I'm surprised you guys aren't talking about this: http://newyorkmarathon.runnersworld.com/2010/11/the-emperor-cedes-his-crown.html?cm_mmc=training-_-2010_11_09-_-training-_-VIDEO%3a%20Geb%20Quits%26mdash%3bFor%20Good
Haile Retires!
- Thread starter Barefoot TJ
- Start date
I was very startled by this
I was very startled by this announcement. I know that he has become very involved in his businesses and development projects in Ethiopia. I wondered whether it might be a matter of shame. He was criticized before coming to NY of avoiding tough competition and tougher courses. Then he runs NY and has to drop out. I trust that the knee injury is real. Perhaps he just wanted to retire at his prime.
Being a BFR and committed for a long time to forefoot running, I have to admit to wondering about the injury. (I shiver at the thought, not meaning any Schadenfreude whatsoever.) But, in recent years, Haile has said he has changed his style from a forefoot one to a bit of heel landing. This is evident in videos of his running over the years. Surely he is clocking more distance than the rest of us mortals combined. But, could his injury have to do with the heal landing and the shoes?
I certainly hope that it was an impulsive statement that he will soon retract.
I was very startled by this announcement. I know that he has become very involved in his businesses and development projects in Ethiopia. I wondered whether it might be a matter of shame. He was criticized before coming to NY of avoiding tough competition and tougher courses. Then he runs NY and has to drop out. I trust that the knee injury is real. Perhaps he just wanted to retire at his prime.
Being a BFR and committed for a long time to forefoot running, I have to admit to wondering about the injury. (I shiver at the thought, not meaning any Schadenfreude whatsoever.) But, in recent years, Haile has said he has changed his style from a forefoot one to a bit of heel landing. This is evident in videos of his running over the years. Surely he is clocking more distance than the rest of us mortals combined. But, could his injury have to do with the heal landing and the shoes?
I certainly hope that it was an impulsive statement that he will soon retract.
I was wondering the same
I was wondering the same thing. Did the shoes he wore for so many miles cause his knee condition? But furthermore, he knows what running barefoot is. He's run barefoot in the past. Does he practice it now, even if in private? Does he feel pain while he runs barefoot? If not, considering his love of running, why would he not experiement with running barefoot? At this point, he has absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain. I mean, how can he not be thinking about just kicking his shoes to the curb like so many of us have when disgusted with a painful long run? You all were saying we needed a superstar to represent us, to propel our sport into the forefront; perhaps with this injury, considering the running shoe epedemic and the barefoot redemtion movement all taking place at the same time, if we could connect the dots, we would have our superstar.
I was wondering the same thing. Did the shoes he wore for so many miles cause his knee condition? But furthermore, he knows what running barefoot is. He's run barefoot in the past. Does he practice it now, even if in private? Does he feel pain while he runs barefoot? If not, considering his love of running, why would he not experiement with running barefoot? At this point, he has absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain. I mean, how can he not be thinking about just kicking his shoes to the curb like so many of us have when disgusted with a painful long run? You all were saying we needed a superstar to represent us, to propel our sport into the forefront; perhaps with this injury, considering the running shoe epedemic and the barefoot redemtion movement all taking place at the same time, if we could connect the dots, we would have our superstar.
I would have liked to have
I would have liked to have seen a barefoot runner at that "retirement" press conference stand up and ask, "Mr. Gebrselassie. With all due respect, have you considered the possibility that the shoes you run in have caused your knee injury? Have you ever thought that the shoes you have run in have robbed you of your career and what you love to do? Have you considered ditching your shoes and running barefoot? I mean what do you have to lose at this point?!"
It's just heartbreaking.
I would have liked to have seen a barefoot runner at that "retirement" press conference stand up and ask, "Mr. Gebrselassie. With all due respect, have you considered the possibility that the shoes you run in have caused your knee injury? Have you ever thought that the shoes you have run in have robbed you of your career and what you love to do? Have you considered ditching your shoes and running barefoot? I mean what do you have to lose at this point?!"
It's just heartbreaking.
i didnt think it was
i didnt think it was surprising at all. he's been on top of the sport for a long time and not just on top but the best there is. that takes it's toll on a person. one day he's a barefoot guy in ethiopia and the next he's the greatest marathoner ever. suddenly he has to do interviews, talk to people, meet with companies who want to deal with him, and most of all live up to an image and reputation. it's not easy and i think if anything that played a part in his retirement as much as anything.
i also would point to the idea that as much as barefoot running can help with impact and injuries it doesn't mean you wont get injuries from repetition. barefoot or shod he, and anyone, could get a knee injury and have there be nothing you can do about it. sure he could probably rehab or have surgery but at what cost? does he ever come back and run the same again? will he suddenly have to hear all the time about how he's not the same? athletes in individual sports can only deal with it for so long before they will want to just give up.
