The results are interesting...
9 athletes broke 32:50 in the '97 race, all from North or East Africa.
5 broke 32:50 in the 82 race, 4 non-Africans.
I believe that shows a statistically signficant advantage by East and North
Africans.
The disparity is probably far more evident in other years, since you picked
one year with great running conditions (82).
On 4/25/01 8:22 AM, "Oleg Shpyrko" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Some statistics from Falmouth Road Race.
> Seems like the times are about the same, all the way from 1st to 10th,
> you just have to replace americans from 1970ies/80ies with kenyans and
> moroccans in 1990ies and you will have pretty much the same picture.
> I am sure Tom can provide similar lists for Boston Marathon.
>
> What I am interested in, is how come a little "tribe" called "GBTC" could
> produce so many top marathoners in the late 70ies, early 80ies?
> Something for anthropologists to look into...
>
> MEN 1997 Falmouth
>
> 1. Khalid Khannouchi, Morocco 31:58
> 2. Thomas Osano, Kenya 32:07
> 3. Peter Githuka, Kenya 32:22
> 4. Lazarus Nyakeraka, Kenya 32:28
> 5. James Bungei, Kenya 32:31
> 6. Simon Chemoiywo, Kenya 32:36
> 7. Hezron Otwori, Kenya 32:36
> 8. Joseph Kariuki, Kenya 32:39
> 9. Brahim Lahlafi, Morocco 32:40
> 10. John Kariuki, Kenya 33:05
>
> MEN 1982 Falmouth
> 1. Alberto Salazar Oregon 31:53 CR
> 2. Craig Virgin Illinois 32:12
> 3. Rod Dixon New Zealand 32:16
> 4. Mike Musyoki Kenya 32:17
> 5. Marc Curp Missouri 32:46
> 6. Dan Schlesinger No. Carolina 32:53
> 7. Sosthenes Bitok Kenya 33:06
> 8. George Malley Newton, MA 33:10
> 9. Bob Hodge GBTC 33:12
> 10. Gary Fanelli Penn. 33:13
>
> MEN Falmouth 1979
> 1. Craig Virgin West Lebanon, IL 32:19
> 2. Herb Lindsay Michigan 32:27
> 3. Bill Rodgers GBTC 32:29
> 4. Jon Sinclair Colorado 32:36
> 5. Frank Shorter Colorado 32:42
> 6. Rick Rojas Colorado 32:44
> 7. John Flora Northeastern TC 32:45
> 8. Mike Roche New Jersey 32:51
> 9. Robbie Perkins unat. 33:03
> 10. Benji Durden Georgia 33:21
>
> MEN Falmouth 1980
> 1. Rod Dixon New Zealand 32:20
> 2. Herb Lindsey Boulder, CO 32:32
> 3. Ric Rojas Boulder, CO 32:34
> 4. Bob Hodge GBTC 32:38
> 5. Greg Meyer GBTC 32:49
> 6. Terry Baker Wash. DC 32:58
> 7. Randy Thomas GBTC 33:03
> 8. Kyle Heffner Boulder, CO 33:07
> 9. Benji Durden Georgia 33:09
> 10. Stan Vernon Oklahoma 33:19
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Jon Entine
> Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2001 9:40 AM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: t-and-f: Tom Derderian's comments
>
>
> Tom:
>
> I don't have the stats, but I wonder what happens when you slice the data a
> little differently. Set the cut off at 2:12 or near there. I would suspect
> that you would find that the total number of marathoners who better that
> mark has increased slightly and most are from the few regions of the world
> with a high altitude ancestry or gene flow with Africa. Considering how few
> runners there are in total from these athletic hotspots, it is extraordinary
> how they are crowded into the very top finishing places.
>
> So that would suggest that genes plays a role at the very super elite level.
>
> My guess would be that the number of sub super-elite marathoners who are not
> from those regions and run -- say 2:15-2:25 -- has dropped significantly
> for cultural reason:
>
> They know that their chances of cracking into the super elite is a long
> shot. Certainly, there is enough human variation for it to happen and
> serendipity, as well as training, plays a huge role (far more than in the
> sprints, for instance).
>
> The chances of an African American making it into the NBA is about 1 in 3500
> or so. The chances of a white is about 1 in 95,000. As one would expect,
> very talented whites who might, if life broke their way, make it into the
> NBA peel away long before they have a chance to test whether they have the
> physical and mental attributes to make it. I would expect that the same
> thing is happening in distance running... Some potentially super elite
> whites are deciding to say, become a biker, because they look around them
> and all the stars are from Kenya, Ethiopia, ettc.
>
> If people were a little more educated about body type profiles and
> physiology, I believe far fewer talented athletes would peel away from
> sports or events in which they are emminently suited for.
>
> In summary, to conclude that difference at the very very top are "cultural"
> may not be supported by the weight of the evidence.
>
> Do you have any figures comparing sub 2:12, or even sub 2:10. Has that
> number decreased?
>
> On 4/24/01 2:47 PM, "t-and-f-digest"
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
>> Tom Derderian wrote:
>> Boston 1981, Winning times were similar, But back in 50th place Matsuo
>> of
>> Japan went 2:18:45. The last sub 2:20 was Gerry Deegan of Ireland in
>> 64th.
>> The last sub 2:20 this year was Mark Coogan in 19th place. But in 1981
>> I
>> considered myself in bad shape and only participated in the race with a
>> 2:26:46 in 191st place too far back among Americas to count or even
>> score on
>> the Greater Boston team. That time in 2001 would have been about what
>> Danny
>> Reed ran for 35th place overall and 7th American.
>>
>> Those are the numbers. That difference IS cultural. The interesting
>> question is why.
>
> --
> Jon Entine
> RuffRun
> 6178 Grey Rock Rd.
> Agoura Hills, CA 91301
> (818) 991-9803 [FAX] 991-9804
> http://www.jonentine.com
> --
> Jon Entine
> RuffRun
> 6178 Grey Rock Rd.
> Agoura Hills, CA 91301
> (818) 991-9803 [FAX] 991-9804
> http://www.jonentine.com
>
--
Jon Entine
RuffRun
6178 Grey Rock Rd.
Agoura Hills, CA 91301
(818) 991-9803 [FAX] 991-9804
http://www.jonentine.com
