Ryan Hall and marathon training

Forum guidelines BT super discount
General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Ryan Hall and marathon training Rss Feed  
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller Reply
2008-08-14 4:08 PM

User image

Master
1662
10005001002525
Flagstaff and Phoenix, AZ
Subject: Ryan Hall and marathon training

There is an article on Ryan Hall, the US marathon runner competing in the Olympics, in this week's New Yorker magazine. A good read. It puts distance running (in the US) in historical perspective and discusses how the boom in mass-marathoning and the way races are set up (fees) has helped elite athletes.

article

2008-08-14 5:30 PM
in reply to: #1604518

Subject: ...
This user's post has been ignored.
2008-08-14 5:56 PM
in reply to: #1604666

Fishers, IN
Subject: RE: Ryan Hall and marathon training
I believe he scratched the marathon and is doing the 10K, last I heard.   It is nice to see Ryan doing so well and yet so young.  Marathons to Kenya are as baseball is to th eUn ited States.  I do not know if he will even make the podium.  One thing I like is he is not at all afraid to mix it up with the best and I am sure he will push it before he drops back (hopefully he will not drop back).  I am tired of hearing how genetically the European/American runners are inferior.  They may be relative to some areas in Africa, but there is no reason Americans can't run at least as good as they did in the 70's and 80's.  We are again seeing the light. 
2008-08-14 9:05 PM
in reply to: #1604701

Expert
810
500100100100
Southeast
Subject: RE: Ryan Hall and marathon training

rc63413 - 2008-08-14 6:56 PM I believe he scratched the marathon and is doing the 10K, last I heard. It is nice to see Ryan doing so well and yet so young. Marathons to Kenya are as baseball is to th eUn ited States. I do not know if he will even make the podium. One thing I like is he is not at all afraid to mix it up with the best and I am sure he will push it before he drops back (hopefully he will not drop back). I am tired of hearing how genetically the European/American runners are inferior. They may be relative to some areas in Africa, but there is no reason Americans can't run at least as good as they did in the 70's and 80's. We are again seeing the light.

Yes.  The genetic claims are stupid -- nobody knows enough about genetics (much less the physiology of running) to make such a claim.  If I had to guess (and it would be guessing), I'd say that you put your finger on the main point -- cultural differences.  If every kid in America grew up dreaming to be a marathoner, then things might be different.

2008-08-14 9:41 PM
in reply to: #1604518

Melon Presser
52116
50005000500050005000500050005000500050002000100
Subject: RE: Ryan Hall and marathon training

Most of the really good Kenyan marathoners come from one district in Kenya which is at elevation, mountainous, fairly remote, and has developed a very strong culture for competitive distance running, based on a long history of having to run pretty long distances on hilly terrain to go anywhere (including to herd cows). If there were a comparable setting elsewheres, including the States, I imagine there would be a lot of really good marathoners coming out of there, too.

2008-08-14 9:45 PM
in reply to: #1604518

Subject: ...
This user's post has been ignored.

2008-08-14 10:30 PM
in reply to: #1605143

Master
1662
10005001002525
Flagstaff and Phoenix, AZ
Subject: RE: Ryan Hall and marathon training
TriAya - 2008-08-14 7:41 PM

Most of the really good Kenyan marathoners come from one district in Kenya which is at elevation, mountainous, fairly remote, and has developed a very strong culture for competitive distance running, based on a long history of having to run pretty long distances on hilly terrain to go anywhere (including to herd cows). If there were a comparable setting elsewheres, including the States, I imagine there would be a lot of really good marathoners coming out of there, too.

Sounds like Flagstaff, except for the cow herding. (We prefer elk.)

Lopez Lomong (US flag bearer and 1500m runner at the Olympics) ran for Northern Arizona U during college, the late Ryan Shay trained and lived here, Greg McMillan and his Olympic hopefuls live and train here, Jack Daniels is the head coach of "Team Altius," our running club.

We have national teams from all over the world train at the High Altitude Training Center all the time (lots of swimmers and runners). It's now an official US Olympic training site.

And everyone hikes, runs, skis, or rides bikes in this town.

 

2008-08-15 6:28 AM
in reply to: #1605210

Fishers, IN
Subject: RE: Ryan Hall and marathon training

I spoke with Lopez last year after nationals for awhile, he is extremely nice.  This was just after he got I think 2nd or 3rd but ran close to 1:44 half.  His coach said he still didn't know his distance yet, but has a pretty broad range.  We are going to see some good things from him down the road.

Must be awesome to live in Flagstaff, seems to perhaps more of a draw these days than Boulder. 

2008-08-15 6:57 AM
in reply to: #1604518

Elite
2423
2000100100100100
Subject: RE: Ryan Hall and marathon training
Hall has lived at and trained at roughly the same elevation as most of the Kenyans. Growing up in Utah/California.
2008-08-15 9:43 AM
in reply to: #1604518

Champion
6931
5000100050010010010010025
Bellingham, Washington
Subject: RE: Ryan Hall and marathon training

Nice video of him training.   Looks like a good bike route also.

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=e593f8eba239bada1a0c

New Thread
General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Ryan Hall and marathon training Rss Feed