reppep wrote:
Again another thread that has potential to actually help someone learn something about running and it degrades to stupid jokes, arguments over the question being asked, and only one real post that answers anything to open discussion.
Why the f ck is letsrun like this... Jesus Christ can't we have a section for only registered posters for actual discussion?
Good point but you have to admit that the wiki link medal smackdown post was pretty good.
And to the other reference of Ryan Hall 2:04? Yes we've been down that road before. 2:04:53 with 25 mpw tailwind.
Anyway, back to the original post. It probably all comes down to the development and training systems. High school in the US is hit and miss. Some good coaches, but a lot of mediocre to very bad ones. Likewise, college has some good coaches but a lot of mediocre ones. But the biggest drawback with both high school and college in the US is short term thinking, emphasis on speed work, and often a fairly heavy racing schedule (note that colleges have gotten a lot better at this).
The Japanese seem to emphasize Ekidens and longer road racing distances (half marathon) at the college age. US is cross country (8K and 10K for men; 6K for women) and then track for the rest of the year, some doing indoor some not. But 10K specialists are not all that common at the college level, mostly they're developing 1500-5K runners (or 800/1500), with a few steeplers and 10K runners to fill those niches.
And finally, going back to the beginning of Olympic history for a medal count isn't really all that valid. How about going back to the start of IAAF World Championships (1983) and looking at WC and Olympic medals combined? Not to mention the sheer number of (not wind-aided) sub 2:10s. Which country has done better?
What could the US learn from what the Japanese are doing?