I have been around for a long time and I have never seen a rich kid become an elite distance runner. It just seems like they can't put in the hard work for an extended period of time. One may find a kid with great talent that will do as well as his natural talent will take him, but the progress stops when the hard work begins. Does anyone have a different experience?
Webb's family are pretty well to do I believe. I think Rupp's are as well.
Cecilia Hopp's father was Lauren Bacall's & Jackie O's dentist, I don't think they were hurting for money, and she became a national champion. (Cecilia Hopp St. Geme is Anne St. Geme's mother and was quite an athlete in her own right.) I'd think more well-off families would have an easier time paying for traveling, coaching, doctor bills, etc......
I know Martin Keino,Kiturs brothers,Konchellah,Lornah family~
rupp was loaded
Caroline Bierbaum
How about SIR Roger Bannister, or isn't he a real "distance" runner?
More importantly: can a rich kid sprint??
asdfghj wrote:
rupp was loaded
Maybe loaded, maybe not, but not an elite runner yet.
the real letsrunner wrote:
How about SIR Roger Bannister, or isn't he a real "distance" runner?
Are you saying that Bannister was a rich kid?
I think adversity in your life can help you be a better runner. For example, if a kid doesn't have many friends, they can turn to running as an escape. Kids that are in really troubled positions, such as a bad family life, use running as an escape even more. The pain of training is the only thing they control, so they immerse themselves in it. So to your question, rich kids generally have less adversity, so they don't train as hard as often.
I think fringe sports in general are forwned upon as a career in many upper class familys. Its ok to do in HS and maybe college, but then its time to "grow-up" and get on with a "real" career. Maybe this also has something to do with it?
lynn jennings comes from money
Frank Shorter was not poor
Bannister was not a rich kid. I think it said in the perfect mile that his dad was a salesman or newspaperman or something. I forget.
he's a sir because he was knighted for his work in neuroscience. it's not like he's the son of a baron or something.
I think more "rich" kids run here in the states then poor kids. I just think running is more of a country club type of sport. And to the guy who posted this don't think you're poor either, if you were you wouldn't have internet access.
Seb Coe?
hausers are rich and they made it!
The Observer wrote:
I have been around for a long time and I have never seen a rich kid become an elite distance runner. It just seems like they can't put in the hard work for an extended period of time. One may find a kid with great talent that will do as well as his natural talent will take him, but the progress stops when the hard work begins. Does anyone have a different experience?
Uhm. How about you present some evidence for your assertion? A lot of rich kids learn tenacity and determination from their very driven parents. Not every rich family is living off a trust fund. Some of them love to compete and often win at whatever they do.
what do you really consider elite?
elite american or elite world?
elite american- yesterday ran a 13:14 over 5k
elite world- runs under 13:14 for his 10k splits (13:08,13:09)
rich kids can run well in the US, but only the poor kids in africa can run a 13:14 and say "thats just the first half."