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Are you inspired by Alex Vero's ambitions, or slightly insulted?
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I am, as many others have said, neither inspired nor insulted by his story, if anything, I think it is perhaps slightly dangerous to be too strong a follower - to decide to do something about your life and then crash-train for two years doesn't seem like the most sensible route to long-term development of the sport.
Many others have commented on his targets being somewhat unrealistic, and with this I agree, and I ask anyone who disagrees to look at the obvious. He sets out a list of targets and results here - http://www.theroadtobeijing.co.uk/trtb-results.htm. After he starts to really "get good" at Reading there is a turning point and suddenly his targets become consistently unattained. There is a big difference between running a sub 1.26 half and qualifying for the Olympics marathon. When you first start running there is generally a massive improvement quickly, which his progress certainly indicates. However, once you hit a certain point, progress becomes more diffcult - each second is harder to achieve. To think he can knock 3 minutes off a half-marathon time in a few weeks is to do what some people may spend years trying to do - to equal what he ran before would have been realistic, or maybe to improve by <30 seconds. You cannot except to continue with that rate of improvement.
However, I think what he is trying to do with the project and with the profiling of young debutee marathoners is very important for the sport. His story is also interesting as part of the identification of rates of improvement in new runners.
paininthefoot
jump = lively outgoing the kids that run around a lot
Documentaries don’t just appear on the TV there is a huge amount of hard work that goes on behind the scenes, you start with a plan and over time that plan evolves into the end product. Getting to where I have as a distance runner has been damn hard work, but nothing in comparison to the effort to get the documentary to this exciting stage.
Alexander as a latecomer to the site and as someone who tried (and failed) to attain a certain level sub 2:40, sub 75 minutes etc before injury curtailed a 16 year running life I have nothing but admiration for what you have achieved -
I was turned on to athletics in the 70s firstly by Dave Bedford - who certainly isn't the bast*rd portrayed on some of the threads on this site, then by the likes of Ovett, Coe etc - (look at you tube if you don't remember them!)
I guess since the 80s and their heyday, the guys that have followed on have had so much history to live up to that it has become a soul destoying task - obviously it all hit an all time low a few years ago when Paula Radcliffe ran 2:15 and was the top British runner. I guess chasing East Africans around also makes for it to be hard.
A grade 3 coach wrote a letter to AW last week bemoaning the fact that there were only 65 (I think) under 20 and under 17 males entered in the Junior indoor championships over 1500/800 metres on the same weekend as the national cross when there were 1400 or so entrants in the same classes.
Well to me that is a cause for celebration because that is where the future of the sport is going to come from, not from poncing around a 200 metre track. (my opinion only of course)
Good luck with what you have achieved so far and the times you have run and in highlighting on a runners forum the plight of distance running in the UK -
It actually makes a change to read this rather than some of the cr*p that is posted!!
As for the title, it might stay the same, it's just that my road to beijing never really got further then Hyde Park, but hopefully my own endeavors and the documentary might help out two other two runners progress their own journeys towards London 2012.
Who knows, first of all I need to get back running but it's heading in a good direction now.
`A grade 3 coach wrote a letter to AW last week bemoaning the fact that there were only 65 (I think) under 20 and under 17 males entered in the Junior indoor championships over 1500/800 metres on the same weekend as the national cross when there were 1400 or so entrants in the same classes.
Well to me that is a cause for celebration because that is where the future of the sport is going to come from, not from poncing around a 200 metre track. (my opinion only of course)`
The future of the sport is mass participation at long distance events AND elite (youth) at shorter track events.
They can feed off each other. Remember Paula Radcliffe was inspired by her dad being a fun runner. And many runners are inspired by the sight of elite success. Whilst recognising they are unlikely to match them it does raise awareness.
Oon the subject of the Grade 3 coaches and the coaching mafiosa types. Yes some of them are sad gits and many UKA coaching courses are fixated by youth/track/elite competition. But does not remove some validity to their concerns over declining `elite` paticipation.
For the people talking about the Indoors, is worth noting that anyone can run the National XC - you have to run a qualifying time for the indoors. Plus, imagine if 1400 entrants had turned up for the Indoors - that would be an absolute nightmare - they'd have to have about 200 heats across the two age groups! 65 isn't an awful number for Indoors really - not a huge number of young middle distance runners run indoors, and if they do, would not target it over the cross-country, especially not when there is pressure from coaches to make up teams in the cross. To be honest, nobody really cares that much if you're the national indoor U17 1500m champion. Indeed, the southern U15G indoor bronze medallist last year didn't even break 5.10/1500m. It's about what you do on the country, and what you do on the outdoor track as a junior distance runner, almost without question. It says a lot more about the sprinters.
