Who done it? wrote:
Training is a big factor in all these recent 4 minute miles.
However some even bigger factors are probably TRACKs, COMPETITION, EQUIPMENT, NUTRITION, AND OTHER SCIENCES.
We had very little in 1965 of these things compared to today.
Craig Virgin ran 27:29 in 1980. Can you imagine what he would run now?
Probably in the low 26:00s. When he ran 27:29 that was the 2nd best in the world.
Tracks were the same in 1980-1985. Competition is better now, because they are all on HGH and EPO and other drugs I don't even know about yet. Equipment was just as good in 1980-1985. If you don't think so you didn't own a pair of Adistar '80s or Adistar '84s or Nike Zoom Ds. I had all of those, just like Virgin. They did not take a back seat to today's spikes. The clothing we wore was in no way worse either.
"NUTRITION, AND OTHER SCIENCES" were the same in 1980-1985 as they are now.
The big area he would be ahead in TODAY is that he could take HGH, EPO, and other stuff that I am not aware of. Back then he could have taken testosterone, steroids, and blood-packing ... same as now ... I doubt he would do it though.
With this help he would have run 7:28 / 12:55 / 26:45 instead of 7:43 / 13:19 / 27:29.