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does height matter?
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 2008-11-05 9:28 PM |
Veteran  202  Columbia, KY |  Subject: does height matter?I am so new that I'm only on week two of the "couch to 5k," and I have a "dumb question!" I am 5'1" and am wondering how (or if) your height affects your race time. Maybe I'm being too simplistic, but when I walk with my slightly taller son, it seems that I am working a lot harder than he is...like I'm taking two steps for every one of his. Does it not stand to reason that I will have to be in a lot better shape than someone with longer legs in order to have a competitive finishing time? Or can I compete (time-wise) at all? I have never raced, or even ran, so this has never been an issue; but I just noticed it the other day and thought I'd ask you experts! Thanks! |
| 2008-11-05 9:46 PM in reply to: #1790990 |
Expert 608 St. Louis | Subject: RE: does height matter? Shorter is better!! woot woot - I've got a lot taller in the last year and just reached 5'5. I am running 18min 5k. Size doesn't matter. Anyway your more aerodynamic. IT hurts a little in swimming but thats it. Also, you said that you were working much harder than him when your walking. Once you get in shape you will be fine. That is due to your only on week 2. Get your aerobic capacity up and you will be fine. Everything takes a lot of time. |
| 2008-11-05 9:48 PM in reply to: #1790990 |
Veteran 385 Chaska, MN | Subject: RE: does height matter? I got beat by a lot of people shorter than me in my last race...LOL... Some theories may lead you to believe that taller may=faster but if you look at many of the pro distance runners in the world they are not tall. To me that says it all. Plus you have to figure if you are shorter typically you weigh less therefore not as much effort to propel yourself compared to the heavier opponent. Just some thoughts from someone totally untrained in such matters.... Have Fun!!! |
| 2008-11-05 9:59 PM in reply to: #1790990 |
Champion 6056  Menomonee Falls, WI | Subject: RE: does height matter? Yep, it does. Longer objects move more easily through the water on the swim. Longer strides by longer legs cover more distance more easily on the run. Regarding pro triathletes, my observation has been that the Elite men are largely molded in the same template, usually 6'0 to 6'2 in height, but there are notable exceptions. Tim DeBoom, for one. What they all have in common is a huge power to weight ratio. |
| 2008-11-05 9:59 PM in reply to: #1790990 |
Champion 6931 Bellingham, Washington | Subject: RE: does height matter? I've gotten smoked by 67 year old grandma's that are around 5'1. It's the ticker and the bellows in your chest that make a difference. |
| 2008-11-05 10:11 PM in reply to: #1790990 |
Veteran 202 Columbia, KY | Subject: RE: does height matter? I just want to say that I am really enjoying all of your insight...thanks so much for the info! I really have a lot to learn, and I'm so anxious! Pam www.custerfamilyfarm.com |
| 2008-11-06 1:33 AM in reply to: #1790990 |
Expert 946 Barrington Area, IL | Subject: RE: does height matter? Yes it does. it seems the perfect height to be great in almost all sports is 6'2". Of course I was 5'8" in 8th grade and was told I would be that height and grew ONE whole inch since - I am still waiting for my growth spurt (20 years later). |
| 2008-11-06 7:04 AM in reply to: #1790990 |
Regular 169 Lilburn | Subject: RE: does height matter? I'm 4'11" and by no means fast in races. What I have discovered about myself on the run is that because my stride is so short, I have to really work on my endurance and my turnover rate. I'm getting 25-26 right foot strikes per 15 seconds. Once I practiced sustaining that turnover rate I began to work on lengthening my stride slightly over time. I started out doing 14+ min miles during C25K and now I'm racing at a 10:30-11 min mile pace. I will never have long gazelle like strides, sadly.
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| 2008-11-06 7:57 AM in reply to: #1790990 |
Regular 168 Southern Maryland | Subject: RE: does height matter? Height of your LEGS is what would matter when walking with your son. My wife is a full 3 inches shorter than me but her legs are 2 inches longer than mine. When we walk together I have to use more steps to keep up because her LEGS are longer than mine. We found this interesting fact when we got fitted for our bikes. She even rides a larger frame size. She always said that I have a really long back and short stubby legs. Now she's got proof! Wierd. |
| 2008-11-06 8:27 AM in reply to: #1790990 |
Coach 10487 Boston, MA | Subject: RE: does height matter? Pam - I am going to the say no, it doesnt matter in particular for females. The current Olympic Gold Medalist Emma Snowsill is 5' 3" (per the ITU website) Just have fun, train and do the work. The performance will follow |
| 2008-11-06 8:36 AM in reply to: #1790990 |
Champion 5575 Butler | Subject: RE: does height matter? Definately think it matters less for women. For men I am sure there is a perfect height, probably in the 6'0" range. Look at most marathoners/triathetes, they are not really tall guys. |
| 2008-11-06 8:38 AM in reply to: #1790990 |
| Veteran 458 Minnesota | Subject: RE: does height matter? I think it does matter when it comes to running. But I think it can be an advantage or disadvantage when it comes to distance. Most of the elite marathon runners are smaller, shorter men and women, while you'll see more taller long legged runner at the front in shoter distances like the 1500 or 5000. But there are certainly a lot of other factors as well. |
| 2008-11-06 8:40 AM in reply to: #1791555 |
