B. Lagat could be right on aging, speed and laziness. Age not a major factor in endurance events?

Training Advice/Discussion General

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10 years ago 09/21/2013 12:24am EDT

re: MrGambinus

I think it was Nick Willis yo.

MrGambinus wrote:
You remember this quote from Bernard Lagat where he stated that the #1 reason for declining performances with ongoing age are mainly caused by a lack of motivation, becoming parents, ... - short: becoming lazy ?
He supported this quote by his stellar 2013 performances. Sure, a little speed has vanished but his endurance HAS to be still there, running sub13 at age 38.
Most of the message board laughed at it and put the "on" stamp on Bernard.
Now, there is Haile Gebrselassie, running sub 61 while being in front the whole race with no one supporting his effort. Keeping up with Mo Farah and Kenenisa Bekele. In a 1500 things would look different but since speed vanished his ENDURANCE still has to be there. Hes not far from his 59min shape. Given that speed got a little worse his endurance has to be the SAME at least.
Disregard PEDs, if they take it they have been taking it for their whole career, so its a constant.
The interesting fact is the age. Sub 13 at 38 (at least...) and sub 61 at 45+(dont argue on this one, he IS this old) is impressive.
Anyone got scientific proof on that, especially a "endurance improvement curve" with ongoing age would be interesting for some late starters. Can you still train your endurance the same when you pick up the sport at 20, 25 or 30 like younger HS kids?

10 years ago 09/21/2013 12:31am EDT

re: MrGambinus

Dr. David Costill in his book "Inside Running: Basics of Sports Physiology" has a section on Hal Higdon's training and performance as he aged (pp. 174-175). Between 36 and 50, Higdon trained at times (for the Marathon Trials) with the same intensity as when he was in his early 20's. His VO2max over this time was essentially unchanged, and Costill claims that his 10000 times declined very little.

Part of this may be a special kind of genetics, but it's not just Bernard and it's not just Hal Higdon. You also have Meb at 37, you have Deena, you have Carl Lewis winning his last gold at 35. There was a Russian woman who won the LA Marathon back-to-back at 48 and 49 as I recall. There is (still) Merlene Ottey. There was also Yekaterina Podkopayeva, who was so dominant as a Master (only Sonia O'Sullivan could beat her for a period) that World Masters removed her times from calculating the age-grading charts.

People are learing to take better care of themselves and that they don't necessarily have to hang up their spikes at 30. And that's one of the things that perhaps is making the younger generation look bad in the WSJ article.

Use it or lose it.

10 years ago 09/21/2013 1:33am EDT

re: coach d

That special kind of genetics is the barbarian kind.

Biologically, in high populations there is a selective pressure towards faster aging and earlier death. Civilized populations can grow extremely rapidly and then crash catastrophically, wiping out the DNA of all your descendants. Shorter lifespan mitigates this.

Small populations grow much more slowly. A low birth rate creates a selective pressure for aging slowly and living a long time.

10 years ago 09/21/2013 1:50am EDT

re: coach d

coach d wrote:
Part of this may be a special kind of genetics, but it's not just Bernard and it's not just Hal Higdon. You also have Meb at 37, you have Deena, you have Carl Lewis winning his last gold at 35.

...and Johnny Gray at winning USA's at 36, KD at making the team at 36, Abdi at 36, Haile at "40-45"... It's not that rare at all.

10 years ago 09/21/2013 8:43am EDT

re: Bad Wigins

....I blacked out for a minute what happened?

Bad Wigins wrote:
That special kind of genetics is the barbarian kind.
Biologically, in high populations there is a selective pressure towards faster aging and earlier death. Civilized populations can grow extremely rapidly and then crash catastrophically, wiping out the DNA of all your descendants. Shorter lifespan mitigates this.
Small populations grow much more slowly. A low birth rate creates a selective pressure for aging slowly and living a long time.

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B. Lagat could be right on aging, speed and laziness. Age not a major factor in endurance events?

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