douglas burke wrote:
Renato Canova wrote:
Not exactly. If they didn't decide to move Kenya and Ethiopia, never could achieve the results they were able to achieve till now.
Two examples : during the World Cross Country Championships (Juniors) 2007, Jake finished in position 46, 2'39" after the winner Asbel Kiprop.
And, if we look at WCCCh 2011 (won by Imane Merga in 33'50"), Jake was number 59 in 36'41" (2'51" slower), and Zane number 91 in 38'08" (4'18" slower). After living and training in high altitude with continuity, their PB in 10000m became very much closer to the PB of the best in the World, and in HM both of them ran around 1 hour (59'47" Zane, 60'01" Jake).
Without continuity in altitude, there is no way athletes of sea level can run fast as Kenyans and Ethiopians.
Galen Rupp trains in Portland which is basically sea level (Elevation 50 feet) and he has run 26:44 for 10000 and while he has not run a fast marathon yet, he has placed high or won on all 4 occasions and has beaten many with much faster times, maybe he is an exception to the rule, but lots of Women have shown they can run fast marathons including the World Record holder Paula Radcliffe (In a mixed race, paced by a man Simon Lopuyet, she ran 2:15).
I wouldn't use Rupp as a good example for a runner succeeding without altitude. The NOP do seem to spend time at sea level in Portland during the winter months, but after that they're in Park City or places in Europe at high altitude. Additionally, he's been sleeping in an altitude tent for almost all of his running career.