The future of the sport is mass participation at long distance events AND elite (youth) at shorter track events
The point I was trying to make was the elite of yesteryear did tend to run cross country and this is where their stamina and strength arose from, that X Country is a benefit of all runners and the fact that a large number of youths chose to run the cross country was heartening to see.
Hi Grant
The documentary will now culminate at the ING Amsterdam Marathon. My own aim is still to run sub 2:30 as I had been aiming for in London. The documentary should be completed by December 2008.
OUTLINE FROM THE WESITE - www.theroadtobeijing.co.uk
Not being able to run in the London Marathon is hugely disappointing to say the least. When I was told the news that I would not be able to run again until after the London Marathon due to an achilles problem I was not to sure if I should laugh or cry. I was never going to run an Olympic qualification time at London even if I had of stayed injury free, the reality is that running 2:30 was about the best I could have squeezed out of my body. Although it would have looked good on paper it is still a very long way off an International standard.The documentary (view original outline) will continue along the same lines but instead of culminating the project at The London Marathon with the aim of running 2:30 the project will now end at The ING Amsterdam Marathon where we have been granted permission to film the race. The documentary will continue to delve into the reasons behind the decline of British marathon running in comparison to the rise of the East African distance runner.
Part of my dream may have ended by not being able to run in London but along my journey I have met two hugely talented and contrasting runners from the UK and Ethiopia who's stories will add a unique human interest element to the documentary and with a little help and a lot of hard work could potentially line up together at London 2012.
I met Mengsitu Abebe at the Ararat Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The manager of the hotel summoned over the smartly dressed bellboy then explained that "we have a boy who can show you places to make training". He acted as our guide for the duration of the trip but it was not until the 3rd day when he had dropped me and was running on his own that we recognised his huge natural talent. The plan had been to bring him over for the London Marathon but with visa complications, filming rights and my own injury we decided to postpone. We are hoping to bring Mengsitu over to race in the Bristol half marathon in what will be a fascinating first part of his dual with Ben before heading on to Amsterdam.
I met Ben Moreau at the dingy "Bunch of Grapes" pub, a run down old boozers pub in London. The irony of discussing a marathon running documentary in such an establishment was rather amusing. Ben is a hugely talented young runner and recently ran a 1:05 half marathon at Reading which was the 4th fastest half marathon time of the year in the UK. Despite this and his potential as one of the UK's most promising young distance runners for the future he does not even have a kit sponsor. Ben will be coming out to Ethiopia in the summer to train with Mengsitu and visa versa in September.
Both Mengsitu and Ben will be making their marathon debut at the ING Amsterdam Marathon which will hopefully mark their first steps on the Road to London 2012.
Alex
What a fab thread - am hooked!
I wanted to comment on sport in schools; particularly to a comment joethelibratian made a while back. Im in my early 40's and when I was at school everyone hated running/athletics during the summer and cross country across (predominantly winter months) but we all did it and the talented were picked up and went on to bigger and better in some cases. BUT we were all fitter at that time compared to the youth of today (makes me sound like a real oldie!) becuase so much more time was dedicated to PE/Games. My teenage son goes to a 'sports college' status high school and he only does 2 hours of sport a week!! Outrageous. Yes, there are after school clubs that he can go to but thats not the point, the national curriculum does not allow for sport development. Luckily, my son is very active anyway, plays for a youth football team, plays cricket in the summer and occasionally comes out running with me. (only been running just over a year myself, and did my first half marathon in 2.15!) . Today's youngsters should be encouraged & pushed (and by this I don't mean forced, theres a big difference) to keep up the physical/sport side . School years are the prime years to find and develop athletic/running/sporting talent and its all ebbing away. No wonder so few youngsters coming through.
Sorry, ranted away abit and have drifted away from the main debate on this thread (feel better having got that one off my chest!).
'sports college' status high school and he only does 2 hours of sport a week
That comment more than many says it all-
I went to a local comprehensive in the 70s and we did two of those each week!!
