What is the biggest difference between elites and non-elites?

The difference is time. Duh.

Vo2max? Lactate threshold? Pros have the ability to push these figures to levels way beyond what an average person can. Even the pros with relatively low vo2max and amazing running economy have vo2max way above what you would see in anyone normal who has been running for many years. The genetics is just different

Pros have all day to run (multiple times), strength train, drills, recover, massage, eat enough food. This is their 40hr work week.

For us 9-5ers we have to pick one or two of those things to fit into our schedule each day.

time is the biggest difference

Faster parents. Grant Fisher, Joe Klecker, Burrito Girl, all had fast parents.

Discus or discuss ? I'm not good at speling either

Please point me to a study that proved form drills led to improved performance.

The desire and ability to compartmentalize pain! Plain and simple.

Training hurts, training to be an elite hurts more. If you don't have the ability to hop on the pain train when it counts, you will be mediocre. It's not about V02 max or lactate threshold, those come as a product of rigorous training. And NO, I'm not talking about running through musculoskeletal pain or ignoring signs of injury, so don't even start.

I'd say the biggest difference is the degree of hip extension.

WTF?

Vo2 max

Nope. Millions of runners have a 70 VO2max.

You need that and good basic speed to have better running economy. And that's before you start the to put the serious work in.

Landing under your center of mass whilst leaning forward and trying to do a powerful push off?

Nope.

Post a video of you trying to do that. It should be good for a laugh.

Genetics, the same reason only one out of how many kids will end up in any other pro sport when they grow up.

What's hip today might become passé.

Talent -but you cannot charge someone to tell the that hence we get bs about technique etc.

Running form is overrated.

1. is genetics and selection. I just watched the London Marathon last weekend. There was a white pacer in the top group. I am sure he was an excellent runner but he looked like he didn't belong into the top group.

2. Time to train and recover is important.

3. Nutrition, in the long run.

87. Running form maybe.

Answer is "Non"

About 15-20lbs

Actually, yes. If you want to quibble over minor details, I should have written “slightly in front of your center of mass”. There, happy now? The rest of what I wrote is correct in regard to how elites run.