Information, Training Secrets and Intellectual Snobbery..

I read a couple of athlete blogs from time to time that I haven't linked to mine..Mainly because while I like reading them for the interesting, useful tidbits of info of high-performing endurance athletes I can't get over the author's self-aggrandizing tone and manners.

At anyrate, I've met a couple of these folks in person, and they have some traits in common that really turn me off. One of those traits is how much they focus on themselves when you actually converse with them and the second is how much they talk about their accomplishments.

I honestly don't need to hear a person validate themselves publicly, either in their blog or in person, it just rubs me the wrong way for reasons that I don't think I need to list.

Recently one of the bloggers had a chance encounter with Mark Allen of Ironman fame on a plane, they sat right next to each other and shared notes. I thought that was pretty cool, and I finally posted a comment to this person's blog (which I'd never done previously) and asked him if he wouldn't mind mentioning the details of Mark's run training since the blogger had discussed this subject with Allen.

He responded with this: (I bolded a chunk to focus on)

"We didnt discuss details. I gave him my brief marathon history before triathlons and some stuff I did in my first IM season at age 38when I ran a 3:08 marathon split, and since then havent come within 4minutes of that. He reiterated his consistent 55-60 mile run weeks with similar speedwork and long run training as you would do for a fast marathon.

Overall similar to what I was doing in my first season. And...what I am now building to as I end my season with IMAZ in April. I dont however recommend IM athletes go out and slug out 60 mile run weeks.

The type of training I am discussing is primarily for seasoned, sub 2:30open marathon type runners. Speed work 2 times per week, a sub threshold tempo, and long runs of 16-20 miles at a significant pace, up to 30-45 sec faster per mile than IM goal marathon pace. Dangerous stuff to get into for unexperienced marathon runners in my opinion. High risk of injury and over training."

My off-the-cuff reactions:

-First of all, uh... sorry I didn't post my palmares to my comment also, but wouldn't you assume that only seasoned endurance athletes read your blog?

-Geez, I didn't know that only 2.30 or better marathoners could best utilize Mark's info.. Do you think that folks at the 2.45, 3.05 or 3.30 mark aren't running at least this much and these kind or workouts?

-Do you think that you need a 2.30 open marathon to run a fast Ironman marathon? Weird.. Norman Stadler ran a 2.32 open marathon recently.. I guess he's better off ignoring this because, well, he's not fast enough to really make proper use of it.

So then, it gets better... the very next post in his blog revolves around complaining that some guy at a training camp doesn't realize his wife is "fast", which is obviously a blow to his ego since he essentially trains her.

Check it out:

"Ann rode up ahead with a newer pro, 10th overall at CDA in 2007. Couple of others behind us. That was about it by the final 90 minutes of riding, everyone else circled back earlier.

Funny Ann mentioned to the guy she was riding with she was aiming for a top 10 finish at IMAZ in March. He looked suprised and said something like "you mean top 10 age groupers?". Ann said, no, top 10 overall.

He then said something like, "I dont want to shatter anyone's goals but yeah, go for it". I guess he didnt realize that Ann placed in the top 12 overall in the past 2 IM races. Races that were highly competitive, full of pro women, IM Roth and IMWA.

In fact, her total time was in the top 10 female pro times at both races. So, yeah, this guy didnt realize he was biking with a girl that that finished high overal in her last 2 Ironmen. No big deal."

I mean, does he not get that one hand, he's like, "Nah, look unless you're like, really fast this doesn't apply to you" And doesn't know who I am at all...

And, then the next post is, "well, he doesn't know my wife is fast?"

Dude, please. Argh.

You know, whatever. I run into this alot, I always have; athletes can be the worst offenders. I really wanted to address the subjects in the title and thought the rant would be a good primer.

Regarding Training information and/or Secrets: I don't believe there are any secrets any more, and access to information and the efficacy of the application is widely available.

The delta between successful athletes and those who don't self-assess as successful is usually how training methods are applied to management of training.

Intellectual Snobbery is distasteful in athletics. It's one thing to not share training methods because you feel the content has some commercial value, it's another when you're like the blogger who thinks that he knows what the best application is.