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  1. #1
    Registered User John B's Avatar
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    Default Near total dominance by Kenyans in the marathon

    Even if you're not a runner, even if your knowledge of marathoning extends no further than a vague connection with a brand of gasoline, and even if you've never once in your life seen a marathon much less ran one, still you gotta be floored by this:

    (28-Oct) -- The dominance shown by Kenyan men since the unofficial opening of the fall marathon season in Montreal, Canada, on September 5, has been breathtaking. Of 42 marathons in 24 countries with international elite fields tracked by Race Results Weekly, men from Kenya have won 38 of them, a winning percentage of 90%. Ethiopian men have won the other four.
    Read more: http://www.letsrun.com/2010/kenya-10...#ixzz13rC4H4W1

    As the book "More Fire" points out, we're not even talking about Kenya as a country, what we're talking about here is a relatively small group of tribes located along a fairly narrow section of the Rift Valley. Kinda analogous to, say, the College of the Little Sisters dominating NCAA football year after year.

    The NYC marathon is next week. The current world record holder (Ethiopian, 2:04), who has his fair share of critics, going up against his toughest competition in ages. Be there or be square (or at least watch it on universalsports.com

  2. #2
    PCT, Sheltowee, Pinhoti, LT , BMT, AT, SHT, CDT, TRT 10-K's Avatar
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    The "impossible" sub-2 hour marathon is close to going the way of the 4 minute mile....

  3. #3
    Registered User bpitt's Avatar
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    I've ran one race with kenyans in it. I was flabbergasted from the start. Those dudes can RUN!
    "You hiked up a mountain? Why would anyone want to do that?"--question posed to me by friend

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by 10-K View Post
    The "impossible" sub-2 hour marathon is close to going the way of the 4 minute mile....
    Anyone know if a female has broken the 4-minute mile barrier?

  5. #5

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    not broken - fastest women's mile is about 4:12

  6. #6
    Registered User John B's Avatar
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    I think a Russian chic still holds the record. Something just north of 4:10.

    I don't think we'll see a sub 2 marathon. At least not in my life time. That would be a 4:35 average.

  7. #7
    Registered User ChinMusic's Avatar
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    Genetics

    Sprint = Western Africa
    Distance = Eastern Africa
    Fear ridges that are depicted as flat lines on a profile map.

  8. #8
    Registered User jhensley's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by John B View Post
    I don't think we'll see a sub 2 marathon. At least not in my life time. That would be a 4:35 average.
    Props to another Lexingtonian. And to believe I once bragged about running below 4:45 on a single mile. Outrageous.

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by jhensley View Post
    Props to another Lexingtonian. And to believe I once bragged about running below 4:45 on a single mile. Outrageous.
    That's only ~1 second off the pace of the WR, just do it 25 more times (back-to-back) and you can become rich and famous...Yeah, Just Do It

  10. #10
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    My girlfriend ran NYC Marathon a couple years ago and noticed all the Kenyans were eating Cream of Wheat cereal at breakfast.

    Maybe that's the secret?

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by ChinMusic View Post
    Genetics

    Sprint = Western Africa
    Distance = Eastern Africa
    Yeap, genetics, not to take away from their superb disciplined training regimen, but genetics is a major factor that one can't ignore. Interesting article by Jon Entine (too much to copy and paste, but really good read).

    http://www.jonentine.com/reviews/observer.htm

  12. #12

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    I was reading this article about Gebrselassie and this caught my eye:


    "Life is changing a little bit. That's why it's very difficult to produce more long-distance runners from Ethiopia," he says.


    "The more good things you have, the less athletes you have. You don't see so much athletes from Addis Ababa (the capital). You don't see so much athletes from the city, most of our athletes they come from the countryside."

    With his ambassadorial work, Gebrselassie is doing his best to make sure the conveyor belt of champions continues for a while yet."





    I know he's Ethiopian, but you have to wonder if the same thing is happening in Kenya and how that will effect the future of the sport and the chase for the sub 2-hour barrier.

    Read More: http://www.edition.cnn.com/2013/06/1...sie/index.html



    .

  13. #13
    Registered User turtle fast's Avatar
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    If you think of it.....Kenya is not a wealthy country and the people do not eat as many processed foods so Cream of Wheat makes sense. As well, the financial possibilities to run the marathon for people whom do come from a poorer nation is a HUGE incentive. (BTW one of my relatives many years ago had run for office in Kenya but had to back off as his running mate was assassinated.)

  14. #14
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    yeah but how would they compete in the Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest?
    Let me go

  15. #15
    Registered User quasarr's Avatar
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    I heard a story on NPR about a British runner who traveled to Kenya to learn the secrets of their marathon success. He ends up concluding that the reasons are not secret at all - Kenyans in the Rift Valley often begin running at a young age, look up to runners as sports heroes, and if they are serious, will dedicate literally all of their time to running. No job, just eat, sleep, and run.

    http://onlyagame.wbur.org/2012/08/11...e-kenyans-book

    Here's another article that shows how many runners live there

    http://www.npr.org/2012/07/28/157503...old-and-wealth

  16. #16

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    I'm southern, with the kind of hillbilly drawl that makes it difficult to comment on race without seeing the reactions on peoples' face. I have wondered many times, but have always been hesitant to voice it aloud. Why don't black people backpack? I'm sure there are exceptions, but it is disingenuous to simply ignore the numbers. It is a very under represented demographic. What can we as a community do to attract more diversity into this pastime?

  17. #17
    Peakbagger Extraordinaire The Solemates's Avatar
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    i ran a marathon with a backpack on up and down mountains in about 12 hrs a few months ago. does that count for anything?
    The only thing better than mountains, is mountains where you haven't been.

    amongnature.blogspot.com

  18. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hill Ape View Post
    I'm southern, with the kind of hillbilly drawl that makes it difficult to comment on race without seeing the reactions on peoples' face. I have wondered many times, but have always been hesitant to voice it aloud. Why don't black people backpack? I'm sure there are exceptions, but it is disingenuous to simply ignore the numbers. It is a very under represented demographic. What can we as a community do to attract more diversity into this pastime?
    you do see more diversity near the urban areas. although it doesnt have to be, backpacking can be an expensive pastime. ive seen alomst every nationality represented in harriman state park,ny.
    funny that hip hop stars promoted north face and timberland,even mountain hardware, so aggressively, although their target market climbs more stairs than mountains

  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by The Solemates View Post
    i ran a marathon with a backpack on up and down mountains in about 12 hrs a few months ago. does that count for anything?
    Only if it was under 2 hours.

  20. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hill Ape View Post
    I'm southern, with the kind of hillbilly drawl that makes it difficult to comment on race without seeing the reactions on peoples' face. I have wondered many times, but have always been hesitant to voice it aloud. Why don't black people backpack? I'm sure there are exceptions, but it is disingenuous to simply ignore the numbers. It is a very under represented demographic. What can we as a community do to attract more diversity into this pastime?
    Plenty of other threads on that, but it's all about culture, not skin color.

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