I hope people get what I mean by this…
What single thought or experience made you realise ,or remove the last stumbling-block to ,what it takes to run fast consistently?
What made you go from knowing something to actually realise it for yourself ,and utilise it for your own good?
Keep in mind I’m not looking for general advice this time ,nor am I looking for the holy grail of sprinting ,just experiences.
For me this happened only yesterday when after a year i returned to run up the asphalted hill I started my training at.
First I realised how much progress I have made ,then I realised because of this progress how much pressure I put on myself to go fast and actually try ,while running ,to gauge how fast I go - absolutely killing knee-drive and what follows after.
Even though I knew this for an intellectual truth I had to go full circle to realise it as a “feeling-knowing” thruth.
Now I will just focus on doing things right instead of fast ,and slowly gain faith in what I do.
I think ur right - pressure of any kind is an enemy of speed .
This season All the while I was concentating on keeping form at the end of races my starts were fine - then as soon as I started thinking about my starts all sorts of problems crept in .
Fortunately I sussed this and fixed it by creating an imaginary problem to worry about regarding SE - a complex solution to a simple problem but it worked .
On a tangent I think Dwain C’s problem is with pressure - not from outside or bottling it - but from himself - I think he just wants it too much and it gets in his way .
I agree Gloop.
The most pressure I do think comes from within in DC’s case.
However - don’t underestimate the pressure involved when you’re runnning under the UK flag, the BBC hype, pressure, the cooments form MJ, the build up hype from the media, sponsors etc.
Apart from P. Radcliffe, who insulates herself very well from the hype, DC is the main current ‘poster child’ of the UK Athletics scene and has to accept all the hype that goes with it.
Thor- Very important point!
Re Dwain: Might his problems this year also stem from the new start rule? As he is a strong accelerator and relies on power from the blocks, any tentativeness on his part will be a killer. Note in Britain- where he knows he’s unlikely to have any problem- he can get out. Also note that evenness is important in the race execution. even if you’re ahead at 60m - if you had to achieve it by an easy start followed by a crushing acceleration- the extra cost of this race model will kill you at the finish.
I never felt that Ben was likely to run a great anchor leg on a relay. was this because of a lack of confidence? Hell no! The problem was his acceleration ability was so great that he had a hard time moderating it so that he didn’t start accelerating away from the incomming runner, thus forcing him to slow up to get the pass and accelerate again- a huge drain on energy. Maybe this is the case with Dwain as well. We’d have to see the film to know.
So the ‘extra’ strength he has gained - is now, because of the new rule, not being used as to it’s best - i.e. explosive starting speed, because of this tentativeness?
That’s my impression.
i honestly think DC is placing huge pressure on his own shoulders and the UKAT and others as MJ isn’t helping him either.we seen him last year crumbling under the pressure at the CG’s…
yes charlie its true in what you say but he is not the only sprinter out there who relies heavily on early acceleration.from may onwards DC was stating he would run 9.60…come on Dwain.the presssure was totally self-inflicted and he just couldn’t deliver under the stress.
It never helps to talk to the press, whose stock and trade is seduction and betrayal. Actions speak louder anyway.
As for MJ- he’s been such an absolute prick towards everyone that I can’t imagine anyone taking anything he says to heart.
correct and true.but the way most people look at Mj is 19.32.he is very honest and not helping anyone with his forwardness.
why dosen’t he help rather than knock people down.personally i think when he worked briefly with NASA the treatment had an adverse reaction,u.s astronauts watch out! or you end up like MJ,talking mule
I know he’s put his foot in his mouth on many occassions - but to be fair - on the BBC all MJ said was that he 'didn’t think all that bulk was necessary for a sprinter ’ and that he thought D was looking too heavy .
Thing is tho he didn’t really look much different from last year did he , and then people were thinking he looked awesome .
I also agree no23 - with the other names of UK track falling to the watside D was under even more preesure to perform than ever , think the same thing happened to MLF - or was that just a case of peaking too soon ?.
Is Dwayne mentally strong enough to be the daddy? I’ve had my doubts ever since he started copying Mo’s pre-race routine a few years ago. Surely a real champ has got to express HIMSELF and not mimic somebody else. I agree that MJ’s comments re Dwayne’s current shape were honest and - IMHO - entirely correct.
MLF now looks like somebody who needs world class guidance to take him the next step.
