Posted by Tony S. on 10/31/07 17:39

"Prisoner at War" <prisoner_at_war@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1193844435.215364.241690@19g2000hsx.googlegroups.com...
> 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.

Yes, much too rushed and very short on details. Even VO2max levels weren't
given as numbers but as "fair", "superior", etc.

> 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

There was very very little science in the show or on the website. The main
findings were that 1) aerobic fitness comes fast, and 2)muscles and joints
take much longer, producing injuries. That one was able to finish in 4:09 is
unremarkable given that he rated as "superior" in Vo2max from the first
test.

> 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.

I agree, it was like a cheerleading show to say that, yes average people can
finish a marathon in 5-7 hours, overcoming injuries, but without losing
weight or fat, since that takes more than mere exercise. (They said just the
one lady actually lost weight and fat %). They were saying it's healthy to
exercise blah blah, but who didn't know that already. Very sad how low NOVA
has sunk slowly but surely over the last 20 years.

-Tony

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