John -
You'll get no arguments from me on this point - I do agree that most of
the 'top" Americans at 10K probably can't break 24 seconds. And I agree
that this puts them at a disadvantage. But it was 24.5 and 25 seconds that
were being tossed around and I think there's a world of difference between
24 and 25 seconds. I can't think of any 10K runner under 28:15 who couldn't
break 26 seconds, but maybe there are one or two. I"m talking in theory -
not whether they actually have done so.
In reference to your other post about the workouts you did, keep in mind
that I am not talking about workouts. I am talking about what is
essentially "theoretical" 200m ability since these guys don't ever race a
200m. A distance runner would never do an all out 200m in a workout. Of
course, this all relates to two questions - do we have guys with fast enough
basic speed racing the 10K and are they training correctly? The answer to
the first one clearly is no for the most part, because some of the best guys
in the world can probably run 23 or maybe faster. The second one is
harder - I don't know the specifics of what these guys are doing, so I can't
answer it. But. . .I tend to think many of them do have good training
programs with the proper balance of different stresses. As I said earlier,
it's a brutally competitive world, and we can't simply expect to have a
stable of guys breaking 27:20 just because 2or 3 other countries do.
- Ed parrot
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Schiefer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "edndana" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, August 25, 2003 6:52 PM
Subject: Re: t-and-f: 12:57 last 5000
> Ed, you state the following:
>
> "Sure, if one guy can run 22 and another guy can run
> 25,
> that will mean something, but Lydiard had it right -
> the problem with
> distances is not to get more speed but to get the
> stamina to hold the
> speed
> for longer (both through LFD and targeted speedwork).
> Think how many
> people
> can run 53 secs for a 400m (thousands in the U.S. for
> certain) and how
> few
> can hold it for 800m and make nationals. The problem
> is not speed."
>
> -------------------------------------------------
> I agree 100% with this at the top level, but you have
> to realize that some of our top American 10,000m guys
> simply can't break 24 sec. for 200m.
>
> As I mentioned in my previous email, it's a different
> level altogether.
>
> Not only can these Ethiopians run 24-25 to close off a
> 10k, they can do it while running the last 5,000m in
> under 13:00m.
>
> I'd bet you that there are some of our top 10,000m and
> marathoners who couldn't break 26 sec for 200m.
>
> Schiefer
>
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