Running question!!!!!!?????????

Question

i have a question that ive been debating about with my friend for sometime now and turning to you guys for your opinions might prove helpful.the argument is that he thinks that any runner a slow one an average one or just one that busts his butt off training can become as great as some of the true elite runners. my side of the argument is that i believe that those types of people(elite) are already born with it and no matter how hard/long a runner trains they can never be as great as the one who is born with the potential.in otherwords every person that runs already has their barrier set up to where they can improve. what do you think ????

Answer 1

Funny, you are both right to a degree.

An average joe can indeed train, improve, and compete at a high level. However, to be elite, you have to be ideally suited for the task at hand, in this case endurance. Elite runners have an abundance of slow twitch muscle fiber.

Genetics play a major part, but no one in the running world can just walk up and be great.

Joe Schmoe can be great, if he's genetically suited for it. If he's not built for it, he can be very good, but not the caliber of the very best.

Answer 2

Everyone is given a certain amount of talent and it is up to each of us to use to the best of our ablilty. I was the best distance runner at my high school, and one of the best in the league but wasn't the very best. I can still place in my age division, but no matter how hard I train, I will not be the overall winner in a race. I was given enough talent to sometimes finish in the top quarter of a race, but I know that is as good as it is going to get. I am just happy to be in forties and still able to improve my times from what they were say 5 or 6 years ago. I belong to a running club and there are a few people in the club that probably have the talent to be elite runners, but they just haven't trained properly yet, so to some extent, it goes both ways: you need the talent and the training to be the best!

Answer 3

I recently read an article about a town in Kenya that has produced some of the world's best distance runners. The article went on to describe their strict diet and training regimen and the benefit of running in the hilly and high altitude environment. And while, I'm sure that each of them had some natural ability, it seemed clear to me that their accomplishments were from their hard work and training. Talent is like a head start...it may give you an advantage at the start...but it won't win the race for you on it's own. See the article below "Play with what you're Dealt". Hope that helps.

- Mike

Answer 4

I have seen some pretty amazing stuff. I was born with the running gene (from my father), that will get you halfway there. But pure determination can make you elite, all by itself. I do believe that if you are born with perhaps too much bone mass and height, that running won't be your thing or if you are predestined with massive muscle or extremely short and stout, you can't turn that around, but I've seen average built people turn into bionic runners (and that's no joke), it's really a matter of commitment.

Answer 5

I think that training makes all the difference in the world. There are certain mechanics of running that the more you steam line the faster you will be. Then Strength is important. The bigger your muscles the more power you can generate. The is timing. You have to get out of the blocks fast. Natural talent can only get you so far. To become elite you have to train.

Answer 6

That's a really important part of it but training and dedication has a lot to do with it to. Your arguement doesn't work because saying if you are an athlete from a less fortunate country you haver no chance against an athlete who has rich parents. There are quite a few athletes from say Africa/Jamaica etc who are Olympic/World champs than some who were born WITH it

Answer 7

You need good genes to excel even at the collegiate level. Most people could not come close to training at the elite level without getting too injured to continue. Of course training is important, but it takes the genetics even to be able to train like that.

Answer 8

well it is true that natural talent is a common characteristic of elite runners but not every one of them started out at number one.
they all trained hard, like the rest of us and went out of their comfort zone and pushed themselves to the limit.

from personal experience, i was dead last at every single practice last year as a freshman cross country runner, then at the first race i was like 5th overall on my team and this year was even better because i was fastest on my team in every single race. elite runners have a combination of talent, training, and the guts to go that extra mile. and for those of us who aren't naturally born with that gift have as much of a chance of reaching elite status if we are just willing to work for it. i hope that answers your question.

later alligator!
amberina

Answer 9

just like any other sport, natural talent is a big part of it. but natural talent can only take you so far, you also have to have drive and determination to train your butt off.

someone without the natural ability can train all day every day, and still never win the Boston Marathon.

Answer 10

I agree with your friend. People aren't born with the gift of running fast - they may be born with the passion for it, but anybody can train to run faster, harder or longer. It's all in the effort put forth and everybody has it - it's just a matter if they are willing to dig down inside them and find it.