This story goes back a couple of years: I was having a really bad run, getting more and more worked up until I decided that none of it was fair.....I was training to try and compete at a higher level, but ability is limited in large by genetics.
Genetics play such a pivotal role in running. There's only so much training that one can do before biomechanical and biological factors reduce further improvement to incremental. And this is without considering sociological impacts.
I finally stopped and kicked a tree stump in frustration. It wasn’t fair. Genetic advantage is as unfair as PEDs I decided. It is not a level playing field. I could never hope to run a sub-30 for example.
But as I would be miserable if I compared every run to Mo Farah, I judge performances and improvements to people at my level, and what I've achieved previously.
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My recent musings which established the unusuality of closeness of competition and ability between replacement chief rival Dan Robinson and I made me reflect: It is rare to find another 'random' runner with whom you are so closely matched over an extended period of training and competition, and with whom progression runs paralleled.
It was much to my surprise when attending a family funeral 18 months ago that I met so many paternal family members who I had no idea existed. And many seemed to run distance, now or at some point past. I then learnt of a personal trainer in London called Sam - who wasn't present, but I deduced him as my second cousin. His parents claimed him to be good. Naturally my curiosity was ignited. Sam would be genetically the closest comparison I would find in running terms (although I am aware that as a second cousin in all likelihood I would share as much genetic profile as a complete stranger (average of 3.125% shared genes)). I not so discretely gathered information and then excused myself to the bathroom to visit thepowerof10, as you do.
The stalkerish results were just what I hoped for: on that day, if we ignore his rather impressive sub-two minute 800 as a 16 year old, my second cousin who is exactly 18 months younger and raced less than me boasted a 33:00 10k to my 33:36 and a marathon PB over 6 minutes faster than my own 2h50 clocking (at that time).
The other week I had the presence of mind to check this again to see how my cousin, who I have still not met was going.
Tim Sam
1mi 4:34 (2013) 4:34 (2014)
5000m 15:37 (2014) 15:34 (2014)
10k 32:59 (2014) 32:44 (2014)
HM 71:53 (2013) 72:06 (2013)
Mar 2h34 (2014) 2h44 (2012)
And in our only head-to-head race, the English National Cross County this year, I beat Sam, finishing 193rd to his 314th (84 seconds). But based on the closeness of the above it seems unfair to weight this too much.
I have resisted the urge to create infographics, but even without them it is curiously close. I find myself wondering just which 3% of genes I may share with him and if perhaps other factors such as height and weight are reasonable similar.
Unfortunately, any (one sided) family rivalry between us is ultimately futile: Christmas 2012 was ruined by a ground-shaking revelation from my step-grandma Margaret. She kindly asked about my running and then mentioned that her great-niece was a good runner. 'You may have heard of her'. 'Oh perhaps,' I humoured her, deeming it unlikely. 'Whats her name?'
'Gemma Steel'.
