What Makes an Elite Runner?

[Tom]

The answer according to Galloway.....

http://www.active.com/running/Articles/What_Makes_an_Elite_Runner_.htm?act=EMC-eNews_Run_0808&link=3

[Sasha Pachev]

I  fail the test miserably on the Injuries and Shoes.

[Paul Petersen]

Kind of a funny list.

I think the opposite on injuries: if a runner gets hurt once a month, they will never become elite. If they are already elite, and begin getting hurt once/month, he/she will be retired within a year or two. I think a mark of an elite runner (or a runner who has potential to become elite) is NOT getting hurt ever, or rarely. Improvements are made when you can string together several uninterrupted training cycles.

[Michelle Lowry]

I think the injury thing is not far off.  I wouldn't be surprised if US elites have at least one injury they are nursing (trying to keep from becoming a full on injury) a month.  I think becoming an elite is a battle between mileage and injury. 

I am not elite (yet ) but I am at 15 hours of training/injury work so far this week so I am at least putting in the work necessary. 

[Paul Petersen]

I guess it depends how one defines "injury". I define "injury" as something that completely stops you from running. If you just train through it without a hiccup, it's just an "oowie"

[Michelle Lowry]

Ok, so I have lots of owies.

[adam]

Injury to me means a complete stop from running.

I think non-sponsored elites, sub-elites, and everyday runners expierence more significant injuries because they lack the chance/money/time to get them checked out right away. I think highly sponsored elites experience frequent but less significant injuries, because when they do have something, they can get it taken care of immediately, and then they have a support system to get back on track. Most of the time, they can stop the little things before they become big things. I think some elite US runners (such as Dan Browne, Meb, Tim Broe) will constantly be hampered by past injuries because they push themselves too hard after the fact and will not accept being at a lower level (Broe even admitted a few years back that a major root of his problems was an angry and hard post-injury 10 mile run he forced after seeing some high school kid [Ritz] run faster at 5000m than he did that year).

People like Sasha are just plain weird. Or smart. Or lucky. Or extremely blessed. Maybe a combination. Take your pick.

I do like how Galloway mentions the injury stuff only then to post a link to an article on his training philosophies on how he stayed injury free for 30 years--- walk breaks and training fewer days per week, etc --- all things opposite of what he says it takes to be an elite runner. The two articles are almost complete opposites. He's annoying.

[Adam R Wende]

I also think sub-elite get more injuries because many can't afford the massage therapy, 10-hrs of sleep per day, and other such perks that help keep the body moving when training 100+ miles per week...

[Jon Allen]

Ah, wouldn't it be nice if we could, Adam?  Wouldn't it be nice?

[Paul Petersen]

Adam, what do you think of this little device:
http://tendonitis.sonicrelief.com/

No prescription needed.

[adam]

I think your talking to me?

I think it is a good device for the money and praticality. Our standard ultrasound treatment is 5-7 minutes on the affected area at 1mhz at 1.5 W/cm2 and 1 mhz.

I don't think it will last long though. Some ultrasound heads tend to have problems after a period of time and so you may end up just having to buy another one. Also, you go through ultrasound gel pretty quick--but you can avoid this by just using lotion. So I wouldn't pay too much for the device.

This website has it on sale for $149 http://www.lgmedsupply.com/

[Paul Petersen]

Yeah, I forgot their were two Adams on the thread. I was going for the "PT Adam", so you guessed right.

Sounds like commercial vs. home treadmills. The home treadmills work fine, but aren't build for everyday use.

[Paul Petersen]

I think it is a good device for the money and praticality.

Adam - Does ultrasound work to reduce inflammation for inflammatory arthritis (ie - forms that involve the immune system, such as rheumatoid, spondy varieties, reactive arthritis, etc.)?