Run-Down Forums

[Conway]

I liked that story too ... Always nice to show poeple that you still "have it" ...

I've always been a big fan of the 10yd dash .. I think partly because I ran it (as well as meters) ... But there is something special, I think, about events that have magic barriers - 4 minutes in the mile, 8 feet in the high jump, and nine flat for the 100 yds !!!

I've also always felt that even though we went "metric" here in the states in 1976 - at eleast as far as track and field goes, that people have never made the mental move - people as in the general public ... And have often felt that some of the meets that are run in this country should offer YDS races in order to attract people and give them something they feel they can understand ... And, as I said before, it would lend itself to record breaking which never hurts to attract ...

Can you imagine Mo Greene going out and setting the 100 yard record in the first week or two of the season how a subsequent race between he and Tim might be billed up ??? The 100 meter record holder vs the 100 yard record holder !!!! You might get some European sized crowds with somethign like that !!! Or being able to have any kind of current world lrecord holder competing in your meet ... Record Holders are always a draw ...

Conway

[jeffh]

This maybe is getting off topic,if so I apologize.

There was a guy I ran against that could run 9.6 and 9.7 100Y consistently.Granted this was hand-timing from the 1975-1977 time frame.This guy was also white,(I hate to make the distinction but its only because blacks are so superior)and it makes me wonder what he could he could have run if he would have been coached like Borzov.He moved for college and I stayed local so I lost touch.What would 9.7 100Y be in 100M maybe 10.55 add .25 for timing and its 10.8 with no real training.
Could he have gotten 10.8 down to 10 to 10.1(the top white sprinters),it certainly is possible.

[Dan]

10.80 is a world apart from 10.00 or even 10.10. He may have not been highly trained, but there's so much that goes into improving just from 10.2 to 10.1 that it's nearly impossible to say if he could have come anywhere close to that level.

Dan

[Conway]

Its hard ot say waht anyone would have or will do ocming out of high school ... Some of the fastest high schoolers in history never got any faster ... And some average sprinters turned out to be superstars ... ONe just never knows ... Kids mature at diferent rates ... There are different levels of coaching ... And a multitude of factors besides these ... Just no way to predict ... The top guys from that era - Calvin Raley, James Brown, Cyril Wyatt (going from memory here) did little after high school ... And these were 9.2 guys ... So you just never know ...

Conway

[Paul]

I have often wondered about the hurdles. My original thoughts on it was that it was English based (yards) and they wanted a race with ten barriers. So tacking on 15y to the first and 15y after the last makes for 120 yards. But I guess it will have to be Justin and Conway to give us the full metric lowdown.

And, by the way, count me as another who is quite happy to see Justin back. He really adds a dimension to what I learn at this site. Plus he can report on stuff that we have no access to on our side of the Atlantic.

Paul

[jeffh]

Granted,some sprinters don't improve with training and some athletes peak in high school but I would think those are rare exceptions.

I read a book about Borzov.It had a chapter written by Brozov's coach and Brozov was basically a experiment.Here is a quote"To turn Borzov into a 10 flat 100 Meter sprinter was the work of a whole team of scientists,not unlike the design of a motor car or airpalne."With two years
of work Borzov's 100 meters improved from 10.6 to 10.2 and 200 M from 22.0 to 21.0.

Geez,forget about the guy I ran against what would a Bob Hayes do with that kind of training.

[Dan]

It's actually rather shocking when you look down the list of failed high school sensations... Probably a 50/50 proposition at best.

As for Borzov, keep in mind that the Eastern Bloc countries had incredibly detailed systems for athlete selection and development. It may be that he improved tremendously under that system, but only because he was hand picked to be able to benefit from it better than anyone else. Plug a million other people into that system and they probably wouldn't have gotten half the improvement...

Dan

[Conway]

Not only that, but an athlete who is already at or near the limit of ihs or her potential (not to mention the limits of speed based on available conditions) has very little room to improve ... Another thing to consider is that sometimes the things that are considered imperfections actually contribute to an athlets greatness ... Things such as MJ upright form and short stride pattern; Lee Evans head roll; Bob Hayes rocking motion ... Each of those things had a POSITIVE effect on the athletes performances ... Sometimes you DON'T coach .... Sometimes you manage ... A good coach knows when to do each ...

And as Dan said, key ot eastern bloc athletics was selection ... Not just what event you would participate in but what sport ... Borzov first had ot be identified for track and field and then the sprints ... His physiological make up showed that he had the right mix of fast twitch muscles, proper mental attitude to undertake the training, and a great ability to focus and relax ... All key to "making" him the champion he became ...

Conway