May be you don't have idea about the Hct of the athletes. Instead, I have not only idea, but several data, and I can tell you that :
1. The best Kenyan athletes have LOW HEMATOCRIT. The best runners I had NEVER went over 42, when in shape.
2. The best Kenyan athletes have HIGH globular volume (MCV). While for caucasian athletes this is about 85-88, for the top Kenyans is about 105-110.
3. The best Kenyan athletes have very low viscosity. This fact reduces the periferal resistance about blood circulation, allowing their heart to work less for bringing the same quantity of O2 to muscle fibers.
4. Because I believe in training, and in the results, I had several experiences with the University in Torino. What I discovered is that ALWAYS, growing the shape, the levels of Hematocrit and Haemoglobin are goind down.
So : when you run faster, you have a level of Hct and Hgb lower than when you are out of shape. Final values are an effect, not the CAUSE of performances.
I give you an example of blood tests I had with Christopher Koskei, who was the only Kenyan winning a Gold medal in WCH 1999, athletes I started to follow from Oct 1998, after one year without any result (8'48" in steeple).
In the original table, that years ago I sent Malmo and already is in some collection about what I wrote, we have every data organised in columns and rows. Here is only as text, and I hope can be clear in any case.
BLOOD VALUES OF CHRISTOPHER KOSKEI (YEAR 1999)
Date
Mar, 16
Jul, 8
Aug, 2
Training Level Mediocre Very good Very good
Shape Level Mediocre Very good Very good
Days of Staying at sea-level 12 9 4
WBC 4.98 5.50 5.44
RBC 4.49 3.96 3.85
HGB 13.4 12.3 11.6
HCT 42.8 40.6 38.8
MCV 96.2 102.4 100.6
MCH 34.5 32.0 31.4
MCHC 33.8 32.8 33.0
PLT 366 388 328
Urea 33 32 33
Creatinin 1,36 1,50 1,18
Uric Acid 5.6 5.3 5.7
Colesterol 88 92 86
Triglycerids 104 98 102
Total Bilirubin 0,5 0,7 0,6
Total Proteins 8,2 8,8 9,2
Albumin 5,6 6.0 5,2
AST 38 36 36
ALT 16 22 23
YGT 9 6 8
Sodium 198 204 190
Potassium 5,3 5,6 5,3
Chlorine 116 108 102
Iron 80 64 76
Magnesium 2,08 2,28 1,80
Transferrin 146 155 172
Aptoglobin 34 50 44
Ferritin 154 86 64
Folic Acid 9 ng/ml 21 ng/ml 19 ng/ml
Vit. B 12 724 pg/ml 784 pg/ml 750 pg/ml
I have in my computer also other data about the 800m runner Kenneth Kimwetich (1'43"03 / 2'13"49 in 1000m), about some Italian maraton runner woman (Maura Viceconte, 2:23:47 and 31:05:57) and about Mosop 2003 and Kemboi 2003. For ALL OF THEM we have the same trend : when they are able running faster, the level of their Hct and Hgb is lower.
May be I'm a visionary, but can some among all the great scientists posting in LR explain me WHY this is the trend for athletes RUNNING FASTER WITH THEIR TRAINING ONLY (Kenyans, Italians, Ukrains as Lebid), and how this reality can be combined with the idea that IF HCT and HGB are higher, an athlete can run faster ?
I want also to congratulate with all people that, not knowing anything about me and my style of life, speak about "money", "doper", "cheater" and so and so.
If this is the average of American young people who have this idea about the most important values of the life (solidarity, tollerance, ability in discussing, love for what they do, trust in other people and in the loyalty),
I think your great Country can't have a shining future.
But, of course, I hope that the percentage of aggressive idiots in your Society can be very much lower than what appears in Letsrun.