trying to build further in prep for the marathon.)
Bell is a middle distance runner who runs the 800m/1500m, not the 5k/10k. Her PR in the 5k is 15:35. You are not making the point you think you are.
Well then, consider that when Eilish McColgan ran a 1:06 Half Marathon, a Runners World article at the time said she had gotten up to 50 miles/week (and was trying to build further in prep for the marathon.)
Again, everybody keeps referencing suspicious runners here. You're using McColgan, who suddenly dropped 58 seconds in her 10K PB between 30-32 as your example? No, she couldn't possibly be on anything at all because she's a pretty white British girl. It must be the cross training.
It is like clockwork. Everytime in these cases someone on here has to come up with a grasping explanation. So now its that she cracked some magical training code. As if no one else crosstrains. I understand this board's endless capacity for delusion, but it is doping imo. And in the opinion of her competitors. She is horrible at hiding it.
She will end up as the highest paid American ever.
I highly doubt this. No way she out earns every other American in every sport and industry throughout history. She won't out earn Rockafeller even if you don't adjust for inflation.
I predict she won't even put earn the average MLB salary.
I’ve heard from a couple of shoe brand insiders that the dad is pushy and clueless about the business and doing a huge disservice to Parker’s name by annoying the heck out of everyone involved
Nike said that he is very shrewd. He is doing a fine job. She will end up much better off. What makes you think some former runners woukd be smarter than real business people? It is laughable.
Help us build the best running shoe review site for a chance to win a LetsRun t-shirt.Help us build the best running shoe review site for a chance to win one of 10 LetsRun t-shirts.