Cycling Guru 15134 Fulton, MD | Subject: RE: does height matter? Same as the two above (and others). You see much more diversity in women across the range of endurance sports. A lot of the pro triathlete men however fall into that 6'-0" - 6'-3" range. Cycling and running it is an entirely different thing, but for triathletes there seems to be a lot of commonality in the men. In a lot of those cases (running, cycling) the better athletes are smaller. That whole power to weight thing ...... (Seeing as I'm 6'-1" and 175 lbs. why the hell am I not a pro triathlete???!!) Edited by Daremo 2008-11-06 8:41 AM |
| 2008-11-06 8:41 AM in reply to: #1790990 |
Master 1678 Olney, MD | Subject: RE: does height matter? I'm tall for a female and it doesn't seem to help me.  |
| 2008-11-06 8:42 AM in reply to: #1791569 |
Cycling Guru 15134 Fulton, MD | Subject: RE: does height matter? vball03umd - 2008-11-06 9:41 AM I'm tall for a female and it doesn't seem to help me. That's why your primary sport was VOLLEYBALL ...... |
| 2008-11-06 8:52 AM in reply to: #1791572 |
Master 1678 Olney, MD | Subject: RE: does height matter? Daremo - 2008-11-06 9:42 AM vball03umd - 2008-11-06 9:41 AM I'm tall for a female and it doesn't seem to help me. That's why your primary sport was VOLLEYBALL ...... haha... It doesn't seem to help me in tris. |
| 2008-11-06 9:35 AM in reply to: #1790990 |
Expert 1357 Mukwonago, WI | Subject: RE: does height matter? I'm about 6'7" and I think it's great for my swimming (long arms, big hands, big feet, length in water all help) but much of my height is in my torso and not in my legs - this is bad for running. Torso length really leads to dead weight then so my shorter legs (relatively speaking) have to carry more weight without having as much of a length advantage. Oh, I forgot to mention I could stand to lose another 40 lbs off the frame as well. |
| 2008-11-06 9:56 AM in reply to: #1790990 |
Veteran 151 | Subject: RE: does height matter? My last triathlon, I watched the pro field start. Many were in the 6ft range, but there was one guy who must have been about 5'2-5'5, and he was a pro! Also, the guy that won the Olympic marathon was like 5'. So maybe it's not the ideal build, but lot's of very competetive people make it work (fast cadences, power to weight ratio etc). Good luck! |
| 2008-11-06 10:27 AM in reply to: #1791797 |
Sensei Sin City | Subject: RE: does height matter? 6'7" here. It's a big avantage with swimming, longer pull, etc.... But along with height comes weight, a lot of times. At 225-230lbs, that slows me down on the bike and run. |
| 2008-11-06 10:30 AM in reply to: #1790990 |
Lethbridge, Alberta Bronze member | Subject: RE: does height matter? For whatever difference height might make, there are a lot of other factors that count as much or more so height will be a very small part of the equation. Hard work will override almost everything else for non-elite athletes. Don't worry about your height, just train well. |
| 2008-11-06 10:50 AM in reply to: #1790990 |
Champion 5781 Northridge, California | Subject: RE: does height matter? There was a thread here sometime this year discussing some analysis of "ideal" body types for endurance sports that had found its way into the NY Times...too lazy to find the thread, but this was the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/27/health/nutrition/27Best.html?_r=1... |
| 2008-11-06 12:10 PM in reply to: #1790990 |
Veteran 378 The Cold North | Subject: RE: does height matter? I've been teased that I have to run "further" than everyone else at a race. I'm 5'1". I placed 2nd in my age group at my second tri. Many other people were taller than me, so I'm going to say no, it doesn't matter much. You train with what you're given. |
| 2008-11-06 2:05 PM in reply to: #1791887 |
Expert 1040 SF Bay Area | Subject: RE: does height matter? Aikidoman - 2008-11-05 8:27 PM 6'7" here. It's a big avantage with swimming, longer pull, etc.... But along with height comes weight, a lot of times. At 225-230lbs, that slows me down on the bike and run. I'm the same weight but 2 inches shorter. I think my size hurts me the most on the run, at least that's my excuse. |
| 2014-10-14 7:44 AM in reply to: JorgeM |
Member 1748 Exton, PA | Subject: RE: does height matter? Originally posted by JorgeM Pam - I am going to the say no, it doesnt matter in particular for females. The current Olympic Gold Medalist Emma Snowsill is 5' 3" (per the ITU website) Just have fun, train and do the work. The performance will follow ^^^ Agree I have a neighbor who was a distance runner in the 96 Olympics she is 5'-2", her husband was a professional runner for 4-5 years after college and is only 5"-6". Their twin daughters are in high school right now and tear up the track at a whopping 5'-0"!!! I'm reading this and lots are saying that the best pro men are 6' to 6'-3"; yet on the Kona thread people are saying Andy Potts is too tall to win(he's 6'-2"). Then there's Mirinda Carfrae at 5'-3", nobody is calling her slow |
| 2014-10-14 7:45 AM in reply to: mike761 |
| 1159 | Subject: RE: does height matter? Originally posted by mike761 Originally posted by JorgeM Pam - I am going to the say no, it doesnt matter in particular for females. The current Olympic Gold Medalist Emma Snowsill is 5' 3" (per the ITU website) Just have fun, train and do the work. The performance will follow ^^^ Agree I have a neighbor who was a distance runner in the 96 Olympics she is 5'-2", her husband was a professional runner for 4-5 years after college and is only 5"-6". Their twin daughters are in high school right now and tear up the track at a whopping 5'-0"!!! I'm reading this and lots are saying that the best pro men are 6' to 6'-3"; yet on the Kona thread people are saying Andy Potts is too tall to win(he's 6'-2"). Then there's Mirinda Carfrae at 5'-3", nobody is calling her slow zombie thread  |
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