Who has enough talent to run in olympics?

My father was in the Olympics ( 1956 ), I was in the olympics ( 1996 ) my son Jordan will go to the olympics in 2020. IT HAS ALOT TO DO WITH GENETICS. He is right on track

after his 23.00.2 5k race in Long Beach ( 7 years old )

Good luck to all of you.

Eddy

It?s only ever about making it to the next level. College scholarship --> Olympics skips a level or two. The numbers say no, not every scholarship type has the talent. But as somebody said earlier, distance running talent manifests itself in different ways and at different times.

sometimes really fast runners get into the habbit of thinking that they are the best because they are mentally tougher or harder working or more dedicated but when it comes down to separating that 1% of great runners genetics is the major factor. Who has the most (or least) slow twitch muscle? Who has the greater lung capacity? Who was the physique? Who has high lactate threshhold? VO2 Max? Strongest bones and ability to handle high mileage without injury?

Having a PR of 3:55 in the mile is not necessarily an indication of someone's harder work and stronger mental attitude than that of someone with a 4:08 mile PR.

The catch is that we are not born with PRs tatooed on our foreheads so we might as well go train hard and race harder and see where the chips fall.

But we have the physical ability. Ryun, Shorter, Scott were all world beaters in their day. And today guys like Krummenacker and Meb are also internationally competetive.

We're not that short on physical ability. I would be curious to know how many American college kids thinks that they have what it takes to make the Games.

i know a GIRL who ran a sub-20:00 5k at seven years old-- she never even came CLOSE to making the olympics...

[quote]kayhaus1 wrote:

Good call. I think it's very similar to the situation that I see with kids in the inner city (Baltimore for me) playing basketball all day long. You know exactly what they are thinking...not necessarily money, but the opportunity to be a star, to get a "better" life.

For American runners, commitment to the sport almost always involves great sacrifice.

Other factor is that US does not have very deep "distance tradition" as they do for example in sprints. I bet if three to five guy's/girl's could stand up and show that US can make distance runners as well, this would create interest towards the event, and hopefully not every decent collage runner would quit.

Maybe US needs to "adopt" a kenyan to start the process... There are several Kenyan runners who are not good enough in their country... Some (I know one) would be happy to get US citizen ship :)

trackhead wrote:

But we have the physical ability. Ryun, Shorter, Scott were all world beaters in their day. And today guys like Krummenacker and Meb are also internationally competetive.

We're not that short on physical ability. I would be curious to know how many American college kids thinks that they have what it takes to make the Games.

You're generalizing to entire nations about a question that was asked about individuals. I'm just saying that first of all, at the top, the talent and desire cannot be separated. But in the process of determining who's at or near the top, physical ability/talent is the overarching factor. At the VERY top, it coiuld very well be mental focus (or what have you) that makes the difference.

At the US collegiate level, talent is still going to be the determining factor.

huron wrote:

It comes down to footspeed - plain and simple in all races. The Derek Clayton/Ron Daws (hard work more than talent)days are long over. For the 800 you need to be able to run a 45-46 400. For the 1500, at least a 47-48 400 at a minimum. Without this, you a tactically one dimensional and would not likely make it through the heats. That doesn't mean that somebody cannot run very fast times or even qualify for the Trials but lack of footspeed limits the way you run the race. You would have to force the pace - several times in the trials to get in. The champion has footspeed/great conditioning/a very strong mind and is well coached so that he or she can respond correctly to tactical situations.

thats utter crap. I know a German runner, Joaquim Dehmel, who ran 1min45.1, and 3min36 - and he could not break 49 seconds over 400m. Same with Steve Cram - and thats on a higher level. He ran 1min42, and 3min46 for the mile - and by his own honest admission, knows he could never break 48 seconds for 400m EVEN on a relay leg. Steve Cram medalled at the Olympics over 1500m in a race where the pace was up and down, and also medalled at the European champs over 800m where the first lap was over 53 seconds.

My post wasn't with respect to the top collegiate performers in the nation, rather it had to do with an earlier post saying that America lacked the physical talent to be the best in the world.

Sorry fester, but I'm gonna have to express some doubt on the 1:45 800 guy with a 49s quarter. Grand Prix races that I've seen typically split 50-low. Perhaps he would be able to split 52/53, but I doubt he could sustain two consecutive laps that close to top speed.

Runnrs who make Olympic caliber competition are the ones who possess incredible talent and work extremely hard. Take away either factor, and it will likely not be enough.

fester I agree with you...

you can have all the leg speed in the world but it means nothing in the 800, 1500, and up if you don't have good strength and aerobic capacity to back it up.

I know a guy who had a PR of 1:50 point in the 800m, or was it 880 yards back then? and he admits he has never run faster than 53!!!! yes 53 in the 400... my old coach's best 400 was a 56, but he cracked 2 in the 800... and I know a local dude who has run 1:57 high FAT, but his best, also FAT, is only 55 mid in the 400...

Runna,

Yup, I know a couple of guys from college who were 1:52/1:53 guys who couldn't run faster than 52 in the open 400. I know some distance guys who couldn't have had faster than 51 speed who ran 1:51. Likewise, I've seen guys with 47 speed not run faster than 1:53. So much of it is mental. So much of it is your ability to buffer lactic acid. So much of it is your running economy, weight, lung capacity, etc etc etc. RUNNING IS NEVER ONE FACTOR.

M

I am in college now, and I believe that I have what it takes to go to the Olympics. I think too many people here in America are to concerned with training in the right location, sleeping in bubbles, worried about this that and the other... I am concerned with one goal which I am planning for in about 9+ years. Do I know for sure that I will make it? No. But am I going to bust my ass for the next 9 years trying?? Heck yeah!!! Genetics, talent, and economic background only get you so far - then desire takes over. -Grin- At least I know that I'll have given it my best and never wonder if "i could have.."

Year Seconds from Olympic Trials Qualifier (1500)

1999: 130

2000: 39

2001: 24

2002: 15

2003(est.): 4-7

2004: 0

You have to have a plan.

We don't listen to shot putters and discus throwers, Elizabeth. Go eat some more pop tarts fatty.

THE MAIN PROBLEM IS:

how do we know we have that talents?

i want a doc to test me, take my dna and stuff and i want him to say: no matter how hard you are training you'll never run sub14.

but human is curious (inquiry) n it's about time for a second renaissance.