USATF rule states that gun time takes precedence over chip time. Results are incorrectly currently sorted by "Pace" column. I've emailed the results contact to request that the correction be made.
As a USATF Measurer of almost 50 courses, my estimate is that an 80 foot drop over a mile would have the effect of reducing one's time by about 8 seconds. There are treadmill studies on oxygen consumption while running at different downhill grades that provide guidance on this.
Since I personally know and I coached Claudia Camargo over the last year and a half, I can state that there are unfair, unsubstantiated comments about her on this forum. She has a long history as a successful distance runner. She is an Argentine record holder in distance running, came to the US on a work Visa as a professional runner several years ago, was at one time sponsored by Adidas, was NYRRC Runner of the Year a few years ago.
I've put her through workouts this past year that show her tremendous talent, focus and determination. She has a very smart sense of pace and has been gifted athletically. She is probably not just a slow twitch muscle fiber type athlete, rather she is probably a "fast adapter" to both speed and endurance training, based on her previous responses to training. She eats healthy, does not drink, gets a good night's sleep. She entered the sport in her teens. She is now 39.
The picture is not a good picture of her. I am sure all of you have had a picture taken of you was not a good impression of you. If you met her and talked with her as you ran with her, you would have a very different impression than what some comments on this forum state or imply. She is a soft-spoken, kind-hearted person. She is loved and respected by elite and non-elite runners she has met in the running communities of NYC, Danbury CT, and the Hudson Valley of NY.
I've coached athletes ranging from a masters 35:28 female 10k runner in the early 1980's, a 14:37 male 5k runner in 1993, a 2:19 male marathoner in 1979, Josh McDougal's mom (Lisa) in college (as an assistant coach in fall of 1981, and she and her husband Rob did a great job raising their sons), and had the privilege of writing up detailed information a few years ago for one of my role models in distance running, Bill Rodgers, at his request, when he was experiencing problems with achilles tendinitis. My technical background as a coach is strong and I recently enjoyed contributing as a guest at the USATF Level 1 coaching school at West Point in December. I love this sport and feel that it is the truest test of fitness of any sport.
My work with Claudia Camargo consisted of initially bringing her back from a state of exhaustion that had resulted from overtraining under the direction of another coach. This took from June until October of 2009. By October, she was once again enjoying running and was able to begin training at a less recreational level. In December of 2009, with a series of workouts designed to develop cardiovascular and mechanical efficiency at 6:00-6:20 pace, she ran a half marathon in 1:19 in Virginia. In January 2010, she ran a 1:15+ in Austin, TX. After insuring full recovery from each effort in practice and races (something most runners do not do because they are impatient), Claudia ran a series of workouts that were designed to help her become more mechanically efficient at 5:20-5:46 pace. As per researcher JO Holloszy, mitochondrial adaptations in skeletal muscles are rate-specific, meaning that you have to run at race pace to grow the mitochondria in the muscle fibers you will be using. With rest and basic nutrition (not supplements), more mitochondria are grown in the muscles. On the cristae (folds) inside the mitochondria, ATP are produced. These ATP molecules provide the energy that the muscles need for energy. For the Coogan's Salsa 5k run in NYC in March 2010, she ran 16:35 (5:20 per mile).
It is my hope that all runners become better educated and learn to have greater faith in the adaptations their minds and bodies can undergo as a result of a well-designed, tailored and implemented training process so that they reach their fullest potential possible, given the genetic talents they were born with. The more you learn about training and adaptation, the more you learn that taking supplements is not necessary. Cheating through the use of ergogenic aids is unethical and against the rules of sport, does not support a level playing field, and can put the athlete at risk of health problems. Those who feel a need to assume that others must be doping when there is no blood or urine evidence do not fully appreciate the important roles of optimal training and genetics in providing talent.
The supplement ad that was linked to in this forum was an advertisement written by someone trying to profit off her prior successes. I did not agree with it. Yes, some athletes do mistakenly believe that certain legal supplements will help their performances. No, I do not support the use of the advertised supplement or any other one. Our bodies were made to digest food, not synthesized compounds made by chemists. Let the MD's prescribe medicine for medical situations if the MD's feel it is necessary. Athletes should not be using their bodies as chemistry play sets.
Among the best books you can buy to educate yourself on how to get better results:
Lore of Running by Tim Noakes, MD, Better Training for Distance Runners by David Martin and Peter Coe, The Biomechanics of Athletics by Geoffrey Dyson, and the sport psychology book Peak Performance by Charles Garfield.
Lastly, I've coached more than 4,000 athletes and students since 1977. Claudia is one of the most gifted runners I have ever had the privilege to coach. If you knew her, you would appreciate her talents and would have more respect for the person who she is.
Sincerely,
Brian Cavanagh
USATF Level 1 Coach since 1986
NYS Certified Health Educator
http://www.sullivanstriders.org/brians_sites.htm