I got totally fed up watching the Brits in Paris. Too many coming off the track with a giggle, a shrug of the shoulders and the stock ‘I just don’t know what happened,’ comment.
I know what you’re saying Charlie, and I agree and I think the start has had a influence on his performance.
I’m not sure what the public think of him in the US and Canada, but in Europe it’s clear.
Part of the problem in Europe is that the BBC put MJ on such a platform they give the impression his word is infallible, and like Xman says - the 19.32 only adds invinciblity to that.
I believe a lot of the heat MJ gets is not as much what he says but the manner in which he says it.
If you ever see Sue, Colin, Brendan listen to him on the BBC - it’s like the Gospel and they laugh at all his jokes etc. - I’m not knocking the guy - but someone like CJ should disagree with his harshness from time to time.
And yes - DC did peak a little early - as did one or two others.
The one who really surprised me was TM though - I thought he wouldn’t make the final going on his prep.
DC, as someone pointed out earlier this year, keeps changing his routine or attitude pre-meet. He hasn’t settled on his approach demeanour etc.
The UK scene promotes the sprints to a great degree. PR can win all she wants but she’ll never get the same coverage or hype as DC. He is carrying the ‘Linford’ flag now and all the hype that goes with it. The reality is a better guy to follow would be the other DC - Darren Campbell.
That guy has a great attitude to sport/work and life.
MLF - I’m just not sure he’ll reach the heights of the rest of the others.
A few thoughts about the British scene. It’s a kick in the ass to British athletes and athletics for the BBC to have MJ as a commentator. Of course, I’m never politically correct but I still think that Linford should be there instead. The British authorities exonerated him and they should stand up for him. Linford knows the scene and can comment with authority. Of course, MJ could also, if he wanted to, but he doesn’t. He craps on everybody, British or American, and the BBC is piling on by hiring MJ- the inference being that no-one in Britain is as qualified to comment on British athletics.
Who can forget Mj’s commentary from the Grand Prix Final last year: “This is a great race cause Mo’s not in it”
But don’t the media in UK hate Linford.
MJ is the greatest sprinter ever. Sure he was good, but can talk about a performance and not the athlete.
Depends on whether or not you see the 100m as the main event. Maybe he always wanted to be 100 meter guy himself but knew he could never make it. Maybe that’s why he feels the need to insult 100m sprinters? Who knows? I really don’t think he understands the event very well and doesn’t add any value.
DCW I was joking. Greatest sprinter I can remember this thread on that.
I think you are right, either that all he is trying to show everybody he still is around. Go figure.
I agree Charlie, I’d love to see LC on the BBC (the energy with CJ and LC would be very good too!), but we all know why he won’t be there.
LC has a great personality for TV as well.
I gotta say MJ’s a refreshing change from the usual fawning that goes on at the BBC even if he can be a pain in the arse - they’re always so terrified that ‘the sport will be shown in a negative light’ that people rarely say what they really think and skirt around the issues .
MJ is on there because he adds to the glamour and boosts ratings - he could definately improve the quality of his comments ( I’d personnally be interested in his training regime 
)
I miss John Regis - someone else who wasn’t scared to say what he thought - is that why he left
Linford didn’t always seem comfortable on live TV but like anyone - I’d be chuffed to bits just to see him speak about sprinting anywhere anytime . BBC dropped him like a hot rock and it’s like he never existed .
Thank god for Steve Cram - a voice of reason - a wicked sense of humour ( and an eye for gurl sprinters as he used to prove on Eurosport lol which had better overall coverage with just him doing it ) - he provides much relief from Brendan ( I can repeat one phrase like a record stuck in its groove for 20 minutes without drawing breath ) Foster .
Sally Gunnel’s banished trackside to decipher the exhausted gaspings of post event athletes ( at least she don’t start each sentence with ‘weeeeeellllllll’ anymore ) no wonder they come out with daft comments like ‘I dunno what happened’ after what they thought was a poor run ( Joyce M had actually run a SB in one instance ) - and there’s Roger Black and his amazing dancing eyebrows as a very nervous anchorman :rolleyes: .
Not sure about Colin yet - a great bloke but time will tell .
Bottom line is - I’m just glad that athletics is still on TV - and no ads.
You can sing that!!! - it’s great wiothout commercials!!!