Who is the most naturally talented miler ever?

Something similar was done very recently:

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?board=1&id=1539647&thread=1535516

If we're talking about someone who had incredible results without nearing their potential, I wouldn't say Ryun or El Guerrouj. I'd look at a guy like Todd Harbour who ran something like a 3:50 mile as a young kid then retired unexpectedly at an extremely early age.

The guy was running with Coe and gang reguarly on the circuit as a child.

That guy didnt have phys. talent worth a lick, his resting heart rate was what 75. Virtually every other world class mid. dist. runner hearts could work two fold his heart did. He said when he ran sub. 4 mile in h.s. he had to bite on a towel for like an hour after he did it out of sheer pain.

How old was Todd Harbour when he ran that?

Alan Webb.

O.k., just kidding. But I think he'd be a better miler yet, and better runner overall, if he let his form/stride just flow more like in high school. Maybe that's why he arguably had more raw foot speed at 18 then he does now. Remember that at the 2001 USATF prelim, he convincingly sprinted by everyone in a slow 3:45 heat. He also split a :47 during a triple. Wonder what he would've split if he had a :45-:46 guy near him?? He's obviously progressed a lot since HS, but his form changed maybe for the worse.

Herb Elliot was the most talented miler ever. He was not--depsite what all the rumors might say--well trained but was simply running off raw talent and Percy's fanatical mental regime. If Elliot had trained under a great physical coach, he would still have records today. On the other hand, his success might have been that Cerruty wasn't a physical coach but worked on his mind. Interesting problem.

Ryun's resting heart rate doesn't mean squat. It's what his heart could do (at MAX, while running) that counts. Pain threshold doesn't cut it - lactic acid will bring down the toughest of the tough. Ryun was supremely talented, but the training knowledge then was primitive. One of the top natural talents ever. I think Morceli and Cram are up there as well when it comes to the mile/1500.

Probably some guy in China who's never run the mile in his life.

Lydiard said there is a Champion in every Town but they never ever trained.( or words to that effect).

Herb Elliott - tough as nails. Never lost. Trained and raced his balls off. Even when he was not 100%, he would not quit.

1959 Aus Natl champs in Adelaide. Elliott and Mervyn Lincoln ride the train together from Melbourne to Adelaide (~5hrs). Herb has a beer and a few smokes. Race is that afternoon. Elliott was not fit, and Lincoln knew this. When he heard 3:01, he thought that he could beat Elliott so he put his head down and ran.

Elliott got him at the line. Lincoln was so shocked to be beaten by a man so completely out of shape - Elliott was still dry heaving 30 minutes after the race - that he never ran well again.

Elliott had the most talent where it mattered - those 8 inches between the ears.

Roger Bannister - has anyone else broken 4minutes of so little training?

Running Historian wrote:

Roger Bannister - has anyone else broken 4minutes of so little training?

Yes, James Parrott. The first person to break 4. He did it May 9, 1770. No Typo! See the first few paragraphs of

Jennings....serioulsy, talented as all hell, but pisses it away

What's talent, anyway? wrote:

Probably some guy in China who's never run the mile in his life.

??? Do they just just ride bicycles and eat Mooshoo pork?