I watched a portion of the race on TV and was surprised that their were qualifying times. Some of the women I saw running looked like they were wearing backpacks with 50 pounds in them. Just looked painful as they were running and literally pounding the pavement.

Didn't see either of the UT runners as they scanned through the runners, but then again, I didn't know what to look for other than hopefully catching sight of their names. It's somewhat strange that when they were talking about Flanigan really struggling over the last 2 miles to see that she was still running those miles at nearly her average pace for the entire race - and only fell behind by less than a minute in a race that took about 150 minutes to run...

Of all the challenges I would love to take on, running a marathon is not one of them. My knees ache just thinking about that.

(02-14-2016 11:13 AM)eastisbest Wrote:  I get tired driving that far. All props to those that run it. I guess we have a pretty serious local effort at developing long distance runners? If only we could increase our elevation a mile or two.

How come we see so many good runners from elevation in Africa but not S. America? I spent some time, not long, in higher elevation in S. Ame and no joke, on return it took me two weeks before I could even get a buzz drinking. I have to imagine the Antiplano would be an amazing place to train.

I was climbing Long's Peak with a friend from Colorado. It was about 4:30am at 9,500 feet and we saw head lamps behind us on a narrow trail. Shortly after about seven guys blasted past us. My buddy said "Distance runners from the Olympic training center in Boulder". I guess they run that trail a lot. And we aren't very good anymore either.

(02-14-2016 07:39 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(02-14-2016 11:13 AM)eastisbest Wrote:  I get tired driving that far. All props to those that run it. I guess we have a pretty serious local effort at developing long distance runners? If only we could increase our elevation a mile or two.

How come we see so many good runners from elevation in Africa but not S. America? I spent some time, not long, in higher elevation in S. Ame and no joke, on return it took me two weeks before I could even get a buzz drinking. I have to imagine the Antiplano would be an amazing place to train.

I was climbing Long's Peak with a friend from Colorado. It was about 4:30am at 9,500 feet and we saw head lamps behind us on a narrow trail. Shortly after about seven guys blasted past us. My buddy said "Distance runners from the Olympic training center in Boulder". I guess they run that trail a lot. And we aren't very good anymore either.

Sounds similar to every and any altitude hike I ever did. Slog up the previous day to get to a camp site, wake up early am to top-out and watch the sunrise and always a few yahoos running by (sometimes with huge packs and smiles) as if there's no effort. Ask them where they started, "at the bottom." Ask them how long it took? "International incident" after they get tossed off the top by a bunch of weary day-hikers.

I suppose the difference is people who grew up running in that environment versus just training so I'm still surprised there are not more from the Andes. Landing in El Alto already at one of those elevations I spoke of slogging to, in a plane that takes forever and a bathroom break to stop, getting out of the plane onto the plain (heh) and looking UP at the mountains? It's tough to comprehend they have no international standing in distance running.

BTW: the drive down out of the plain into the valley where the city sits, amazing. Mountain sides lined with orange roofed villages, even more massive mountain as a backdrop to a city of high rises (Toledo standards) snaking down the valley. I see on internet they've put in a cable car. I want to go back SO BAD (ly?).

(02-14-2016 09:56 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(02-14-2016 07:39 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(02-14-2016 11:13 AM)eastisbest Wrote:  I get tired driving that far. All props to those that run it. I guess we have a pretty serious local effort at developing long distance runners? If only we could increase our elevation a mile or two.

How come we see so many good runners from elevation in Africa but not S. America? I spent some time, not long, in higher elevation in S. Ame and no joke, on return it took me two weeks before I could even get a buzz drinking. I have to imagine the Antiplano would be an amazing place to train.

I was climbing Long's Peak with a friend from Colorado. It was about 4:30am at 9,500 feet and we saw head lamps behind us on a narrow trail. Shortly after about seven guys blasted past us. My buddy said "Distance runners from the Olympic training center in Boulder". I guess they run that trail a lot. And we aren't very good anymore either.

Sounds similar to every and any altitude hike I ever did. Slog up the previous day to get to a camp site, wake up early am to top-out and watch the sunrise and always a few yahoos running by (sometimes with huge packs and smiles) as if there's no effort. Ask them where they started, "at the bottom." Ask them how long it took? "International incident" after they get tossed off the top by a bunch of weary day-hikers.

I suppose the difference is people who grew up running in that environment versus just training so I'm still surprised there are not more from the Andes. Landing in El Alto already at one of those elevations I spoke of slogging to, in a plane that takes forever and a bathroom break to stop, getting out of the plane onto the plain (heh) and looking UP at the mountains? It's tough to comprehend they have no international standing in distance running.

BTW: the drive down out of the plain into the valley where the city sits, amazing. Mountain sides lined with orange roofed villages, even more massive mountain as a backdrop to a city of high rises (Toledo standards) snaking down the valley. I see on internet they've put in a cable car. I want to go back SO BAD (ly?).

Apart from a Brazilian hurdler several years ago, I can't think of any Olympic medal quality runners , distance or otherwise, from South America. No tradition? Facilities, coaching? Who knows? Every other continent has had outstanding runners on a pretty regular basis. Odd.

(02-14-2016 10:26 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(02-14-2016 09:56 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  

(02-14-2016 07:39 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(02-14-2016 11:13 AM)eastisbest Wrote:  I get tired driving that far. All props to those that run it. I guess we have a pretty serious local effort at developing long distance runners? If only we could increase our elevation a mile or two.

How come we see so many good runners from elevation in Africa but not S. America? I spent some time, not long, in higher elevation in S. Ame and no joke, on return it took me two weeks before I could even get a buzz drinking. I have to imagine the Antiplano would be an amazing place to train.

I was climbing Long's Peak with a friend from Colorado. It was about 4:30am at 9,500 feet and we saw head lamps behind us on a narrow trail. Shortly after about seven guys blasted past us. My buddy said "Distance runners from the Olympic training center in Boulder". I guess they run that trail a lot. And we aren't very good anymore either.

Sounds similar to every and any altitude hike I ever did. Slog up the previous day to get to a camp site, wake up early am to top-out and watch the sunrise and always a few yahoos running by (sometimes with huge packs and smiles) as if there's no effort. Ask them where they started, "at the bottom." Ask them how long it took? "International incident" after they get tossed off the top by a bunch of weary day-hikers.

I suppose the difference is people who grew up running in that environment versus just training so I'm still surprised there are not more from the Andes. Landing in El Alto already at one of those elevations I spoke of slogging to, in a plane that takes forever and a bathroom break to stop, getting out of the plane onto the plain (heh) and looking UP at the mountains? It's tough to comprehend they have no international standing in distance running.

BTW: the drive down out of the plain into the valley where the city sits, amazing. Mountain sides lined with orange roofed villages, even more massive mountain as a backdrop to a city of high rises (Toledo standards) snaking down the valley. I see on internet they've put in a cable car. I want to go back SO BAD (ly?).

Apart from a Brazilian hurdler several years ago, I can't think of any Olympic medal quality runners , distance or otherwise, from South America. No tradition? Facilities, coaching? Who knows? Every other continent has had outstanding runners on a pretty regular basis. Odd.

Need someone to put a soccer ball in front of them for 26 miles so they can chase after it... I just think it is a matter of priorities. When I was in Brazil about 20 years ago, I only saw a few runners out on the streets, and it was always American business persons jogging. That alone may have convinced them it was not worthwhile with the pained expressions they all had while jogging.