I completely understand that at least basketball, and less so football, requires great conditioning, particularly at the elite level. I've read that an NBA player can run a 10k on game night. That's no small feat when you do it 82 times plus in a year. But few of those in the NBA could break 2:20 for a marathon, and those who did would not be able to play in the league anymore. Football can be equally tough, although I think you underestimate what distance runners can handle in those drills. ;^)
However, my point about size was about ELITE distance runners. NONE are large and heavy by American standards (Tom Fleming notwithstanding). While you ran reasonably fast, you were not national or world class, which is what we're discussing here. RMc At 12:34 AM 11/13/2001 -0800, Gerald Woodward wrote: >Richard, > >Football and basketball are not sprint for 4 seconds and stand around for 10 >minutes sports! I would like to see how many runners can play football or >basketball without going through the additional conditioning drills required >to play those sports! I can guarantee you you that they would be on the >sidelines pucking out their guts after the first two-a-day drills! > >I was a track man who also played football. In track I ran 100 yards (9.6 >sec.), 220 yards (21.3 sec.), 440 yards (48.4), 880 yards (1:57.9). I >played football and basketball in high school along with track and in >college concentrated on track and football only. I could not have played >football on my track training only as I know from experience. I ran summer >track (440/880 training) and then went into football camp. The only thing >that my training prepared me for was the mandatory 2:30 minutes 880 yard run >the first day of training camp! > >And by the way, I was 6'2 1/2" tall and 206 pounds! > >Gerald > >-----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Richard McCann >Sent: Monday, November 12, 2001 11:35 AM >To: Oleg Shpyrko >Cc: T&FMail List >Subject: Re: Re: t-and-f: marathon qualifiers > > >At 01:06 PM 11/12/2001 -0500, Oleg Shpyrko wrote.. > >I am constantly surprised how soccer "pulling away talent" theory is > >mentioned much more often than, say, soaring obesity levels among > >teenagers. > >The population of elite distance runners almost never will produce obese >kids. Tendency toward obesity is linked in large part to body type. I >don't see many 6-4/250 elite distance runners--they tend to play left >tackle.
