WIRED MAG: The Ultimate Running Machine

I just went out and bought it based on your post, it was worth it too. It was a great article.

Re-engineering blood chemistry, eh?

I have never read Wired, but saw the cover last night in an airport and bought it. It was, as stated previously, a very interesting article. It's a shame the author didn't do some fact-checking to give it better credibility. I don't have the article in front of me so I can't quote directly, but at least two instances showed that the writer may not have had a firm grasp on the subject of running.

The first was an attempt at humor, and I know I'm splitting hairs here, but he describes the USATF 8K champs in Central Park as an "Obscure race...who's ever heard of an 8K?"

Again, the quote may not be precise, but the gist is there. The race is surely obscure to the American public, but it was an important event on the US distance running calendar this year, as evidenced by the presence of nearly every top American minus Meb.

The second questionable remark was crediting Jim Ryun as revolutionizing or at least popularizing the idea of training at altitude prior to his 3:51.1. I am very confident that this was not the case. Ryun did his first altitude training in Alamosa prior to Tahoe trials/Mexico City, but this was the year after his mile WR. What should have been referenced was the 1500WR set at the LA Coliseum in '68 after doing his altitude work.

An even more accurate sign of the effects of high altitude training/living would have been the 1968 games themselves. The performance of the Kenyan team in that meet, and the struggles of Americans and other low-altitude trained runners was very clear indicator of the new trend.

km, you are right about Ryun. He was considered one of the altitude "victims" of Mexico City who had not trained sufficiently at altitude (in addition to being at least somewhat sick). As far as I know, Batcheler, Shorter et al were the first good Americans to really put in long stints at altitude. Which is also much more relevant to the article's focus on the marathon.

Also, if this program is to meant to improve America's chances in the marathon, what is Keska doing in there? Is he changing citizenship? And I don't see Davis or Johnson heading into the marathon anytime soon. I guess it's just another case where the mainstream media only recognizes the mile and the marathon as running events.

The whole gadget/gimmick focus of the program seems like the training equivalent of most of their shoes, notably the "Shox". Overcooked, overpriced, and overhyped. They'd be better off adding a few more miles to that 15 a day. From this article, the best/funniest image that comes to mind is of Alberto wandering around fiddling with the machines while the "lab rats" give him the evil eye.

But that picture of Salazar was enough to give me the willies....

and ignore the picture link in the above post!

Ryun's 1500 WR came in 1967, not 1968, at the US vs. British Commonwealth meet at the LA Colossieum. Ryun trained in Flagstaff in 1968 with George Young, Conrad Nightingale, and I believe, Tom von Ruder. He'd had mono earlier that year and was never the same runner as he'd been in 1966/67.

And God help us all if the Oregon Project succeeds.

My mistake on the date of the 1500wr. That makes me rethink my belief that the altitude training was only in 1968. I seem to remember in "America's Greatest Miler" Ryun talking about how he had come down from altitude not long before that record and had been exceedingly tired, forcing him to do only easy runs and lots of sleep. I know the Ryun boys read this board when they aren't forwarding the Republican agenda ;), so maybe they can shed some light on the matter.

Wow. I just read the article and that is completely mind-boggling. I cant decide if its the next step in developing training techniques or if its the next generation version of drug-cheating.

At first, it seems as though it should be completely legal, but now I'm not so sure. If you look at top-flight professional athletes in all major sports, they either all use basically the same equipment, or at least have *the opportunity* to aquire/use the same equipment. Whatever Barry Bonds uses is readily available to Mike Piazza (ignore the idea of illegal drugs for now).

But with this "altitude house," it does NOT appear to readily available Geb, Tergat, Radcliffe, etc. I get the impression that only a giant like Nike could afford to fund a project like this -- for all the systems equipment, medical staff to analyze the data, etc, etc.

Something just doesnt sit right with me about this. Trying to "build" or "create" a good american marathoner with labs and money just doesnt have the same ring to it as a guy who simply trains his butt off at altitude.

Granted, I understand that these guys are working hard in workouts and such. But it seems they are afforded amenities that are not available to their running peers.

One thing that I dont think was discussed enough in the article is the mental advantage these guys will get from all the machines and tests. Dan Browne is oozing with confidence every time he steps to the line now. On any given day, he could PR on his confidence alone. He could feel absolutely horrible going into race day, but if the computer tells him that he's "ready for max quantity and intensity," he might just find that little something extra to push him to go faster.

I'm all for technological advances to improve the sport of running. Altitude training was and still is a great idea. Learning about VO2 max and ideal training paces is also great. But building a special house, using vibrating platforms, and computer software to "reprogram(ming) the brain or rewir(e) the nervous system" just doesnt seem right.

Whatever happened to the "blood and guts" mentality that salazaar refers to? I mean, has it come to this? Are American distance runners throwing in the towel on trying to out-train and out-perform the rest of the world and resorting to money to close the gap?

So many more thoughts, but I'll wait for now...

Yep, sounds a little like that Rocky movie to me with the computerized Russian fighter vs. the blood and guts Rocky. This must be how the Africans would view it.

I like your statement about confidence. Maybe we need the machines to give us the confidence then we'll go with the leaders. If you think about some of the best US (non-African born) marathon performances by a US runner, it came when the athlete went for it and risked - Lawson, Morris, even Keith Dowling at Boston where he didn't wear a watch but just went behind the lead group (though he was lucky they went relatively slowly through the first 1/2). It's even what Rodgers did when he first won Boston.

I'd like to see our top guys going for it in every marathon. So what if you blow up at 18?! Learn from it and try again. We're too afraid to fail yet we are so good at it.

We've had good marathoners and there's no reason we can't produce 20-30 sub-2:14 guys in the next 2 years. We'll see........

If they want to prove this theory, then they need another house with the same rules but without the equipment. The runners in the house could improve simply because of placebo effect and not the special simulated high altitude effect.

Actually, it appears that nearly anyone can afford to sleep in an environment like that of the Nike house. You can buy a hypoxic tent for under $600 -- see http://www.hypoxico.com. They claim to mimic 9,000 foot altitude completely safely.

elguapo:

I'm not sure if altitude houses are available to African runners, but I know they're available to European athletes. I did some research on altitude tents/houses a couple of years ago and I read articles about European countries using them to train endurance athletes in other sports. If I recall correctly, I think Scandanavian countries use them for cross country skiers, or maybe cyclists.

In addition, I think assuming Nike is the only organization that could sponsor something like this is incorrect. Hell, some nations have their governments support potential Olympians directly. Even if it's not a government supporting such a program, if Nike would start something like this for a bunch of no-name Americans, why wouldn't Puma or a foreign shoe company start something like this for more proven runners?

When one of the USA's richest and most well-known corporation pours a significant amount of dough into a project like this, we should clap our hands mightily. They are taking an approach that mimics the basis of what the most successful Japanese teams are doing: Get a bunch of talented runners together, and train their nuts off!

Being the mathematically-educated person I am, I am skeptical about some of the stuff, like the Soviet brain-wave software.

Running, ESPECIALLY the marathon, is of the spirit. Can a higher spiritual/mental plane and a time like 2;06-2;09 be achieved by living with a bunch of fellow running nuts in Portland, Oregon? WE SHALL SEE....

I wish them all the best with this project. It is very interesting thing to observe nonetheless....

Jason

Air Supply- check your numbers again- the tent goes for $600, but the generator to supply the air is $6000.

Hahahahaha, I can't stop laughing because I'm picturing a dumba$$ who bought the tent without a generator and is wondering why isn't his RBC count increasing, LOL.