eye see wrote:
So why do some people say that running economy is not very trainable? Are they just talking out of their hat?
No one says that.
eye see wrote:
So why do some people say that running economy is not very trainable? Are they just talking out of their hat?
No one says that.
BUM
I'm 50. And I recently broke 3 hours in the marathon. I noticed when I upped my mileage in the last 18 months, that I could no longer touch my toes without seriously straining. Definitely faster than I've ever been, but less flexible. I'm sure part of it's age, but I agree that I think there's a connection between improved running economy and loss of some flexibility.
According to the responses within this thread, it seems as if faster runners are not terribly flexible.
Flexibility is one of the key indicators of athleticism. Greater flexibility, in general, is an indicator of greater athleticism.
The logical conclusion is that distance runners that are faster, are not really all that athletic.
At age 56 I've been knocking at the 3:00 door for about a year. (last 3 marathons avg 3:04) As a late in life distance runner I'm faster than I've ever been. I think there's a line..... At a certain point, lack of flexibility shortens your stride length. I'm trying to do enough stretching that I don't lose any more flexibility. As a tall guy, I'm starting to feel like a greyhound with the cadence of a dachshund.
we all can wrote:
Anyone who isn't disabled should be able to touch their toes. How would you put your shoes on if you couldn't reach your own toes?
This. Being unable to touch your toes wouldn't be a sign of inflexibility. It would be a sign of severely limited functional capacity.