Supertraining

Bill, you certainly had elite company in those days. Those triathlon 
names were legends here in Australia when it got popular in the 1980s.

I never tried an Ironman event. As a former sprinter I was flat out 
getting the legs to go 42k -- took a lot of training -- so I know 
what you mean about physical limitations.

I think you're right about international parity. The Europeans are 
big in triathlon at the moment, the Aussies also have good form. Look 
what the Africans are doing to the marathon! And the good athletes 
tend to go for the big dollars in the big four over there I suppose --
 big five if you count golf. Can't blame them.

Re Wottle, it's always great to see an ordinary man with exceptional 
talent bring it all to fruition to be the best in the world -- and to 
perform when it counts. So many talented athletes can't do that.

Anyway, hope you had a nice birthday.

Paul Rogers
Fellow Geezer,
Gympie, Australia


--- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], "W.G. Johnson" 
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> Paul,
> Thanks for the trip down memory lane. It's my birthday and I could 
have done without the reminder of what a geezer I am!
> Seriously, you bring up a couple of very worthy points and a couple 
of my marathon and triathlon heroes. Having been an advocate of 
equality for women for over 50 years, Benoit is one of my favorite 
athletes along with Newby-Fraser, who lives and trains just up the 
coast from me.
> Triathlons hold a special place in my heart. Back in the day I ran 
with Tommy Warren, did double century bicycle rides (rode my  bicycle 
home from Goleta Ca to La Mesa Ca and back on the same weekend to 
visit my girlfriend. It was 240 miles one way. Down on Fri, beach 
volleyball all day Sat and back to Goleta Sun.)
> Did lots of long distance open water swims. My best friend was 
captain of our high school swim team and a fellow surfer so we did 
our swim training together. I ran a couple of times with Tommy Warren 
(and even though he had a hip problem, I ran too slow for him, so 
he'd run off and leave me) and he encouraged me to do the Ironman, 
(He was the winner of the second Ironman in '79), but at 225lbs I 
just couldn't seem to complete a marathon distance.
> We have some pretty fast people doing triathlons now but there  is 
increasing parity in sports worldwide. Look at what's happened  to 
the US in basketball, volleyball, boxing and weightlifting. The rest 
of the world is catching up.
> 
> Special thanks showing me how I can relive a favorite moment in 
sports, the YouTube of Dave Wottle. Wonderful!
> 
> W.G. Johnson
> Ubernemsch Sports Consultancy
> San Diego,CA
> 
> Paul Rogers <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:                             I 
forgot Joan Benoit (Samuel), who was the first women's Olympic 
>  marathon champion and a fantastic runner for her day, and any day. 
>  (And I think she just ran a 2.49 marathon at 50.)
>  
>  Reminiscing a tad now -- apologies to the youger crowd -- but in 
>  triathlon also: Scott, Tinley, Allen, Molina and Newby-Fraser, 
>  Americans who dominated triathlon in the eighties.
>  
>  I can understand the dominance of the Africans in distance 
running, 
>  but where are those dominant Americans in triathlon?
>  
>  Anyway, for track and field fans, and for pure enjoyment, take a 
look 
>  at Dave Wottle's gold medal run - golf cap and all - from the 
Munich 
>  Olympics. Check out that leg speed and notice the little kick to 
get 
>  in position just after the first lap. Dave gets overlooked 
sometimes 
>  in US Olympic history I think. There are few more inspiring 
moments 
>  than this.
>  
>  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LHid-nC45k
>  
>  Paul Rogers
>  Gympie, Australia
>  
>  --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], "Dr. Michael Yessis" 
>  <dryessis@> wrote:
>  >
>  > Paul, your comments are right on.  I should modify my use of the 
>  term trend
>  > as it really applies to those who are keeping up with the latest 
>  advances in
>  > sports science.  With sorrow the training of U.S. middle and 
long-
>  distance
>  > runners is still basically the same with no real changes.  The 
only 
>  major
>  > difference has been in getting  many of the top runners to train 
>  together
>  > and push one another in the training.  Rather than being 
innovative 
>  they try
>  > to copy methods used by the Kenyans without closely examining 
the 
>  progress
>  > of Kenyan runners from childhood.
>  >  
>  > I think if you saw the training being done by Alan Webb you 
would 
>  cringe.
>  > I'm not surprised that he has been unable to do well since he 
set a 
>  record.
>  >  
>  > Michael Yessis, Ph.D
>  > Professor Emeritus, CSUF
>  > President, Sports Training, Inc.
>  > dryessis@
>  > www.dryessis.com <http://www.dryessis.com/> 
>  > 760-480-0558
>  > 
>  > =================================
>  >  
>  > In [EMAIL PROTECTED]  
>  <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] P>
>  > Paul wrote
>  >  
>  > Michael, thanks for your perspective.
>  > 
>  > With all due respect to modern training methods, it seems to me 
>  it's 
>  > many years since the US produced long and middle distance 
runners 
>  of 
>  > the calibre of Salazar, Rodgers, Shorter, Prefontaine, Ryun and 
>  > Wottle.
>  > 
>  > Not saying newer methods don't work, and I understand that 
>  champions 
>  > come and go, but . . .
>  > 
>  > =============================
>  >
>  
>  
>      
>                                        
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>