How does Paula maintain such intensity throughout a marathon?

No it doesn't.

http://www.letsrun.com/photos/2008/nycmarathon/imagepages/image23.php

Ok maybe not sprinting, but she definitely had a higher knee lift and landed more on the ball of her toes compared to the other competitors who had more a shuffling running action.

keep_going wrote:

No it doesn't.

http://www.letsrun.com/photos/2008/nycmarathon/imagepages/image23.php

she looks like she coulda used some chapstick in this pic.

The idea that Paula has bad form is just ludicrous. Look at her body position in those photos compared to Goucher.

I never said she had bad form...I think her form is the reason she is such a great runner. I was just wondering how she has trained to maintain such form over an entire marathon.

One of the reasons the Africans or any other great runners are faster is their running form-they maintain better form over distances that lesser runners cannot. Ex Bekele looks like he is sprinting, in komens 3000m record a commentator noted that he was running like a sprinter etc. I was just wondering if they train to maintain better knee drive and more of a toe strike or if is completely natural.

Bekele does NOT look like he's sprinting. Even at almost 4min/mile pace he's running with his arms relaxed and hanging low and remarkably little knee lift. It is only the heel lift that gives the speed away.

She has what the Brits like to refer to as a "stiff upper lip".

I was refering to how high the heel comes through in midstance and the explosive strides w/ toestriking.

The ethiopians have been described as "sprinting distance runners" before, and for good reason

So to show Paula's form throughout the race you show two pictures at the end of the race when she is trying to sprint?

She's taller and will naturally just look like she is bringing her knees high. If you put the runners side by side and measured joint angles I bet they will all be very similar. Also, foot plant is mostly determined by running velocity. Increase velocity and your foot plant will be more toward the front. Again, you'll have to actually see the runners side by side and video tape the actual foot plant. My guess is that the foot plant is more toward the midfoot for all of the runners.

Also, it is likely her more "sprint-like" form is simply due to proper training. With every action there is an equal and opposing reaction. If you train in such a way (sprints, maybe some wt training) to develop proper running form, effeciency, and leg strength you will spring along at a smoother faster stride.

Alan

Easy, CERA and HGH.

I hear what the original poster is asking. Or at least I think i do. I've run almost 30 marathons and have come to find that efficiency is a huge part of success and not hitting the wall in the marathon. no wasted movements, just smooth and efficient strides and relaxed arm swing. Paula is somewhat of an exception in this. Her stride is very direct and she uses her arms almost vigorously from start to finish. I think if i ran like that i'd make it 30k maybe before completely bonking from all of the exertion.

you guys who are just making fun of the OP are a bunch of douchebag runner dorks.

paula looked like she was hammering for that whole marathon. head bobbing for long stretches and everything.

who cares if it looks like what you call "sprinting."

ok, maybe sprinting is the wrong word...but watch the video of her at the top of the forum thread list and observe her running at the same pace as the others along the bridge, and you will see what I am talking about

Did you see her when she ran London in 2003 in 2.15.25?

Her form was incredible, her legs were moving so efficiently over the last few miles, that it looked as though her turnover was as easy as riding a bike. How does she do this? Practice practice practice and more practice.

Her pace in 2003 was 5.10 per mile just 20 seconds/mile slower than her 10k pace.

One of her training runs was 6x mile on the road in 4.45-4.50 with 90 seconds recovery, followed the next day by 2 hours at 5.30/mile about 2 weeks before the race

She is a machine!

attitude wrote:

Her pace in 2003 was 5.10 per mile just 20 seconds/mile slower than her 10k pace.

If Geb was only 20 seconds per mile off of his 10k pace for the marathon then he would run 2:00:12! No one else even approaches her endurance! How does she do it?

special medical "assistance"

Haile ran 4.43/mile in Berlin

If he had run a road 10k he would have run around 27 or 4.20-4.21 per mile.

Paula obviously has more slow twitch and Haile more fast twitch muscle fibers, so you would expect her to hold her pace better over longer distances.

But she isn't in 2.15 shape now, probably sub 2.20 but you can be sure she will work on that fitness next year.

I have to admit that watching the race I started to wonder how anyone could be at such a peak, running with a solid field and run about ten minutes slower than her pr.

I run right around three hours for the marathon, about 1.5 times slower than the elites so a 10 minute slow down for the elites is like a 15 minute bonk for me. I can't imagine running a 3:15 marathon without being sick or injured.

I can't help but wondering if those 2:15, 2:17 and 2:18 races by Paula were drug enhanced.

That bad feeling wrote:

I can't help but wondering if those 2:15, 2:17 and 2:18 races by Paula were drug enhanced.

Ugh. Here we go again...