Do athletes find it as hard as us amateurs?

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BerryH
BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've quite often run races where elite athletes are up the front and are home, showered and drinking chocolate milk before I've barely got into my stride.

I've often wondered, if I get a PB during that race and an elite athlete also gets a PB on that same course, both going as fast as we possibly can, are we putting the same amount of effort in?

Is it harder for me because I'm far less fit? Or does she find it harder because she has techniques to overcome the pain and run through regardless? Or is it on a par because we both feel on that particular day and course we couldn't have run any faster? Is there anything I can learn from her to go faster on the day outside of training better in the run-up?

Discuss :happy:

Replies

  • pandsmomCheryl
    pandsmomCheryl Posts: 168 Member
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    I often wonder that myself - if people who have been running forever - never mind the elite - find running as hard as I do. I run 4x week, and nearly every time I 'will it ever feel easy'...?
  • Aperture_Science
    Aperture_Science Posts: 840 Member
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    If we assume that two competitors are about the same size/weight then the energy for both to complete a course would be similar. They have both hauled their bodies over the same distance.

    Technique, where one competitor has developed a method of performing the same amount of work for less energy, will make a difference. I don't think that there are bio-mechanical differences that would mean that one person uses less energy than another but I may be wrong.

    Wind resistance will have a slight affect because the increase in resistance is (I think) logarithmic to the base 10. So, if one person is running 10mph faster than the other the wind resistance is double.

    But I guess the biggest differences between athlete distance runners and amateurs is in the weight. A lighter runner will expend less energy.

    After you have considered "real" differences you need to consider the physiological differences, so a professional athlete may be very fast but feel that they are not putting in as much effort as us huffing and puffing back markers.

    Just my thoughts.
  • Aperture_Science
    Aperture_Science Posts: 840 Member
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    Wow...

    Way to kill a thread.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    I'll let you know when I win Boston......:laugh: :laugh: (I doubt I'll ever qualify)

    I think there are a lot of variables at play. Most of us mere mortals don't have the time to train as much as the elites (I somehow don't expect Asics to be offering me a sponsorship any time soon so this nasty thing called work gets in the way) and we don't have access to the coaching they do (unless you're independently wealthy) and we had the wrong parents.

    Having said that "effort" is a subjective concept. While my best effort puts me smack dab in the middle of the pack the elite's best effort has him or her running a sub 2:15 marathon.
    I often wonder that myself - if people who have been running forever - never mind the elite - find running as hard as I do. I run 4x week, and nearly every time I 'will it ever feel easy'...?

    Excellent question. Not that many years ago running 5K was my personal equivalent to climbing Mount Everest. Now a 10 or 15km training run is actually a pleasure. Easy, not really - but not grueling.
  • whiskey9890
    whiskey9890 Posts: 652 Member
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    i would say yes, certainly in the racing environment, both people are trying to go as fast as they can over the allotted distance, just because someone has more experience/training/support doesn't mean they have to put less effort in, physically they may be more prepared for the effort that is required so it may appear easier than it does to us mere mortals, but i wonder who puts more effort in emotionally after all their livelyhood could depend on their performance
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    i wonder who puts more effort in emotionally after all their livelyhood could depend on their performance

    excellent point!

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