Nike’s announcement that they’re backing three top marathoners to break the 2 hour marathon barrier in Spring 2017, is the latest installment in the sub-2 hype. Relevance and legitimacy aside, what would it take, product and course wise, to achieve? I look at shoes and downhill running to illustrate the concept of physiological barriers and how they might be shifted.
Archives for 2016
Talent ID & Development: IAAF Level 5 and USATF Level 3 lectures
I’ve spent the last week, a very stimulating one, at the IMG Academy in Brandenton Florida, where I’ve lectured on the IAAF Level 5 and USATF Level 3 coaching courses. The specific theme of this year’s Academy was Youth Sport, and I did four lectures in total – three on Talent ID and Specialization issues, […]
The Steven Colvert Case: Anti-doping quality control
The doping case of Steven Colvert is crucial because it asks questions of the trustworthiness of the science that is used to catch dopers. This article looks at the background and some conceptual questions arising out of his case, with wider implications for the anti-doping movement
2016 publications: From the armchair to the site, via these journals
Much of what you read here on this site is my attempt to translate the research I’m interested in, and which can be applied to the real world, in a way that makes it more “palatable” to you. This post, however, summarizes some of the “source” research, the scientific articles that I’ve had published in the last 12 months, for those wanting to see the academic side of the discussions we have.
The Rob Young Investigation: Key findings
Earlier this year, ultra-marathon runner Rob Young was accused of cheating during his attempt to break the TransAmerica record. His sponsor, Skins, commissioned an independent investigation, which Roger Pielke and I completed and which was published yesterday. This post presents the data portion of our report, confirming that Young did in fact, travel in a vehicle for large periods.