In Why the US Sucks at Olympic Lifting Part 2 I looked at some of the factors potentially to Kenyan dominance in distance running.  This included looking at some potential physiological issues that might give them an advantage, the issue of genetics (in a general sense) and then briefly looked at sociopolitical factors and finally their training (where I spent the most time). Shockingly, I was only half way through.

Today I will wrap up this discussion and look at a bunch of other relevant factors.  Again, I’m only spending this much time on this particular group once; the other groups I’m going to look at will get one part or less.  Mainly I’m going into such depth here to give you some idea of the complexity of this topic in terms of what is required for sports success.

I finished up on Wednesday by talking about Kenyan training and what it entails.  I’ll pick up from there and then move into a discussion of perhaps one of the most important factors in all of this.

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When They Aren’t Running

Outside of running their brains out, the Kenyans do little else training wise.  They do a lot of the evil static stretching and some ‘exercises’ which appear to be more or less a plank type series with some other basic movements.  They don’t cross-train, don’t lift weights for the most part (gyms are unheard of in the country).  They run and run and run some more.  And then run some more for good measure. And they do this from the start to the end of their career.   Specificity rules and the results are the proof of that, but that’s a topic for another over-written series I’m working on.

There are few distractions for runners, no TV, no Internet, no Facebook.  Many run first thing in the morning and then take a nap before run number 2 a few hours later; they go to bed when the sun goes down.  This ensures plenty of sleep, a key for recovery.  That’s in addition to naps that are often taken between runs.  They train, rest, eat, repeat.

Continue reading Why the US Sucks at Olympic Lifting: Part 3