Supertraining

Hi Paul!
 
Your last post noted the following:
 
>The longer the time in the air the less horizontal velocity necessary  to 
cover a given horizontal distance each stride. This will not lead to high  
overall velocities of course and a maximal solution for velocity must be 
found  in trade off of these factors.  Exactly why there is an optimum solution 
 
that dooms most of us to be genetically not destined to become world class  
runners...
 
I believe you've framed the situation very well here.  Of course, I'm  
reading Colvin's Talent is Overrated, where suggestion of genetics being  what 
'dooms us' is not a popular notion:)
 
 
>at anything over a short sprint, maintenance is the name of the game  not 
acceleration.
 
I believe that, but others will suggest acceleration is a critical  
determiner of what we can maintain.  When paralympian Tony Volpentest  ran here 
in 
Lisle in '97, he did not look all that impressive in the  100. In fact, he 
was beaten in that race by three of the masters athletes I had  assembled to 
race against him. However,  the 200 was a completely different  story. He 
blew them away with a 22.94, which at that time was an unofficial  world 
paralympic record.
 
>are you saying that Pistorius is "special" and if that is the case  then 
the study should continue to determine a measurement of his metabolic cost  
to "run" a course on the upper body ergonometer to establish independence  
from the prosthesis.
 
Maybe this is an issue for future study.  My thought is that his  muscles 
really aren't that different. The metabolic issues may not be the path  to 
follow, though.  Other sprinters may be more efficient than Pistorius  (like 
Tadese in figure 2 from the study), but he is still faster at  400 meters.  
 
>I think the ban is justified and the tests confirm it with their  
measurements and results. Perhaps I am missing something but until there is a  
sanctioned distance race for athletes competing with or without non-powered  
equipment of their choice (sound like an engineering contest not Olympic  
competitors.)
 
Again, the issue goes back to what the IAAF wanted the Cologne group to  
determine, and whether the Cologne group understood what the IAAF wanted them 
to  determine.  You raise some interesting points about paralympians in  
general.  Apart from competition in able-bodied meets, should there be  
separate classifications within the Paralympic Games themselves, like separate  
events for single leg amputees as opposed to double amputees?
 
Ken Jakalski
Lisle High School
Lisle, IL USA