Often I hear people mention that the African’s are fast because of genetics or because they grew up running a lot. Well, I had a couple of experiences this year that really got me thinking and reflecting. The first experience I had was running into an old friend when I was running in a forest by my house. He is truly an amazing person. Not only has he excelled at running during high school and university (More than one Canadian X-C championship to his credit, Junior Pan-Am champion in the 5,000m…), but he went on to become an incredibly successful business person (Entrenpreneur of the year for British Columbia). The one characteristic about him that I find intriguing is how soft spoken he is - he presents an appearance that he is at peace with himself. He is African born and although he grew up mostly in Canada, he seems to have the same peaceful aora about him that I have experienced when speaking with the top African runners. I understand from speaking with him that he cherishes his background.
The second experience I had was when I went to a concert put on by some musicians from Zimbabwe and I was amazed at how at peace these people appeared to be. They had big grins on their faces while playing and when they were speaking with some people in the crowd after the show. They would play and sing music that was fun to listen and dance to and afterwards they would say that the song was about loosing a loved one. They stated that in Africa, sorrow and happiness are intermixed and that they like to look at sad events in a happy way - to lift up their spirits.
Why am I bringing this up and what relevance does this have with running? Well, every year up until this year I have treated running almost like a chore. I went through the rythyms and the required steps but never enjoyed the “spirit” of running. This year I decided to look at running the same way I believe the African runners see it. A spiritual activity - a time to enjoy the experience with every footstep rather than trying to see the finish line. I am finding that my body is responding like never before and I love to get out the door with my running shoes on.
I truly believe endurance running is a sport of patience and one that requires a person to be at peace with themself in order to truly excel. African’s seem to have this quality in them. Look at the greats - Haile Gebrselassie, Kenenisa Bekele, El Guerrouj…the list goes on - they all have this same aura about them. Not a coincidence in my opinion. To conclude this thesis I have to say that the African runners are fast not because of their genetics or the way they train, but rather the way they approach running much like many other aspects of their life.
I feel that way about running…but I’ve yet to break 30 for my 10k…let alone 27…genetics and just f’in running are a big part of their success…still…you are surely onto something…running CAN be a truly spiritual experience…and I’ve found my best times have come when I’ve been most in tune with that elusive aura you write of…
It is trully genetic no matter what their ultimate spirit is for living. I have lived all over Africa and am amazed at the capacity that they have for strenght not only aerobically but physically strenght wise as well, these people are just cock strong and they are born with natural gifts that you nor I will never have.
I notice that other runners in the elite ranks seem to excel when they acquire this “aura” and they are then able to go head to head with the Africans (i.e. Stefano Baldini, Paula Radcliffe…). Do I have the science to support it - not at all. I am just opening it up for discussion. It seems to be working for me so far, but perhaps I was not as relaxed as most people to begin with. How about looking at Peter Reid’s and Mark Allen’s character. Both seem very much at peace with themselves and attribute much of their success with inner peace (sharma?).
I am nowhere near the times of the greats - I am a 33’12" 10k runner (most of the time I was around 34’30") - but my body seems to be improving faster than ever (even at the age of 34) with this new frame of mind. Perhaps it could work for others too. I am not onto something new here; but I do think it has not been discussed enough. The focus seems to be more on aerodynamic aerobars and lighter wheels. I watched the 1989 IMH last night and every bike had spoked wheels and the top guys were riding the same times as now (with the exception of the times by Hellreigel and Zack).
P.S. (It is also possible that Stefano Baldini and Paula Radcliffe would think I am full of sh1t )
Saying that the africans success is up to genetics is to rob them of what they’ve earned. When Bob Kennedy was killing at races no body said it was his genetics. It was his hard work that got him where he was. Yeah your structure does have a lot to do with how well you run but just saying that they’re a good runner because of genetics is bullshit. Give it up.
Also, just because you’ve found “inner peace” with running isn’t going to make you an elite. It takes many years of hard work
in addition to the spiritual/mental dimension you touch upon I also came across a cultural explanation of the “Kenyan Juggernaut”. (I forget where.) It posited that the unusual concentration of top runners from the kalenjin tribe in kenya had a lot to do with the “cult of the runner” that took root there after kip keino ran to prominence. basically, the argument was that this culture is extremely different from western affluent society, and once keino “did it”, running became the golden god of the community. running was/is everything to them in a way that it simply isn’t for college athletes and other western folks.
also, what was the deal with the finns prior to the kenyan success? did people also assume that finns (not swedes or norwegians) had the magic genes?
Excellent points. Here’s what I have observed from watching and talking to few African runners over the years.
They are very relaxed, particularly so when running. Have you ever noticed that even running at world record pace, there appears to be no strain on their faces at all. Compare that to other European or North American runners who always seem to be labouring and showing the strain some how. Not sure how you can quantify this, it’s just what I have observed.
Their attitude is very easy going, win, loose whatever, they feel it is ultimatly in God’s hands if you ask them. Paul Tergat is incredible. He lost just about every major race with Gebersallsie, often by 10ths of a second, yet when interviewed afterwards was always very upbeat and full of praise for Gebersallsie.
Their does appear to be some connection between genetics and how well the east Africans do. A ridiculous number of the top 5,000m, 10,000m and Marathon top times all come from a small population of tribes and people in Ethiopia and Kenya.
The one thing that the Africans do, that has been identified as possibly being a contributor to their success, is they spend more time running at race pace or faster, than other runners. This has been backed up somewhat with lab work. Do this and you will elevate your LT, and all things considered, you will run faster.
this makes alot of sense to me. people in other countries approach life in terms of feeling and enjoying/experiencing, whereas north americans (IMO) tend to think of having and doing. It’s a totally different thing.
while I do believe there is genetic gifts to African runners they are also spiritually gifted and it’s the combination that makes them supernatural runners.
