There was an interesting discussion point from Malcolm Gladwell on runners from Kenya. He basically says that one of the reasons Kenya produces so many great middle distance runners is because there are so many of them running lots of miles everyday. By the simple fact their pool is so large there have to be a few good ones come out…
The other side to the argument is that Kenyans have a genetic advantage. It is an old debate. Are good runners born or made? But how much do these separate factors (culture & genetics) influence each other – generations of everyone running everywhere, all the time surely alters the genetics – so it is a bit of a chicken vs egg argument.
Here is a thought I just had: If you were to “sponsor” the best marathon runner in 25-35 years from now would you have him (her?) born to a Kenyan mother and father and shipped to the US to undergo the best training and nutritional program money could buy, or would you have him born in the US (to US parents) and shipped to Kenya to live and train like the Kenyans? Your answer to that probably dictates your beliefs around which one is more important.
I would say it would be a better bet to have the kid born in Africa and go through the college system in the states. That would be assuming social networks outside of running did not get in the way – which they do – and so Kenya is probably the best place to be born and live. You just need to look at any international middle distance race to realise this is not such a profound thought…
I am sure there is a slight genetic advantage, but the training makes a huge difference. The legendary coach Arthur Lydiard always thought he could turn anyone into a great runner. One of his best – Peter Snell – did not have the same view.
There are many other things required to be a great runner than having good parents and a good coach also. Things like their ability to handle the training without getting injured, have the desire to want to achieve success, that they are not distracted by a partner, job or children etc that all skew the question at hand significantly. I look at the ‘naturally’ or ‘genetically’ best runners I have ever known in person and they never made it to the big time for these reasons. You can’t underestimate having the desire to be the best – now that is something all top athletes share, not their parents or country of origin.
