Posted by Prisoner at War on 10/31/07 15:27

On Oct 30, 6:51 pm, "rms" <rsqui...@REMOVEflashMOO.net> wrote:
> > just order the DVD of this Nova episode, but it probably ain't coming
> > out anytime soon....
>
> 01/04/08 according tohttp://shop.wgbh.org/product/search?terms=marathon+challenge
>
> rms



Thanks, but I actually did catch it last night, and while it started
out great, I think they did a "fast forward" half-way through in order
to bring it within 50 minutes, and that was unfortunate. It was like
them old "Draw 50 Cars" (Dogs/Dinosaurs/Airplanes/Famous People) books
for kids, which started out with simple geometric sketches that
continue until, in the last two, are full-blown finished
illustrations...if you know what I mean..."Team Nova" were going
through their workouts, and suddenly there was the marathon and they
did it.

I would have preferred more "science"...towards the end the program
just felt rushed...would be great if the DVD had a "director's cut"
with a lot more material, particularly scientific stuff...some of what
I have in mind they put up on the website for this episode, like an
after action report, but I suspect it's probably slim pickings...this
was a great idea, but only half-baked...I mean, like you had that ex-
pro football guy from the New England Patriots...it would have been
great to go in-depth into the experience of a strength athlete vis-a-
vis the marathon...the narrator even articulated the matter, asking
whether all human beings are naturally built to run marathons or only
a certain physical type...but the program never goes any
further...things just really feel perfunctory. A bit disappointed.
You'd think they'd do some cutting-edge science here instead of a sort
of PBS-version of "Biggest Loser"...it was interesting that the fat
lady who started out all fucked-up physically wound up with the best
VO2Max out of all the ladies and ran the fastest, despite still being
fat! They should have really explored that, and that ex-footballer
who managed to finish but had to take frequent and likely prolonged
breaks...I myself feel both a strength athlete and a "mid-distance"
runner and would have really appreciated in-depth elaboration on
that...etc., etc., etc.

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