i guarantee you he was in that race, felt his knee, knew he wasn't going to win, and thought "who cares? i'm not going to win so why even finish this thing?" and that was it. once thoughts like that creep in you need to hang it up and he did.
i didnt think it was surprising at all. he's been on top of the sport for a long time and not just on top but the best there is. that takes it's toll on a person. one day he's a barefoot guy in ethiopia and the next he's the greatest marathoner ever. suddenly he has to do interviews, talk to people, meet with companies who want to deal with him, and most of all live up to an image and reputation. it's not easy and i think if anything that played a part in his retirement as much as anything.
i also would point to the idea that as much as barefoot running can help with impact and injuries it doesn't mean you wont get injuries from repetition. barefoot or shod he, and anyone, could get a knee injury and have there be nothing you can do about it. sure he could probably rehab or have surgery but at what cost? does he ever come back and run the same again? will he suddenly have to hear all the time about how he's not the same? athletes in individual sports can only deal with it for so long before they will want to just give up.
i guarantee you he was in that race, felt his knee, knew he wasn't going to win, and thought "who cares? i'm not going to win so why even finish this thing?" and that was it. once thoughts like that creep in you need to hang it up and he did.
Thank goodness, now he can
Thank goodness, now he can kick his shoes off and enjoy running again after he's healed up without all of the hallabaloo that likely got in the way of his true love for running. But what do I know, I have no competitive bone in my body
It's sad to see him sad, though this may be a good thing, a blessing in disguise for him
Thank goodness, now he can kick his shoes off and enjoy running again after he's healed up without all of the hallabaloo that likely got in the way of his true love for running. But what do I know, I have no competitive bone in my body
It's sad to see him sad, though this may be a good thing, a blessing in disguise for him
Man, it only reminds me of
Man, it only reminds me of many a story I've ever read about pro marathoners in Runners World. Interesting folks but boy do they get a raw deal living in the spotlight.
Hope he goes home, has a rest, and finds a way to move on in his life.
Man, it only reminds me of many a story I've ever read about pro marathoners in Runners World. Interesting folks but boy do they get a raw deal living in the spotlight.
Hope he goes home, has a rest, and finds a way to move on in his life.
Runners get hurt. Alot. I'm
Runners get hurt. Alot. I'm surprised that there is even speculation that going barefoot would be Haile's answer. If I had to pick I'd get him off that blasted treadmill before I'd have him kick off his shoes. But mostly, I would want him to do anything he could to love running again. I hope he comes back, even just to run races for fun.
Runners get hurt. Alot. I'm surprised that there is even speculation that going barefoot would be Haile's answer. If I had to pick I'd get him off that blasted treadmill before I'd have him kick off his shoes. But mostly, I would want him to do anything he could to love running again. I hope he comes back, even just to run races for fun.
Good luck to him in whatever
Good luck to him in whatever he decides to do now. I'm kind of surprised he didn't retire earlier, he's been a world class runner for as long as I've followed track, the last 15 years or so.
I do not think the shoes are to blame for his troubles though. He's always been the image of perfect form for me. He's never said, that I know of, that he's made an effort to become a heel striker. What he did say was that once he started running longer distances he tried to shift his landing to be less on the forefoot which is only natural as your speed goes down.
Good luck to him in whatever he decides to do now. I'm kind of surprised he didn't retire earlier, he's been a world class runner for as long as I've followed track, the last 15 years or so.
I do not think the shoes are to blame for his troubles though. He's always been the image of perfect form for me. He's never said, that I know of, that he's made an effort to become a heel striker. What he did say was that once he started running longer distances he tried to shift his landing to be less on the forefoot which is only natural as your speed goes down.
Jimmy Hart wrote: i also
I think it is interesting that a lot of us feel that running barefoot is the natural way to run. But then we go out and run long distances and speeds that are not natural. Then we get injured and try to blame it on things like shoes, heel striking and poor form. I don't think running 100 miles a week at speed is very natural and it contributes to the so-called inevitable running injury. There are way more factors involved in most injuries than if we were barefoot or shod.
Jimmy Hart said:
I think it is interesting that a lot of us feel that running barefoot is the natural way to run. But then we go out and run long distances and speeds that are not natural. Then we get injured and try to blame it on things like shoes, heel striking and poor form. I don't think running 100 miles a week at speed is very natural and it contributes to the so-called inevitable running injury. There are way more factors involved in most injuries than if we were barefoot or shod.
I don't think there is
I don't think there is anything natural about running a marathon in slightly over 2 hours. He pushed the boundaries of what is humanly possible, but with that comes a price. Hopefully, he finds fullfillment in his post-marathoning life.
