Around 100 years ago, the world's leading scientists got together to discuss "eugenics", the idea that we could selectively breed "good stock" for the benefit of the human race. This happened openly, with the support of the USA's judicial system, and looks macabre and horrific in hindsight. It made me wonder about over-confidence, and knowledge, and how experts shouldn't ever profess absolute certainty, on anything.
The Science of Sport - Scientific comment and analysis of sports and sporting performance
Nike recently unveiled the Vaporfly Elite, the shoe it has been working on to help it break the 2-hour marathon barrier. The shoe incorporates a "spring plate", and is claimed to have significant performance implications. I think the shoe, and the incorporation of spring-like devices in all shoes, should be banned for future credibility of performance. Here's why
The Science of Sport - Scientific comment and analysis of sports and sporting performance
Attending the 2017 IOC Sports Injury and Illness Conference, it struck me that injury researchers are far more collaborative than those in performance. I think shared purpose is the reason. Here's a brief thought on that.
The Science of Sport - Scientific comment and analysis of sports and sporting performance
Kenenisa Bekele kicks off the 2017 Marathon season in Dubai, with what is a potential world record. It's the year of the "Breaking-2" after Nike's announcement last December. This article is an expanded version of one I wrote for an SA Newspaper on Jan 15th, 2017
The Science of Sport - Scientific comment and analysis of sports and sporting performance
Nike's announcement that they're backing three top marathoners to break the 2 hour marathon barrier in Spring 2017, is the latest installment in the sub-2 hype. Relevance and legitimacy aside, what would it take, product and course wise, to achieve? I look at shoes and downhill running to illustrate the concept of physiological barriers and how they might be shifted.
The Science of Sport - Scientific comment and analysis of sports and sporting performance