Sad, but true, Mr Knott, but there's also alot of untapped potential out there. Top notch runners who chose their parents well, but have never actually done any running, just look at the ones appearing from isolated farmsteads in Kenya and Ethiopia. I suppose it's a similar story to the likes of Joss Naylor.
You can have all the ability in the world, but if you do not have it between your ears you will not make it.
My father was a class act in the late 50’s regularly mixing it with the likes of Hill and Alder. When I was racing really well in my early 20’s I still couldn’t beat the ‘veteran’ because I lack his mental toughness.
Last week whilst walking my dogs, two ex racing greyhounds and a terrier we came across a large deer. Whilst observing the chase it was obvious that one of my dogs was faster than the wild animal. It got away though: I would say that its desire to get away was stronger than my dogs desire to catch it
Frequent but moderate workouts on a consistent basis are the key to success
Have a look at the short interview with Matthew Syed on youtube. I can't attach it with my rudimentary computer skills. He definately argues against the genetic element. He would no doubt point to the fact that the majority of succesful lakeland fell runners lived and trained (hard) in the lakes.
There will no doubt be a contrary argument. I'm off now to buy the book.
It's the nature versus nurture debate, been around for a couple of thousand years, so there probably isn't a definitive answer, only personal opinion. A sure-fire recipe for a long-lived thread.
Trog, maybe you're over-feeding your dogs. They're clearly not hungry enough.
Last edited by Brotherton Lad; 06-05-2010 at 01:47 PM.
Lots of talk of natural ability here, and, although there may be some truth in that, to simply say that these front runners have always been destined to be great runners, isn't the whole story by a long chalk. Some of us have been around for long enough to remember when many of these athletes didn't look up to much at all.
Hard, consistent training, a mind set that keeps you going and the absolute desire to win count for more than genetics.
Nowt ails a good bread eater!
But not if you inherit the mind set and the desire. QED.
Talent won't make you work hard, but if you work hard and are talented.....................well, make your own minds up ;-)
I'm not talented and need to work harder, in fact, i need to work
You should read Malcolm Gladwell's book Outliers. It builds a compelling case for nurture over nature and generally points to 10,000 hrs as being the magic amount of practice required for mastery of most things in life. I would say that running was no different. Obviously nature weeds out those that will and will not run for so many hours due to base line levels of physiology, biomechanics in addition to differences in speed of adapatibility.
Applying this to fell running it is no suprise that Joss was that good, after all he lived his whole childhood walking the fells and was therefore closer to 10,000hrs when he picked it up. Intrestingly Kning Billy didnt rate himself as talented and spent 2-3hrs a day running in the fells, is it any wonder he was the best ever.
The Journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step
Fascinating thread this. My 11 yr old has won all his school races, finishes in top 10% in in FRA junior series and loves training on the Helm Wed nights. I was average runner (3.08 marathon, 35m10k) but he seems to fly & can easiliy beat me now over anything under 3 mls. As you say Roy, give him 10,000hrs & he may become a top fell runner, but he appears to have a very good CV system and sustains his speed really well, qualities he probably inherited (prob from his mum) He has that potential but will he be willing to put in the hours required? We'll see, I'd rather he develop a love for the fells at this stage, but he does have an inate ability that separates him from most his age. From the group he is in, I think it will be desire.
Although I often wonder about the pathological desire to win, an obsessive/compulsive drive to succeed & whether that is healthy.
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