tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2737550703462651461.post5150917013997259627..comments2014-04-12T13:01:28.937-07:00Comments on Blog without qualities: Land of Mo-hope and bygone gloryDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03662243675288847759noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2737550703462651461.post-62514873537869072432014-04-12T13:01:28.937-07:002014-04-12T13:01:28.937-07:00Jimmy Ashworth, who won the Berlin Marathon in 198...Jimmy Ashworth, who won the Berlin Marathon in 1985, in 2:11:43, has responded on Twitter: "Did we train harder in the 80s? I think we ran till we dropped. Maybe too much science has crept in."Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03662243675288847759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2737550703462651461.post-14281191378457419702014-04-01T14:11:12.403-07:002014-04-01T14:11:12.403-07:00A very interesting and well-researched article. I ...A very interesting and well-researched article. I particularly liked your point about the need for a large national base of fit youngsters, from which statistically speaking it is quite likely that a talented few will emerge. In general I don't necessarily disagree with much that you say but it might be possible to put together an entirely different argument. Firstly, statisticians might have something to say about comparing Britain's best-ever year with the latest year. 1984 was clearly an outlier, even if the mid-80s were a purple patch for British long-distance running. <br /><br />Second, all sorts of other (arguably more interesting) endurance sports exist nowadays, many of which Brits are very good at. I'm thinking particularly of triathlon, but mountain running, ultra-marathons, cycling and adventure racing have all taken naturally gifted athletes away from road running. Many dozens, if not hundreds of people compete at an international standard in these events. In the early 1980s their only viable option would probably have been plain vanilla athletics.<br /><br />Third, I suspect that the influence of Africans does play a part. If you don't feel you've got a realistic chance of international success you're surely going to be put off the idea of throwing your whole life into marathon running. Having spent a bit of time in Kenya I was struck by the incredible focus and single-minded determination of most runners, not to mention the huge base from which a brilliant few will emerge. Many East Africans have a literal hunger for success. Running is for many the only job opportunity. For Brits, other avenues exist.<br /><br />Finally the percentage differences aren't all that massive and they diminish toward the front end of the field. There's roughly a 4.8% difference between the 100th ranked runners in 1980 and now, 3.5% between 50th then and now, 3.7% between 20th, 1.6% between 10th and 1.75% between the 10th ranked runners. These differences could easily be explained by talented athletes doing other sports nowadays, especially the sort of mid-level club types who might be expected to do run about 2:30 with a lot of training.<br /><br />Again, i'm not sure I am in any place to disagree with what you or your interviewees say (your PB is nearly 10 minutes quicker than mine!) I'm just always sceptical about the oft-held view that the youth of today are lazy and feckless and that everything was better in the good old days. Maxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10885733005982016384noreply@blogger.com