If that be the case (and seems to be one of the more compelling reasons for the decline if it is) then we are b*&^*&$d are we not? An increasing trend of less sport in the national curriculum would see our potential elite athletes of the future coming through in spite of, not because of, the system. Coupled with the lack of prize money in the sport (compared to football/tennis/etc) it's not hard to see how the next Steve Ovett of his generation could take a different path at a young, but crucial age.
Having read a lot of this thread, I have a few thoughts:
- the guys who are achieving the sub 2:20 times now are all the more remarkable because they have managed - within their own individual ability - to defy the trend towards lesser standards, whatever its causes.
- these runners are also very good. In fact they're extremely good. There's just less of them around.
- Its important to recognise that these runners are not to blame if they are not surrounded by, or beaten by, other British runners.
- until I run 2:12, I will certainly not sit here and tell our top runners that they are not working hard enough.
- I suspect the reduced strength and depth in Britain is mirrored in much of the Western world. We often talk about it like its a unique British problem.
- Alex is just a guy doing what he does; making a documentary. I don't care how fast he does or doesn't run, because his running is irrelevant. He's a film maker. I hope he makes a good film. I also hope it makes people feel good: both the people it gets off the couch, and the top British athletes they should look up to.
- Finally, I would like to see new medals introduced at the London marathon to underline the importance of training and racing for time. So, for example, a sub 2:20, sub 2:40, sub 3:10 sub 4:00 and sub 5:00. A good example is the Comrades Ultramarathon in South Africa. Its not just about finishing, its also about what colour medal you get for different times (under 6 hours, 7:30, 9, 11 and 12). The cut-offs for each are hugely exciting and people train and race to achieve different medals, whether elites chasing 6 hours or the guys in the pack dreaming of getting under 11 hours for a bronze.
Cheers,
HH.
Thats is a good idea, I used to do a 10 mile race, where the first X number got a gold medal, the next X got a silver , the next got a bronze and the rest got a T Shirt or a mug or something.
It's all part of society in general today. The laziness starts in many cases at a young age.
My kids primary school have a walk to school week. They get a certificate if they walk to school for all 5 days !
We live approx 400m away from it , yet one of our neighbours regularly runs their kids up in the morning ! The school carpark and surrounding streets are always very busy with kids being picked up and dropped off .
When the school has a concert on, very often its Gym Time is the activity that's dropped .
I agree with what popsider posted earlier today, about their being alot more active kids a generation ago. When we were kids growing up in the 70s and 80s (I'm 40) ,we went outside to try and emulate our footballing heroes. Todays kids can 'be' their heroes on their playstations in their rooms.
There's an interesting article in this weeks AW by Will Cockerill about his and Alex's trip to Ethiopia. One underlying theme is how keen aspiring runners are to run abroad - all about the relative standards of livng between the West and the Third World,
I didn't mean to imply that schools were to blame for lack of young sportsmen/women but its the starting point, springboard if you like. When you are in a more structured learning environment thats where you pick up all your basics and build on them. Kids will always play footy down the rec and go out on their bikes after school etc. but my personal view is that sport/games/PE is not as highly regarded as it once was within school and thats a real shame. And, as for driving kids to school when they live less than half a mile away - crazy!
Back to the original topic of debate that I've drifted away from; don't feel 'slightly insulted' at all. Am kinda with Horizon Hopper on this one. The documentary will highlight many issues and as this thread already shows, will spark debate. Good luck to Alex; definitely started something here!
"In no other sport would a beginnner of Alex's age be taken seriously if they claimed that,within 2 years,they would reach international elite level."
There are plenty of sports other than running where inexperienced people get to Olympic standard in very short timescales. Rebecca Romero just became world cycling pursuit champion having taken it up just 2 years ago. If you include daft sports like Skeleton Bob the list gets longer. Even skillful sports like fencing, the French have a production-line medal system which allows people in 3 - 5 years to get to standard.
I'm hugely impressed with Alex's efforts; we're getting to the point where treating a marathon as a competitive sport is rather frowned-on and we need to get away from that.
Would that be the same Rebecca Romero who was a 2004 Olympic silver medallist at rowing and also World Champion (2005) at rowing? SHe may have "only" taken up cycling two years ago but she was an elite-level / Olympic medallist before she started. She was "talent spotted" and then underwent testing by British Cycling (the national federation) before they decided to put money and resources behind her in her bid to switch sports.
I'd hardly call her "inexperienced" and to suggest you can take up cycling and become World Champion in 2 years is as profane as saying Joe Bloggs could run sub 2h20m 2 years after they took up running...