Can U.S. compete in distance events when:

Five year old kids running 12 miles a day? That's more than most college runners. Those kids are amazing.

First of all let me say that I applaud you for encouraging an active lifestyle for you and your family.

But the problem with the US is wealth, isn't it? Our wealth creates luxuries which creates less need for active lifestyles. If communities in Ethiopia had as much wealth as the average suburban community in any give US state, I could almost guarantee that kids wouldn't be running 12 miles a day. They would eat more and run less.

The problem with encouraging our American youth to be more active is that we have to compete with the lure of luxury. Luxury is very enticing to humans, and here in the States it's everywhere you look. I just don't think we'll ever be able to overcome obesity and inactivity in a country where an active lifestyle is not necessary.

Given the material wealth in this country, it takes a special person with a willingness to get in touch with the essentials of life - that is, closer to fundamental necessities of survival and connectedness with the environment. I don't know many parents or kids willing to at least make a leap in that direction. I plead guilty with my own kids. My respect for runners like Sally Kipyego who literally come from nothing and bless us with their grace and fine performances is limitless. We all have a lot we can learn from people such as this - and such learning is the kind of diversity that has nothing to do with race and other shibboleths diversity advocates shallowly embrace.

I will say in my own childhood (and my brother's) I certainly was hyperkinetic and likely had some sort of attention deficit condition. Today, that would be micromanaged with therapy, counseling, and maybe drugs. My mother, an athlete herself but with only barely employed single mother resources, wisely encouraged my brother and I to exercise - all of the time. We never took the bus, and being procrastinators of the highest order, would often sprint (or it seemed so) the mile and half to make it to school. Had fairly unlimited freedom to bicycle and run for miles too - and always did so. Both my brother and I were surprised when we went out for track and ran low 4:20's for the mile in 9th grade - but looking back on it - it was not really a reflection of talent - we had more background than most of the kids. For a period of time, I thought the popularity of youth soccer would really help improve fitness among young people - because it is not enjoyable (to me anyway) unless you really stay in fine condition. This has not, however, seemed to materially impact the Big Mac culture.

I agree, but is it possible to overcome this type of deficit in, what would you classify this as: training, cultural superiority, transporation inferiority, who knows? I know the kids I get in high school don't average half the mileage per week that a 5 year old over there is doing for 10 years prior. I think we are at a distinct disadvantage due to our easy lifestyles. Maybe high school runners are just weak, despite their bravado amongst fellow easy riders.