Quote Originally Posted by christopher leigh View Post
Richard I have been involved in this sport for a long time and during it I have seen athletes come and go. To be competitve on an international basis today, you have to have certain characteristics and in some cases you have to be prepared to do things that aren't right. Like it or not that is the way it is.

Some athletes can run 29-30 minutes for 10k. For them that is their limit and no amount of training will ever make them go any faster. If you want guys who are going to run 27.30- 28.00 minutes naturally then it requires a certain physique. Even then they'd have to have the determination to succeed.

Saying we are not competitive because our runners don't do long races is a non-sequiter. Just as I cannot run 10 seconds for the 100m no matter how hard I train some men will never run 27.30 for 10k. Unless those few with the potential to run such times take up the sport it is a fruitless exercise to say we are 'uncompetitive.' It is also pointless to blame the non existence of medium or long races for teenagers as one of the possible causes of failure.
It may well be that blame for this or that is being apportioned. That is not my standpoint. i am not seeking to blame any lack of success on the international scene at the door of limiting maximum race distances to just 6m (despite it being seen as a worthy rule change I just cant get this metrification) What I am saying is that for some then the possibility of racing over slightly longer distances may not be a bad thing and may not be detrimental. Looking to debate this with a view to change is not a bad thing. Its not about just the very best . Why doe sit have to be about winners. I am not suggesting that we should only think about juniors who are capable of winning races potentially running longer races. Whats wrong with someone who is strong but a middle of the pack runner doing it. I thought this stared of about developing juniors and part of this is about fun and challenge. If the odd occasion to take part in longer races keep ist keen for runners then that is also a good thing. Its not just about the very elite.