Why can Nick Symmonds run such as fast 800-1500 when he is so heavy?

The weight gives him extra momentum which propels him forward

mikehammer wrote:

The weight gives him extra momentum which propels him forward

Okay, I LOLed. Thanks.

Using the same logic, you could ask why aren't 125-lb guys winning the 100m dash? After all, Usain Bolt is essentially carrying an extra 80-lb weighted vest over the distance.

jamin wrote:

Using the same logic, you could ask why aren't 125-lb guys winning the 100m dash? After all, Usain Bolt is essentially carrying an extra 80-lb weighted vest over the distance.

That's not necessarily the logic, at all. There is a clear optimum body size and composition for middle distance, and 5'10" 160-165 lbs is pretty obviously on the high end of that distribution centered around the optimum of elites. The sprinter optimum is heavier. The long distance optimum is lighter. Your comment doesn't make sense but you're speaking like it's obvious and you're oh so clever.

Amazing that in 2021 we STILL feel free to comment so judgmentally about women’s bodies. A woman’s body is NOT FOR YOU TO SHAME. Does anyone EVER comment on a man’s body like this?? Disgusting. You’re a misogynist pig.

***checks notes***

Oh. I see here that Nick Symmonds is, in fact, a man.

Don't know why I'm continuing here, but the middle distance demands for speed + power and efficiency are somewhere in between the long distance efficiency + some speed, and the sprinting demands of the highest power/weight ratio (given a reasonable weight) sustained over 10-20 seconds. Large muscles, especially with lots more fibers on the Type II end, have high oxygen demands, and are useful at high intensities for the lengths of time you can rely on pre-stored ATP + anaerobic ATP generation. After this the heart can only pump so much blood over both a tissue mass, even if well-vascularized, and the lungs, etc. If you've got a still decent enough power/weight ratio, with much less muscle, it can be well-perfused with oxygen for a longer time without too much stress, plus add in more type 1 fibers or whatever. Idk, this is my general impression.

You know all this but are commenting like you don't for some reason

strength to weight ratio. op, please read up on Matt London for relevant information.

high school xc coach wrote:

strength to weight ratio. op, please read up on Matt London for relevant information.

+1

800m is not an aerobic event. There is some aerobic ability needed but speed is more important and power generates speed. Rudisha is strong would crush a skinny Kenyan 5k runner in a fight.

questionforyou wrote:

jamin wrote:

Using the same logic, you could ask why aren't 125-lb guys winning the 100m dash? After all, Usain Bolt is essentially carrying an extra 80-lb weighted vest over the distance.

That's not necessarily the logic, at all. There is a clear optimum body size and composition for middle distance, and 5'10" 160-165 lbs is pretty obviously on the high end of that distribution centered around the optimum of elites. The sprinter optimum is heavier. The long distance optimum is lighter. Your comment doesn't make sense but you're speaking like it's obvious and you're oh so clever.

165 is not heavy

He's a "bumblebee". Read Kenny Moore's book on Bowerman and it explains what a bumblebee is.

flvmmox wrote:

high school xc coach wrote:

strength to weight ratio. op, please read up on Matt London for relevant information.

+1

This is the only correct answer as far as I am concerned

Some 120 pound distance runners have more power to weight ratio than 185 pound sprinters.

Fast kiddies wrote:

Some 120 pound distance runners have more power to weight ratio than 185 pound sprinters.

I mean, I'm sure that's true for a few, but on average definitely not.

Like, I bet a lot of 185 lb sprinters could squat 350+ lb. I don't know how many 120 lb runners there are out there that squat 230. Or even if that number is 315, don't know how many squat 205. I mean I'm pulling numbers out of my butt here, and a squat max is not an expression of power, but I feel like you can get a lot of bang for your buck out of not a lot of muscle. I'm night and day in strength when 20 lbs over my distance running weight, not just 15% stronger - obviously not a professional athlete who's essentially maxed out their body at their best race weight, but...

I think the cool thing about the 800m is that there are so many different approaches you can take and end up with the same results. Sprinters are buff, marathoners are slender, 800m runners? It can vary.

Coe 5’9 120

Vasquez 6’1 175,

Brazier 6’1 165

Hoppel 6’0 150

Snell 6’0 179(!!!!)

The 800 is all about the power/endurance ratio and some people are better off with more on the power side while some are better with endurance.

I personally am not world class, I’m a D1 mid-packer, but I’m 6’1 175 and run much faster than I did at 160-165. I have a much better speed reserve with the extra 10 lbs of muscle.

6.97 60m wrote:

flvmmox wrote:

+1

This is the only correct answer as far as I am concerned

Nick has run 6.54 for 60m hand timed at 165 and 5' 10" which translates well to 800m speed.

Another giver of +1 wrote:

6.97 60m wrote:

This is the only correct answer as far as I am concerned

Nick has run 6.54 for 60m hand timed at 165 and 5' 10" which translates well to 800m speed.

I thought you were going to say Nick has runs 6.54 for 60 m, hand time, which means we have no idea how fast he actually ran

CopperRunner wrote:

I think the cool thing about the 800m is that there are so many different approaches you can take and end up with the same results. Sprinters are buff, marathoners are slender, 800m runners? It can vary.

Coe 5’9 120

Vasquez 6’1 175,

Brazier 6’1 165

Hoppel 6’0 150

Snell 6’0 179(!!!!)

The 800 is all about the power/endurance ratio and some people are better off with more on the power side while some are better with endurance.

I personally am not world class, I’m a D1 mid-packer, but I’m 6’1 175 and run much faster than I did at 160-165. I have a much better speed reserve with the extra 10 lbs of muscle.

This is true to a lesser extent of the 400m. There are guys like Luguelin Santos at 5'8" / 134 lbs. At 6'1" / 150 lbs, Jeremy Wariner has an even lesser BMI.

5' 10"? And wasn't he lighter when racing years ago?