An extremely interesting article on the New York Times of the 16th of May 2016 describes the attempts of sport scientist Prof. Yannis Pitsidalis to produce a revolutionary marathon time.
Pitsidalis audacious plan is to use science to facilitate a sub-two-hour marathon by 2019, a decade or two sooner than many experts think possible. A sub 2 hour marathon can be achieved, according to Pitsidalis, within five years by applying a dedicated scientific approach involving the very latest knowledge in key areas such as genetics, bioenergetics, biomechanics, nutrition, sports engineering and coaching and performance science.
The article shows Pitsiladis'trip to Ethiopia to test young athletes in a rural East African village at altitude and find who have the potential to break the two hours threshold and transform the limits of human endurance.
The full article can be read directly on the NY Times website: Two-Hour Marathon. Can It Be Done?
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