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From: Tom Meakin Senior
Date: 12/19/2002
Time: 4:57:49 PM
Remote Name: 198.51.174.14
In identifying the causes of the low quality of British distance running at the present time at world class level. I believe that 4 main factors are at work.
1. Lack of numbers entering the sport. This problem is not unique to distance running. This problem can be seen in Boxing, Weightlifting and Cycling, basically in all the “hard sports”. 2. A culture of “going to the gym”. By this I mean that many people want to be fit but lack the “bottle” to compete in a sport” 3. An expansion of the number of sports available to “working class lads”, e.g. Golf, Sailing, Tennis etc. This is the result of living in a richer society. 4. A “wet liberal” philosophy that pervades society and schools in particular. This philosophy holds that people should not be made to do what they do not want to do. Therefore if little Tom is a wimp and does not want to run 3 miles in the rain, don’t force him. In consequence little Tom is weaken both morally and physically. In the long term we are all loser as the proponents of this degenerate philosophy undermine discipline. In the long term for little Tom, there awaits a beer belly at 18 and health problems early in life. In the short term perhaps a great runners is lost! 5. Of that merry band that remain, they just do not train correctly.
Some solutions that could help:
1. Compulsory sports at every school, every school day for 1 hour. This could include dance, but only hard physical sports would be allowed. This would need to be enforced vigorously if this nation is not to become a nation of fat bellied weak armed wimps. I can hear them now, the chattering class calling be a totalitarian fascist. Pity I like it! 2. An encouragement of competition from an early age. We all admire champions and excellence. If girly primary school head teachers don’t, then sack them. Lets exalt excellence and sporting achievements. Encourage everybody to progress in whatever sporting field. In the race for excellence there is no finishing line.
The ideological and system changes I believe are necessary would improve all sports not just distance running.