Could be the next "One".
Could be the next "One".
There are "hungry" people in Sierra Leone, Guatemala, Haity, Albania, Chile, Botswana and Vitnam; a lot hungrier than Americans and perhaps even hungrier than Ethiopians. They just haven't been blessed by God and mother nature with a "V12 engine" to run like the people from around the Rift Valey.
There are no national teams that feed and board promising homeless runners in Guatemala, Haity, Albania, Chile, Botswana and Vitnam either.
i would like to hear more stories like this. give the athletes more characterization and give them a chance to relate to the fans through their struggle....
Nice 2:00 edit of Regassa's Falmouth win from the press truck. He really took it out!
There really shouldnt be any hungery vietnamese runners. They have plenty of great food like Bo luc Lac mmmmmmmmm! Spring roles!
First,I meant Haiti not Haity!
Second - even if these people would get help / food to run, they would not bust out a 13.03 5K in their 3rd race of their career. This freaky stuff only comes out of the Rift Valley.
Sierra Leone, on the other hand, may produce some good sprinters with a little help. That's where "hungry people genetics" seems to produce sprinting prodigies.
I once witnesed an experiment with a homeless man taken off the streets of Rome, Italy. A local club took care of him for a few weeks then made him run a 5k (which he chose to run barefooted) He ran 14.29 and looked like he could improve if he wasn't as old as he looked (he strangelly looked like a guy by the name Yifter:-)
Can you guess which country he was from?
Sierra Leone, Haiti, Guatemala, Albania, Vitnam, Bangladesh or Ethiopia?
i'll guess "vitnam".
idiot.
I watched the leaders from the side of the road during the Bolder Boulder. Regassa's form was extraordinary, reminiscent of a deer.
How about Viet-dumb, would that do it for you grammar nazi?
idiot!
now 300K richer, what a change can one year can make!:-)
HUNGRY RUNNERS wrote:
There are "hungry" people in Sierra Leone, Guatemala, Haity, Albania, Chile, Botswana and Vitnam; a lot hungrier than Americans and perhaps even hungrier than Ethiopians. They just haven't been blessed by God and mother nature with a "V12 engine" to run like the people from around the Rift Valey.
There are plenty of other place at altitude, even some in States
I don't think any runner in the US could match this guy's "hunger."
An incredible article on Regassa is here: http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_12447930
John Henderson wrote:"Ethiopia’s poverty doesn’t match those of surrounding East African countries, and many runners come from stable homes. However, Ethiopia’s running program makes some saves that make UNICEF proud. Take Regassa. When he was 3 years old living in the village of Nazret, his parents divorced and his mother left him with his father while she moved in with a son in Odana Nebe Dukem. His father died when he was 15 and showing promise as a runner. However, he could not move in with his mother. Odana Nebe Dukem is four to five hours away by walking. It is not accessible by car.
Instead, for three years he lived in the streets. He worked for a stone company and when hungry, he’d go to a local hotel where they’d give him food.
He developed stomach problems, which he continues to have, but local coaches told Makke’ about his promise. He found him last year living in the streets of Nazret. He hadn’t run competitively in five years, but the Ethiopian system put him in a hotel, fed him and trained him. In his first half-marathon, in Lille, France, last year, he ran a 59:34, nearly breaking the junior record.
“I have a car now,” said Regassa, who won $5,750. “I’m living in a rented home, and I’m about to buy a house. It’s a big difference.”"
ukathleticscoach wrote:
HUNGRY RUNNERS wrote:There are "hungry" people in Sierra Leone, Guatemala, Haity, Albania, Chile, Botswana and Vitnam; a lot hungrier than Americans and perhaps even hungrier than Ethiopians. They just haven't been blessed by God and mother nature with a "V12 engine" to run like the people from around the Rift Valey.
There are plenty of other place at altitude, even some in States
Yep, Ryan Hall lived most of his life at altitude and he's a
2:04 marathoner.
HUNGRY RUNNERS wrote:
There are "hungry" people in Sierra Leone, Guatemala, Haity, Albania, Chile, Botswana and Vitnam; a lot hungrier than Americans and perhaps even hungrier than Ethiopians. They just haven't been blessed by God and mother nature with a "V12 engine" to run like the people from around the Rift Valey.
It couldn't be truer. Well said.
far from $300K, depending on how much Makke decides to steal. He's renowned for not just skimming, but blatantly swiping large portions of his athletes money, not to mention the fact that his athletes have at least a half dozen positives among them. just hope he never helped Regassa with the special sauce.
regassa wrote:
now 300K richer, what a change can one year can make!:-)
http://www.letsrun.com/2009/zayedhalf0107.php