Any elites out there meomorphs
Any elites out there meomorphs
There is no such thing as a mesomorph. That was a racist term invented by a racist sexist anti-semite.
140 lbs isn't very thin for a distance runner.
I'm 5'9, have been 140# for most of my life and most people consider me to be quite strong and muscular.
Hi HardLoper!
you might want to take a look at some footage of Richie Frowning. Guy is more of an endo but nonetheless ran a more than decent sub elite 5k in his prime.
There have been several 'mesomorphs' who have been at the top of distance running. Herb Lindsay, the US Road Racer of the Year in 1979 and 1980, is one...described in Sports Illustrated as 'a melted halfback.' 5'9" and 150 lbs.
Very light for your height unless you're 16
Big hit with the girls ?
Peter Snell, George Young, Steve Prefontaine, John Walker, Henry Rono, Herb Lindsay, Paul McMullen, Craig Mottram, Chris Solinsky, Nick Symmonds, Andy Vernon, for starters.
There is just no such thing as a mesomorph. Trying to classify people by arbitrary terms into some PC version of essentially Fat, Skinny and Just Right is just rubbish. It was invented by a psychologist in the 1940s who thought he could classify peoples temperaments and personality by their 'body type'.
People can change their 'body type' with diet and exercise, I'm sure everyone has seen the guy who was really skinny at school start hitting the gym and 2 years later looks like a different man.
I am perplexed as to why these terms are still used in Physical Education in schools.
Because they are correct.
Watching The Detectives wrote:
Peter Snell, George Young, Steve Prefontaine, John Walker, Henry Rono, Herb Lindsay, Paul McMullen, Craig Mottram, Chris Solinsky, Nick Symmonds, Andy Vernon, for starters.
Good list. I think it is very possible to be an elite bigger guy, like in the 170-180 lbs range, but distance running does not really attract those body types as much.
Warping Twister wrote:
you might want to take a look at some footage of Richie Frowning. Guy is more of an endo but nonetheless ran a more than decent sub elite 5k in his prime.
He lists his as 20 min flat. I'm bigger and a lot older and well below that. Given that he just threw 20 flat up there I'm betting he's over 20. But to your point, it's very possible. I get a lot of stares up front in a race, and then they realize I can keep up.
140 is a great weight ... for a hobby jogger.
If you want to do serious damage you've got be 125-
Yes. 30+ years ago my dad saw a 300 pound guy finish a 10 miler in 57:XX. I find it hard to believe he wouldn't have been elite at 50 or 60% of his weight.
Truly wrote:
Very light for your height unless you're 16
Big hit with the girls ?
This is a normal weight, and you're way too fat.
Yes, I'm very popular with the ladies and have been all my life.
Pre was a mesomorph.
Greyhound Bulldog wrote:
Because they are correct.
... Except for the fact that they have no scientific basis and there is no physiological definition of any of the types. The observation stretches as far as to say 'that person looks a bit overweight: endomorph'. Very accurate.
Metric Miler wrote:
Greyhound Bulldog wrote:Because they are correct.
... Except for the fact that they have no scientific basis and there is no physiological definition of any of the types. The observation stretches as far as to say 'that person looks a bit overweight: endomorph'. Very accurate.
Nah, but thanks for playing.
Next up you can study the various races. They are very real too.
The whole meso/ecto/endo thing is nothing more than a very broad generalization of the expression of different genetics that affect body type. Some people have muscles that gain mass very quickly when doing strength training. Others can strength train all day and see very little gain in muscle mass. Some people store most of their body fat subcutaneously. They can look a little doughy even when they are in very good shape. Others store very little fat under their skin, making them look very cut even when they are not working out a lot. Bone structure tends to associate with muscle type. Bigger bones tend to correlate with muscles that are more efficient at gaining mass.
It has always been the assumption that a lighter frame is required to be a distance runner simply because of the physics involved. But there are some very notable exceptions. Craig Mottram, Solinsky, Jason Hartmann and others have had notable distance running careers despite carrying 40+ lbs more than their competitors. Of course, they were not power lifting much during their pro careers and carried as little weight as possible. But, they do show that it is possible for larger athletes to succeed at distance running. It also raises the question of whether that body type is simply selected out of the running pool because guys like that would be more likely to play baseball, soccer, basketball or football. Those sports always have the pick of the top high school athletes just because of the attention and status kids get for participating in those sports. If XC and track had the same status as football, I think we would have a better idea of whether the advantage of body type can be overcome.