My theory why Africans are mostly superior to the rest of the world in distance running

It is genetics. The transplants also do well.

People do not like to admit almost all of success in sports comes from genetics. Elites train very hard. The top genetic freaks often train like 25-50 percentile of professional athletes. They're just trying to stay healthy to earn their paycheck more than slaving away a 60x400m.

If Coevett would not have been banned, you already would have gotten some long, angry, reply.

I disagree.

The difference is in how children are raised. Some have to run long distances to school and see running as a way to a better life.

The others barely run ever, and if they are forced at school, they do it unwillingly, as they would rather spend their time gaming.

What about Japanese runners?

It is the lifestyle, group effect (they have more competition), motivation (e.g. get out of a poor financial situation) and also very important better running form.

Genetics, environment, and culture, but the biggest is genetics. Tim Noakes wrote about it in The Lore of Running twenty years ago. Unfortunately, it's taboo to talk about genetics. Consider this quote from the following article.

Is there something genetically different about the Kalenjin that makes them superior runners? Asking that question almost convinced Epstein to back out of his book contract. He realized he'd have to address sensitive questions of ethnic and racial differences. Academics told him they had evidence of genetic advantage but wouldn't share their research with him for fear they'd lose their jobs. "And these were professors with tenure," he says.

https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2013/11/01/241895965/how-one-kenyan-tribe-produces-the-worlds-best-runners

I read Two Hours by Ed Caesar. It is a combination of genetics, work ethic, and the desire to better their lives through professional running. Most people, here, cannot comprehend the African's life situation.

The Spade Detector wrote:

noevett wrote:

If Coevett would not have been banned, you already would have gotten some long, angry, reply.

+1 It was about time that racist was banned. We knew all along that Africans had been bred to be like racehorses by their environment, but recently we agreed that even their minds are similar to racehorses - completely lacking even a concept of time! Thank God Coevett isn't around to put forward that racist conspiracy alternative theory that Africans are just as smart as the rest of the world, but take advantage of the easy availability of PEDs in their corrupt Third World nations to lift themselves out of poverty!

Lol, tell me more about how Iwan Thomas is the clean world record holder and how Kenyans are “noble savages” Coevett.

I’d say these are the top

Culture : because running is so popular, the talent pool is huge. Much higher chances that a talented kid will become a runner. I’m sure that Europe/asians would be better, although not as good as the East Africans, but better than now if running was the main sport and not soccer/football/hockey/cycling..,

Genetics : East Africans are more efficient runners than Norwegian runners per some research. Obviously this aspect will become more interesting as the science gets better, but it would be ignorant to say there isn’t a genetic component to why East Africans are such great runners.

You plagiarized this, moocher.

While I was in high school when I started running I tried to figure out why I couldn't run as fast as the African heritage guys. By sight I thought that African heritage runners seemed to have larger thighs and longer, thinner lower legs proportionately than I did.

I interpreted this as an advantage because of the greater power of their upper leg and lighter weight of the lower leg being able to generate a faster rotational velocity (cadence) with less effort. Of course I failed physics, but I'm still not convinced that my observation was completely wrong. What I also thought that was it looked to me like they seemed to have longer fore feet or that the ankle was set back more creating a better lever. Of course now I know it's way more complicated than that. Maybe.

Greg wrote:

The reason is genetics and geography.

Wow! Way to go with such an original theory. You've really added to the our understanding.

Just compare East Africa with West Africa.

In East Africa you find Kipyegon but in West Africa you find Marie-Josee Ta Lou.

If training for Sprint races wasn't expensive and technical, you would find West Africa toping the world in the sprint.

think firster wrote:

I disagree.

The difference is in how children are raised. Some have to run long distances to school and see running as a way to a better life.

Yes, "some", but mostly myth. One of the marathon world record holders in the past 30 years, I forget who, grew up across from the school, wore shoes every day, and ran no more than I did. He worked a sedentary job for a couple years after high school and then got inspired to take up running.

We've seen US raised north African descendants do really well, Anyone who thinks genetics is not the main factor (not the only factor) is just choosing to ignore the obvious.

Passant wrote:

If training for Sprint races wasn't expensive and technical, you would find West Africa toping the world in the sprint.

151 men have broken 10 seconds in the 100m. All except like 3 of them are of West African descent.

lookism wrote:

It is genetics. The transplants also do well.

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True. But it’s not fair to the actual women they compete against.

Yusef Scummm wrote:

lookism wrote:

It is genetics. The transplants also do well.

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True. But it’s not fair to the actual women they compete against.

i chuckled

They also have a different physique, longer legs, especially from the knees down,, narrower hips, shorter trunk, smaller knee joints, smaller ankles, smaller wrists, all of which are more efficient for running.

How about their body though? It's perfectly made for running. Non-Africans who run fast also have body similar to theirs. There just are not that many Caucasians built like that though.