
Originally Posted by
Mike T
What limits most of us when we run? - despite the fact that running makes us breathless it is not our lungs, nor is it our heart, which simply pumps out the blood that is returned to it; it is the mitochondria and enzymes in our muscles which have to provide energy in the form of ATP without generating too much acid - in other words our VO2max and what percentage of this we can maintain for a period of time. How trainable one's VO2max is has been debated elsewhere but I suspect it is more fixed than people would hope - certainly that is Noakes' opinion; the % of VO2max that can be maintained is more trainable but requires constant training or it will quickly drift back to where it was.
Most good runners are slim and have longish legs and thin calves - though just because you are built like this does not mean you will be a good runner. We know you need to be tall to be a good basketball player or high jumper, to have big hands/feet to be a good swimmer, and to be "big" to be a shot-putter - these things are easy to see, but we cannot "see" VO2max, which makes it difficult to understand and to work out WITHOUT A TRAINING PROGRAM who has the potential to be a top level runner. Some of us will never get above the middle echelons of mediocrity no matter how hard/sensibly we train.