I'm guess it's more genuine feeling than calculated. I remember idolizing Salazar as a HS runner in the 90's. He was a hero for the moderately talented...a guy who drove his body out of sheer will. At the time, of course, I didn't see the dark side of that win-at-all-costs mentality. An athlete choosing to destroy their own body is one thing...destroying the bodies of people who entrust themselves with you is entirely different.

I think one big mistake Salazar made was gauging athletes ideal weight by feel.

For the lucky ones with a small frame that might have been their ideal racing weight and it could have been reached with not much effort.

For athletes that were built a little stronger the weight might have been a tad below their ideal performance weight. That not only makes it much more difficult to get down to it but it also impairs your performance and well being.

That might explain why some, like Hasay or Hassan, have never felt any pressure and thrived on that system. And others like Cain broke down.

I have learnt that you'd rather be 3 pounds above ideal race weight than 1 pound below.

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10k - 30:48 / half - 1:06:40

So, Salazar was an asshole, right in the middle of Dunning Kruger effect, making decisions in areas he do no master, and pushing everybody hard like a little local dictator....

Yes, very probably.

And Nike management was so happy, encouraging him by not getting any nutritionist around, no medic around, in order not to interfere with "The Genius".

"The Genius" method deserve secret, and no dirty exterior eyes.

Aaahh.... the smell of dictatorship.... paranoia..... big money.... inflated ego of CEO and "chief dictator coach" masturbating together....

Thanks Nike to "just do it"