Can we continue to run faster, be stronger, throw farther? Is there a limit to the human ability in this regard? Is the reason for continued improvement due to natural ability or better conditions?

One thing for sure is that two men that stand out in the quest to become faster shone last summer: Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps. Both showed on land and in water, that man can continue to push itself further and further in the quest to become faster, stronger and ultimately better.

The Economist published a very interesting table that showed the improvement of the records for the 100m sprint and 100m freestyle swimming.

What we can see from this table that whilst the sprint record desecended by a sizeable 9%, the swimming record tumbled by a huge 28%. Logic says that any improvement in such a record will level out eventually, and both records will be improved by mere milli-seconds as opposed to large improvements. So while the past 100 years has seen significant improvement, perhaps the enxt 100 will see 3/4% improvement on the track and 9/10% in the pool.

The reasons for such a difference in the improvements in the pool and on the track can be put down to research, technology and evolution. While sprinting has improved due to the ability for athletes to concentrate solely on their running, swimmers have been able to benefit from greater understanding of human capability in water over the last 50 years.

A better comprehension of the human hydrodynamics plus developments in swimsuits are all attributed to such dramatic improvements. The suit used by Phelps, the LZR Speedo suit, can chalk as much as 6 seconds off the time of an overweight swimmer, just by putting it on. Even though that would be dramatically reduced for a highly-tuned as Michael Phelps, even a tenth of a second is huge when it comes to winning races. The record 7 Golds that Mark Spitz took home were won without the said swimsuit, so does that make Phelps' achievment any less impressive? The difference between sprinters of yesteryear and today however, aren't as vast as those between swimmers.

Jesse Owens is an example of an athlete who had to work for a living as well as compete at the highest level of sprinting. And while Usain Bolt is able to concentrate solely on his running due to sponsorship, and benefits from advancements in sprint-technology and nutritional studies, these developments pale in comparison to those in the pool. All this means he is better prepared for a race than Owens ever could have been, yet there is nowhere near the difference between Owens and Bolt as there is between Spitz and Phelps.

Simply put, we've had more to learn about swimming than running. We are born on land after all. 

Were Owens and Spitz a victim of circumstance? Was it within their natural ability to beat todays record holders? Or is it even fair to compare the two, knowing comparison is virtually impossible?

Unfortunately, there will always be more questions than answers. However, it is difficult to argue that there are limits to human ability, and even if there are, the fact we don't know them means the possibilities are endless. We keep on improving all our records, not just these two, and there's no evidence to suggest we won't continue to do so. The sky's the limit.

Thoughts?

 
 

On April 26th 2009, thousands upon thousands of men, women and children will take to the streets of London, for one of the best-loved sporting events of the year.

Some people may baulk at that claim, but no other event holds such a special place in London's heart as it's marathon. There isn't a sporting event that brings together such diversity in both the audience and the competitors. Men, women, old and young, they come from all over Great Britain and beyond to either run, or support those willing to push their bodies to the limits.

With that in mind, what does it take to run a marathon? How do you train for it? What should you eat in preparation and how do you run through the dreaded 'wall'?

To begin with, if the competitor hopes to record a decent time, months of training are involved. However, for those who think that involves regularly running the marathon distance, fear not. It is extremely rare for a competitor to include a 26-mile run in their training, most sticking to a maximum of 15-miles in training. On top of that, tapering your training leading up to the race is vital.

Tapering is reducing the volume of training leading up to the race. Simply put, if not done, the body will be exhausted before you reach the start line, let alone if or when you reach the finish. It's the equivalent of starting a race on half a tank of petrol. To fully recover from training and be prepared for the race so you can perform to your optimum is 3 weeks. While this may seem a long time, all that happens is that your glycogen stores, which hold the majority of your energy, are being refilled to the maximum.

Nutritionally speaking preparation is fairly easy, and there are plenty of sources for the body to get what it needs to get through such a gruelling event. The days leading up to the race should see you fill up those aforementioned glycogen stores. This means carbs, carbs, carbs. Whilst the obvious choices are potatoes, pasta and the like, a 70kg runner needs approximately 700gms of carbs and so compact stores are also needed. Foods like Jaffa cakes, soft drinks and jelly sweets are ideal at this stage. During the race, keeping salt levels high is very important, and sports drinks are tailor-made for this.

When it comes to the day, there will no doubt be several hurdles (not actual ones) you'll have to overcome during the course of the race. Some of these may include little niggles like cramp, blisters and stitch. These may all hinder your progress but shouldn't stop you from finishing the run.

With regards cramp the best advice is to stretch well, before, during and after the race. If it does strike during, don't panic about taking a minute on the side to stretch the muscle out. Stitch is the build up of lactic acid and is best prevented by sipping those sports drinks. When you do get a stitch however, concentrate on breathing correctly and deeply, getting as much oxygen as possible to the appropriate area.

With regards blisters and the infamous 'runner's nipple' the best prevention is to put plasters over the offending area. Make sure you're wearing well-fitted shoes to avoid friction and you shouldn't get any blisters. If you aren't wearing a synthetic shirt, runner's nipple shouldn't effect you, but maybe worth doing as a precaution.

And that's about it! As easy as that! After the race it is important to look after yourself. Eat straight away, but nothing too heavy, and keep moving, warming your muscles down. Don't book a massage for straight after, leave it a few days so your muscles can recover and your body will fully benefit from it.

Good luck!!

This article is dedicated to the memory of Daniel Shearer, who will surely die during his marathon attempt - Good luck mate!







 
 

Most Britons will remember the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona for Linford Christie and Sally Gunnell. You can't blame them, both athletes won gold and so came home to deserved praise. I don't remember too much of the games myself, but one story always stuck out in my mind.

Derek Redmond smashed the British 400m record at the tender age of 19, but was robbed of the chance to win Olympic Gold in Seoul, 1988. Just 10 minutes before the 400m final, he ruptured his achilles tendon, and spent a painstaking year in and out of surgery. Nursing himself into form and fitness took even more time, but come the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, he was a British medal hopeful .

His preparation for the final was the same as with any race: going through the approach and tactics of the race with his biggest fan, his father.

For those of you that don't already know the story, it's below. Commentator David Coleman said he got 'the biggest cheer of the games', and rightly so. Because whilst speed and strength can be measured and rewarded with medals; heart, grit, determination and courage cannot.