I don't think there is anything natural about running a marathon in slightly over 2 hours. He pushed the boundaries of what is humanly possible, but with that comes a price. Hopefully, he finds fullfillment in his post-marathoning life.
I don't know you guys. It's
I don't know you guys. It's not just the fact that he can run with a mid-foot plant with or without shoes on. The Tarahumara can run daily, for 60 - 100 miles at a time, significant miles repeatedly and continue to do so until they are in their 80s. According to both Ted and Chris, they run both barefoot and in huaraches, and they experience little to no long-term injuries, so they definitely have a healthy running style. No cushioned shoes to interfere in any way. They are true hunter-gatherers. If we are to believe that our ancestors hunted down game by running after it until it collapsed of exhaustion, then indeed, it would make sense that the body should be able to run fast over a period of 2 hours, and it would make since that they had to do this on a near daily basis, since they had to eat.
I don't know you guys. It's not just the fact that he can run with a mid-foot plant with or without shoes on. The Tarahumara can run daily, for 60 - 100 miles at a time, significant miles repeatedly and continue to do so until they are in their 80s. According to both Ted and Chris, they run both barefoot and in huaraches, and they experience little to no long-term injuries, so they definitely have a healthy running style. No cushioned shoes to interfere in any way. They are true hunter-gatherers. If we are to believe that our ancestors hunted down game by running after it until it collapsed of exhaustion, then indeed, it would make sense that the body should be able to run fast over a period of 2 hours, and it would make since that they had to do this on a near daily basis, since they had to eat.
I'm not necessarily comparing
I'm not necessarily comparing Haile to the Tarahumara. I'm comparing what a human should be capable of over a period of a lifetime. It is believed that those who live most natural are able to run for great lengths at high speeds...just in order to survive. Sure, I'm guessing most people on the Earth don't have to fight to survive this way any longer, but we have not evolved (or unevolved) so quickly over the past 40 years that our bodies cannot fight to survive if they had to. That's all I'm trying to say.
I'm not necessarily comparing Haile to the Tarahumara. I'm comparing what a human should be capable of over a period of a lifetime. It is believed that those who live most natural are able to run for great lengths at high speeds...just in order to survive. Sure, I'm guessing most people on the Earth don't have to fight to survive this way any longer, but we have not evolved (or unevolved) so quickly over the past 40 years that our bodies cannot fight to survive if they had to. That's all I'm trying to say.
TJ I agree that we can run a
TJ I agree that we can run a significant amount of miles, however I am almost positive the Tarahumara don't run 6 days a week including speedwork and then crosstrain a couple of times a week too. They probably run a long distance then rest a week or two and then do it again. If they are tired they probably run slower or don't run based on how they feel. They probably push themselves at times but probably not regularly. (This is all guesswork I may be completely wrong)
Pushing your body beyind it's limits to get faster or go longer on a regular basis is more what I was talking about. The tarahumara they run fast, but not even close to running as fast as they probably could. I think they like to be able to stand up after they are done running, not collapse when they get to their destination.
TJ I agree that we can run a significant amount of miles, however I am almost positive the Tarahumara don't run 6 days a week including speedwork and then crosstrain a couple of times a week too. They probably run a long distance then rest a week or two and then do it again. If they are tired they probably run slower or don't run based on how they feel. They probably push themselves at times but probably not regularly. (This is all guesswork I may be completely wrong)
Pushing your body beyind it's limits to get faster or go longer on a regular basis is more what I was talking about. The tarahumara they run fast, but not even close to running as fast as they probably could. I think they like to be able to stand up after they are done running, not collapse when they get to their destination.
Oh, I agree, Abide. I don't
Oh, I agree, Abide. I don't think they (hunter-gatherers) train as hard as the big named athletes do today either, but I think they ran hard and long a few days a week, sure maybe not 6 days.
Oh, I agree, Abide. I don't think they (hunter-gatherers) train as hard as the big named athletes do today either, but I think they ran hard and long a few days a week, sure maybe not 6 days.
Thats tough stuff! I was a
Thats tough stuff! I was a cry baby when I first screwed up my IT band in my shod days. No running for a couple months felt like an eternity. For him to push the way he has for so long, he clearly has a passion for what he does, but the pressure he's been under had to take its toll. I really hope gets back those euphoric miles that he started running for. Mos def not natural to push that hard for that long. We don't have to run 26 miles in 2 hours to catch our prey.
Thats tough stuff! I was a cry baby when I first screwed up my IT band in my shod days. No running for a couple months felt like an eternity. For him to push the way he has for so long, he clearly has a passion for what he does, but the pressure he's been under had to take its toll. I really hope gets back those euphoric miles that he started running for. Mos def not natural to push that hard for that long. We don't have to run 26 miles in 2 hours to catch our prey.
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