A strong level of inner peace and true pleasure will no doubt elevate a persons performance level at any task.
I have a colleague who has been trying to write “The Great American” novel for what seems like forever…never really got anything going…always scattered in too many directions.
Then his life changes rather dramatically, falls in love,finds new religion…then all of a sudden writes himself into a book deal.
Running is and will always be my limiter,knees are OK, but, beat up a bit…so I need to conserve and run smart.
My 10K times top out at 42-43min w/ a good tailwind and some serious drafting technique, but I make up for it w/ a lower- FOP bike time and a upper MOP swim.
With that admittion of mediocrity …I love running the most.
I am fortunate enough to be self empolyed( somewhat sucessfully- gotta stop buying bikes though!)and on my own schedule in a beautiful part of New England.
I have miles and miles of stunning back roads right out of a Robert Frost poem…so running time is always a vacation for me.
I do not know any African runners though, but, I saw a documentary that delved into the subject of genetics and marathoners that were Kenyan…I came away w/o any opinions other than the fact that their obvious power/weight ratio had a lot to do with it,and perhaps a few of them are so driven by the opportunity to make some serious $$$ to send back home to their villages and family!
I’ll never forget the one older man they showed biking thru the desert-like back country on some bicycle that was barely
holding itself together…like an old Scwinn beach cruiser…this guy was flying!!
And his daily bike mileage 7 days a week was over 120K!
This guy on a TT bike would put a whoppin on Lance and Jan…I’m sure of it.
So is it Genetics…or performance born out of necessity and environment?
I’m leaning towards the latter…b/c I also have heard some amazing things about some Chinese and Mongolian hi country bikers from some MTB websites.
The Kenyans live at 5,000 + feet their whole life.
Not exposed to a crap diet like western kids.
Now have a 30 year old culture for running fast.
They do walk and run for transportation.
They are mostly poor and really want to win cash to help their family
There is probably a genetic factor for lung size and V02 max
They have a huge high milage program in the country and have
lots of folks that washout of the track thing and go back to being
farmers.
They may be a peace with a much simpler lifestyle, but have had
several top stars with alcohol and drug problems which is at conflict
with the Zen theory.
Or maybe they just have talent and work hard with a combo of any of
the above factors. They sure are pretty to watch.
Interestig theory, but this is why I think you are right.
If you are zen, or optomistic, or whatever, and thus running is fun. You will do it more. You will enjoy running faster. You will get a kick out of training above race pace. These physiological stimuli produce the results we see.
Though the spirit is driving the change, it is ultimately the (physiological stresses) x (genetic disposition) = really fast africans.
The Kenyans live at 5,000 + feet their whole life.
Not exposed to a crap diet like western kids.
Now have a 30 year old culture for running fast.
They do walk and run for transportation.
They are mostly poor and really want to win cash to help their family
There is probably a genetic factor for lung size and V02 max
They have a huge high milage program in the country and have
lots of folks that washout of the track thing and go back to being
farmers.
They may be a peace with a much simpler lifestyle, but have had
several top stars with alcohol and drug problems which is at conflict
with the Zen theory.
Or maybe they just have talent and work hard with a combo of any of
the above factors. They sure are pretty to watch.
Yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes. I think you’ve nailed it exactly. Genetically, they are leg-lung machines. They eat better than us, or at least don’t eat the crap we do. They are on their feet all day working in the fields and run/walk for transportation. Running is the one ticket to riches so the pool of children striving to make it to the national level is enormous. They live at altitude. They live a hard life and have the toughness it takes to suffer mightily.
I rode my bike through Ethiopia and the Rift Valley region of Ethiopia and Kenya, and it is obvious it is more than just genetics, although I do believe there is a genetic basis as well. Lingering memories are of Ethiopian kids in the highlands running alongside us for miles at a time at about 10-12 mph, barefoot, in tattered clothes, on terrible rocky “roads” yelling “you, you, you, money, money, money” (and throwing stones at us when we ignored them - that got old pretty quickly), and of watching from one of our campsites in Kenya a group of kids run hill repeats up and down a beast of a hill for what had to be a good two hours. Water bottles, energy bars, training plans, recovery drinks, supplements? Ha, never heard of them. Just a lot of hard work, a lot of natural talent, and a huge pool to choose from.
I think that you are onto something here. As a runner who experienced a modest amount of success( not any where near Kenyan level success), I can say that, the best training was when you really got into a groove, where feeling great, and things just seemed to be flowing along. Typically this was when the pace was being pushed, but you felt really great. It’s really hard to describe the feeling. Some call it the “second wind” or “runners high” I would invariably get it, on runs that lasted 60 - 70 minutes and when I was very fit, when during the last 30 minutes I would just keep cranking up the pace. Everything was smooth and their did not seem to be much if any strain. That’s the feeling you want to have in a race.
I once saw a program that researched genetic aptitudes of athletes. I recall a portion of the program dealing with Kenyan runners. It theorized that due to a flatter achilles tendon (as opposed to the normal ovalish tendon most people have), Kenyan and some other African runners are more efficient in their biomechnic related to this tendon. I may try to look it up and post if I find the study.
Great post KNY, just what I was thinking. What did you think of Addis Abbaba??? I could not and still cant get over the amount of disfigured people per capita over there. Couldnt figure that one out, pretty sad to see.
I have to say that the African runners are fast not because of their genetics or the way they train, but rather the way they approach running much like many other aspects of their life.