90% of running is natural ability

Cool metaphor bro.

But most people don't ever train hard enough or properly in order to even know that they have running talent! If you don't have innate aerobic capacity it can be developed a ton over time.

100% of running is running ability. Actually, if you wear shoes you could say 90% of running is natural ability. If you have to wear blades like Oscar P.-60%.

The ACTN3 gene is linked with your muscles' variance in type I or II or IIa or b fiber types..

AMPD1 is an enzyme in skeletal muscle where if you have a very common mutation on your gene that codes for this- you fatigue faster and get cramps..

There's many others to list. Of course performance is almost completely held to your genetic ability. Things like the size of your heart and related tests like VO2max definitely put a ceiling on your performance.

But.. most people have the capability of being very good at something. Obviously too many on Letsrun should spend less time on here, and more time looking for something they're actually good at.

I dont understand why people continue to train for years running 60+ miles a week when they just dont have the talent to run quick times.

Sure there's the social aspect but why train so hard?

They could just be a fun runner and save themselves from the punishing training!

Personally I wouldn't waste my time.

The majority of people just do not have the natural talent to run fast. unlucky

Sometimes it feels good to be in shape and not completely fat. Even if your best 400m time is 20 seconds faster than your current time.

however, alot of people are using less than 1% of what they find within themselves that is not just natural ability. A 4:20 miler that could find that extra 10% who was only running to 90% of his potential could run 3:54.

SEXCguy wrote:

however, alot of people are using less than 1% of what they find within themselves that is not just natural ability. A 4:20 miler that could find that extra 10% who was only running to 90% of his potential could run 3:54.

such an ignorant statement... my eyes are bleeding dude

me too

Is 90% from a twin study? Is that factor for both men and women? Cause I think you just pulled 90% out of your ass. I agree that genetics plays a large part of your potential but at the same time its the one thing you can't change (as far as I know gene doping is still relatively new science) so why worry about that? I know a lot of people who train for years and changing their attitude to be more optimistic and start believing in themselves they drop times fast. 100% of the time if you don't believe in yourself you won't run as fast as you could given the same training program.

Ziigmund wrote:

I dont understand why people continue to train for years running 60+ miles a week when they just dont have the talent to run quick times.

Sure there's the social aspect but why train so hard?

They could just be a fun runner and save themselves from the punishing training!

Personally I wouldn't waste my time.

The majority of people just do not have the natural talent to run fast. unlucky

Because some people find the real reward in the "punishing" training and trying to get as close to their potential as possible. Running slow PRs is still satisfying. I may never get anywhere near the times of Kara Goucher but I bet anything that I enjoy those hard long runs as much as she does.

jimmy hotta wrote:

The ACTN3 gene is linked with your muscles' variance in type I or II or IIa or b fiber types..

AMPD1 is an enzyme in skeletal muscle where if you have a very common mutation on your gene that codes for this- you fatigue faster and get cramps..

There's many others to list. Of course performance is almost completely held to your genetic ability. Things like the size of your heart and related tests like VO2max definitely put a ceiling on your performance.

But.. most people have the capability of being very good at something. Obviously too many on Letsrun should spend less time on here, and more time looking for something they're actually good at.

I'm gunna pick up table tennis.

Ziigmund wrote:

I dont understand why people continue to train for years running 60+ miles a week when they just dont have the talent to run quick times.

Because it feels damn good to know that no woman in the world can run faster than you at your best/favorite distance.

My PR's are a 4:10 mile and a 14:08 5K. I'll never win the Olympics or even make it to the first round of the Olympic trials, but I'll never regret putting in the work needed to run those times.

optimist wrote:

[quote]Ziigmund wrote:

My PR's are a 4:10 mile and a 14:08 5K. I'll never win the Olympics or even make it to the first round of the Olympic trials, but I'll never regret putting in the work needed to run those times.

get a min off ur 5k time and u r on ur way to the olympics! am i wrong?

Actually if you count 1500 conversions, there are women who have run faster than you.

Funny the more I run the more I realize my natural ability.

90% of everything is natural ability, the least of which is running.

please... wrote:

Actually if you count 1500 conversions, there are women who have run faster than you.

Do you know his 1500m PR? Why don't we throw in 100m conversions too while we're at it?

A lot of things are based on natural ability. So what?

I don't get the notion that if you can't be world class, you should give it up.

With that logic, why do most people even bother being passionate about anything?

I could play the guitar 24 hours a day and never be another Hendrix. Does that mean I shouldn't practice an hour or two a day and get the satisfaction from playing in a band and even playing a few gigs in dive bars? My friends and I have a great time doing this. But, damn, I guess I should quit now.

I also like the satisfaction gained from finding out what my physical limits are. I also spend about an hour or two a day doing this. You can easily do 70+ mile weeks with that amount of time.

Also there ARE examples of people who didn't seem to be "naturals" yet they persevered, and ended up doing pretty well. Take Ron Daws for example.