Obviously dedication to diet and training play a role in this.

In some degree, these guys look like this because they are elite marathoners (which is what your question is driving at). That is to say, they look like this because of what they do.

However, in another way, they do what they do because they look like this. That is to say because they were born with this genetic code, they are predisposed to being elite marathoners (which includes the ability to be freakishly lean and skinny).

I could have perfect nutrition and perfect training, I would never look like them at all.

I was not born with that code. I am short, I have a larger width frame in general let alone when compared to my height. For an old AG triathlete, I am pretty skinny and lean, I am sure with better training, better nutrition, more rest, etc, I could be leaner and even skinnier, I would still never look like these guys look.

I think if you compared our two skeletons or our two musculatures, it would be readily apparent that we are different types of people.

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I was just thinking about this, somehow people like Crowie manage to get incredibly strong without much muscle.

I'm about 6" tall and apparently wear the same size Orca wetsuit Crowie does, but my lats and shoulders are bigger. I'm not saying that I don't have more fat, I'm sure I do, but the amazing thing is he tears up the swim and after 1 mile I'm about dead and swimming half the speed at best. Sure there is technique too, but it's basically the same as the really good rock climbers. They aren't overly muscled, but somehow that muscle is just really really strong.

Melt away? So that's melted body parts pouring out my butt?

I am not an expert, but even I understand that Crowie is not stronger than you, he just can handle his body weight much better than you and he can do it for longer than you. Meat heads (not saying you are one) at crossfit can beat a lot of seasoned everyday runners in 40 yard dash.... lets run a 5k and see what happens.

So its two things, muscle to weight, and endurance training that make elites, elites.... and guess what? A lot of that shit you just cannot train to, you either got it or you don't.

How about Gum & Cigarettes?

FWIW, I have a friend who is an elite world-class marathoner (sub-2:30 female). Based on this n=1 sample, I do believe that a part of that body type is genetics. She eats "normal healthy" no veganism, etc. She enjoys beer and bakes in her free time - she trained very very hard to get to where she is, but she doesn't live like a monk.

None of this should be taken as meaning that she doesn't work very very very hard. But I do believe that her natural build is to be tiny - "lungs on legs" is how a friend of mine describes her.

i stayed at a hotel with elite runners from north african countries this past weekend (virginia 10 miler) They took apples, bananas, and coffee with cream. Not vegan. And if you look at their diet, yes high carb, but they do drink full fat milk.

Anyways, as for the people who doubt potential due to weight...

this guy is 6'0 160+lb : http://www.flotrack.org/...arathon#.VCm8hhas6QI

anyone know which marathon he picked?

Just shows you how huge a component genetics is. Solinsky is the most muscular elite middle-to-long distance runner you will ever see and IMO, he looks like a walking stick figure. At my lightest, I was ~173 (at 6'1), felt sickly, and was experiencing decreases in performance due to overtraining/undernutrition/anemia, and I was still larger than Solinsky. That's the hand I was dealt as the son of a D1 football playing father and a sprinting mother. Don't compare yourself to the best in the world, they were born with genetic code you weren't. A lot of people simply do not have the ability to get "elite marathon skinny" and still be healthy, virtually all of us do have the ability to get leaner and in better condition. That's what you should be focusing on.

Hookers & Blow?

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
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Smoking will definitely help you loose weight.
Crystal meth- is even better.

Not sure if they will improve your marathon times though.

Nah, If that were the case, I would be elite marathoner skinny.

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You weren't supposed to eat the hookers.

You can, but that usually costs extra

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

Define stick figure.

Just shows you how huge a component genetics is. Solinsky is the most muscular elite middle-to-long distance runner you will ever see and IMO, he looks like a walking stick figure. At my lightest, I was ~173 (at 6'1), felt sickly, and was experiencing decreases in performance due to overtraining/undernutrition/anemia, and I was still larger than Solinsky. That's the hand I was dealt as the son of a D1 football playing father and a sprinting mother. Don't compare yourself to the best in the world, they were born with genetic code you weren't. A lot of people simply do not have the ability to get "elite marathon skinny" and still be healthy, virtually all of us do have the ability to get leaner and in better condition. That's what you should be focusing on.

Bingo!

Body morphology is largely related to genetics - you get what you get.

For more on this and how it impacts elite levels sports read David Epstein's, "The Sports Gene". He has some fascinating stats and data to back this all up.

No one wants to to hear my story, but I do suffer from reverse discrimination! :)

I'm a life-long ectomorph - naturally skinny and lean, when I stopped training at a higher level for triathlon, I lost weight( 5 - 6 lbs), due to a loss of upper body musculature due to a session of swimming, and I returned to my pre-triathlon weight of 155 - 158 lbs on a 6'2" frame.

I tend to be this weight all the time - no matter what I am doing. People look at me and go "Wow! You look super-fit", but I may have done nothing for months and actually for me be relatively out of shape.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog