Genetics and running

hoplite · April 3rd, 2008, 05:11 AM

What are your thoughts on a people being natural runners and some who have to really work at it just to me decent.

Were do you place yourself?

I am NOT a natural runner.

**justaguy87337** · April 3rd, 2008, 09:21 AM

genetics has something to do with it, but mostly I believe like most things the more you do it the better you become. Training and nutrition are keys to being a good runner also disipline.

I am an average runner, I prefer weights to running.

**wildstang** · April 3rd, 2008, 09:45 AM

i was originally a gifted runner all the junior high to varsity even running varsity in junior high. tall and lanky then, perfect runners build. i still have the endurance and willpower that goes hand in hand being a gifted runner, but im way to heavy now to have good run times. in my bootcamp days of the millitary just going into the service out of high school i manged to score battalion high pft score and ended up with my name on a plaque to this day in san diego. and that was an accomplishment with the deciding factor being the run. i meen who else couldnt do there 20 pullups, 80 situps withen the timeframe? the run was what sealed the deal with high pft.
and yes genetics play a big deal there. my whole family and other relatives were naturally good runners. and i also think it has something to do with my heritage also.

zayyaz · April 3rd, 2008, 11:51 AM

Of course genetics plays some roll, just like everything else. Can everyone be an elite runner? No. Can everyone be a good runner? Yes.

Running is just like weightlifting in a couple key aspects. 1) If you are not out there at least 4 to 6 times a week, you are not going to see a great improvement in your pace, endurance, etc (every little bit will help heart health though). 2) Mix-up your runs so they don't get boring and your body doesn't get used to them. 3) If you need a day or a week off because your body it telling you to, do it. 4) Slowly but surely you will increase what you can do, reduce pace, lengthen runs, run hills...

Champions are made, not born...lol

**cujo-1** · April 4th, 2008, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zayyaz

Of course genetics plays some roll, just like everything else. Can everyone be an elite runner? No. Can everyone be a good runner? Yes.

Running is just like weightlifting in a couple key aspects. 1) If you are not out there at least 4 to 6 times a week, you are not going to see a great improvement in your pace, endurance, etc (every little bit will help heart health though). 2) Mix-up your runs so they don't get boring and your body doesn't get used to them. 3) If you need a day or a week off because your body it telling you to, do it. 4) Slowly but surely you will increase what you can do, reduce pace, lengthen runs, run hills...

Champions are made, not born...lol

ive seen some people being exceptional athletes in other areas such as football and such but suck horribly as a runner. its something you either have or you dont.

Adamo · September 15th, 2008, 11:52 PM

I think genetics plays a part. I've been a runner all my life but I feel I've always struggled with improving my times. I got a friend to start running a few years ago and I could tell from our first run together that he was a natural. He has since run 6 marathons while I'm still icing down my plantar fascitis and patellar tendinitis, having never run even a half marathon.

sunupoernomo · September 16th, 2008, 03:02 AM

some of it's genetic, some developmental, some behavioral, and then there's training which is also influenced by the above factors.
how you deal with pain is a big behavioral and genetic factor in distance running. some people have a lot of foot and joint and soft tissue pain during runs and during recovery and they deal with it differently. part of breaking through cardiovascular endurance pain and physical pain in your body parts is how strongly you feel it but also how you learn to deal with it. if you can put up with it and break through it that's willpower or just how you've learned to deal with stuff. endurance is really the only thing stopping people from distance and cross country runs. being a gifted athlete in that area, though, is really genetic dependent.
short track is where genetics is much more obvious. not everybody can be a short track runner the way anybody can be a recreational runner. you really have to have the body type to develop good technique and the right muscle fibers to pull it off.
I always hated running when i was younger and went for ball sports. now i've done finished six marathons in the last four years and really don't know how to get through my day without my runs. the biggest change for me was moving to the west coast from new york where i now have awesome seaside and forest trail courses to run. when i first started, though, i really had to work on technique and stride because i guess i'm just not a genetic natural distance runner!