Does being a Kip or a Gebr make you faster?

aaaaaand apparently I missed that someone already made that reference... twice. :(

Being a Kip means that you are likely from the Kalenjin people in Kenya, or from the Nandi sub-tribe. Kip is a common name there and many of the world's top distance runners come from this gene pool.

Gebre is a common name prefix for the Oromo people in Ethiopia, another people that have an excellent gene base for producing world-class runners.

The Sports Gene lays out a lot of the vectors that come together in both the Kalenjin and the Oromo. They have long legs compared to their height, low BMI (especially low mass in the legs), and a very efficient aerobic system (The populations evolved at sea level and recently (relatively speaking) migrated to altitude so their bodies haven't had time to evolve to altitude.

Having an East African sounding name also makes you faster:

Tegenkamp sounds like Tergat

Webb sounds like Geb

Rupp sounds like Kiprop or Rop

Not really, one has to train to become fast, its about the passion, heart, purpose, lifestyle and will. Name has nothing to do with anything. In Kalenjin tribe, every boy name starts with Kip. I don't know much about Ethiopian, but I believe it is also part of their tribe. - Rudisha hails from Maasai tribe.

Koppenberg wrote:

Being a Kip means that you are likely from the Kalenjin people in Kenya, or from the Nandi sub-tribe. Kip is a common name there and many of the world's top distance runners come from this gene pool.

Gebre is a common name prefix for the Oromo people in Ethiopia, another people that have an excellent gene base for producing world-class runners.

The Sports Gene lays out a lot of the vectors that come together in both the Kalenjin and the Oromo. They have long legs compared to their height, low BMI (especially low mass in the legs), and a very efficient aerobic system (The populations evolved at sea level and recently (relatively speaking) migrated to altitude so their bodies haven't had time to evolve to altitude.

Also, did you guys know that arctic foxes live in arctic climates. Just read a book on it so...

Last night I changed my name from Steve Smith to Kipgebr Gebrkipkip and ran 10 miles. Usually I can do about 65:00 or so but I don't feel good afterwards. This time it was 43:02 and I felt like I could go all day.

Tomorrow I'm going to try the same thing as Kipgebr Gebrkipkip Bekele. I anticipate stunning results.

Coe said something in one of his books that if you were named Sebastian, you had to be able to run or fight. Maybe the same is true if your name is Gebrhiwet. Different kind of incentive.

But about those Kenyans, I thought they were all named Daniel Komen.

Left Said Fred wrote:

It means "servant", meaning "servant to Mary, servant to the trinity, servant to god", etc.

So Gebrselassie was Lassie's "servant". That's disgusting.

Will changing your name work for ultras too?

I'm thinking about changing my name to either of these:

Kipcaballo Gebrblanco

Gebrdean Kipkarnazes

Kipkilian Gebrjornet

mako wrote:

What would we do if you hadn't come and posted this? I would probably change my name, thanks for stopping me.

It is an honor to serve the community.

The 2 Daniel Komens have a pretty good track record combined. highest race averages for 1500-5000k for people with the same name ever?