Introduction and Reading Study Questions for Week 2 (footrunners)
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Study Questions
Bernd Heinrich, chapter 13. “Evolution of Intelligent Running
Ape People” in
Why We Run: A Natural History
, 163-185.
According to Heinrich’s theory, were the ancestors of humans
stronger or swifter than either the prey they hunted or the predators
they sought to escape?
- no they were no stronger or quicker that their predators or their
prey putting humans at a physical disadvantage
If they were not particularly strong or fast, what important
characteristics did they have that allowed them to survive?
-endurance, cooperation intelligence and physical adaptation
How does Heinrich make the case that early human ancestors were
“endurance predators”?
-they were persistent when hunting so they would follow their prey for
long distances to exhaust their prey
Why is “vision” the key to endurance running?
- because vision means the ability to strategize and think ahead,
giving humans the ability to plan their hunt
Explain Heinrich’s theory of human evolution as it relates to
bipedalism, vision, free hands, living in social groups, intelligence,
tools, and the unique environment of the African savanna.
- being bipedal opened up their hands for tool use, and living in social
groups enabled cooperation. Intelligence and vision allowed umans to
strategize their hunting, especially in the savannah
Did early humans run to escape predators or to get food?
- they ran to get food but were typically slower then predators
If early human ancestors were not fast enough to run down prey, or
strong enough to take prey away from other predators, how were they
able to hunt?
- using their endurance to exhaust their prey making them weak
enough be not be able to escape
When (what time of day) were early humans the strongest hunters?
Why?
- during the hottest parts of the day as they could outlast their prey
quicker
What was unique about early human physiology that allowed them to
operate at this particular time of day?
- they were able to sweat efficiently, helping to cool their bodies and
prevent overheating
Why does this physiology make humans excellent endurance runners?
- because it allows them to maintaine their endurance for a longer
amount of time because of the humans cooling mechanisms
How can humans run down deer and antelope, creatures that are far
faster than humans?
- by tiring them out since they could outlast them and exhaust them
What does Heinrich mean by humans having a taste for the “long
hunt”?
Why did men and women take different roles in regards to hunting
and running in early human cultures?
- men played a more active role in hunting du to their endurance wile
woman would forage and gather
How did female “sexual selection” reinforce the evolution of
endurance hunters?
-woman may prefer those who were more successful hunters leading
to the evolution of those traits in men
How does Heinrich connect the evolution of human endurance
running to the modern mania for sport?
-it suggests that the capacity for endurance running was developed
and is now play into athletic competition like marathons and
endurance races
How are hunting and running races related?
- because they both depend on the humans capacity for endurance, as
they both involve staamina, coordination, and the need to maintain a
steady pace
Do you buy Heinrich’s theory?
- Yes as there is a very clear corrilation with the skills developed then
compared to sporting now
Mark Dyreson, “The Foot Runners Conquer Mexico and Texas:
Endurance Racing,
Indigenismo
, and Nationalism,”
Journal of
Sport History
31 (spring 2004): 1-31.
What was the route for the “foot runner’s” race in Mexico?
- mexico city to the town of toluca
How far, and how fast, did they run?
- 100 km (62 miles) 7 miles a min
Who were the foot runners?
- indigenous long-distance runners from mexico
What did they symbolize about the new, post-revolutionary Mexico?
-resilience, enduracem and cultural pride as their accomplishments
highlighted the strenth and indentity of the people
What was
indigenismo
?
- a cultural movement in latin america that promotes the recognition
and celebration of indigenou culture and heritage
What views did people in Mexico and the United States hold
regarding the “foot runners”?
- im mexico they are seen as cultural heros while int the US they are
regarded for their athletic ability
How did the world, and how did the United States, react to the “foot
runners’” 100-kilometer world record?
-their feats were praised, reported and admired for their speed and
endurance
Why did the “foot runners” come to the United States to race?
- to participate in Texas relays, A very pristegious track and field
event, in order to showcase their abilities internationally
What did Mexico want from the “foot runners’” performance in
Texas?
- they wanted them to demonstrate their athletic prowess and gardner
international recognition as it would leave a positive impact for their
cultural identity
What did Americans want from their performance?
Who made up
the “foot runners” team for the Texas Relays?
- individuals from mexico made up the team, the US wanted the
spectacle of seeing their endurance
How did American, and especially Texan, newspapers depict the “foot
runners”?
-American and Texan newspapers depicted the "foot runners" with a
mix of admiration and curiosity. They highlighted the runners'
incredible feats and the cultural significance of their performances.
How was the name of the tribe generally translated?
- Tarahumara ; a transliteration of the tribes name
How far, and how fast, did the “foot runners” race in Texas?
-100 km 7 miles a min
(men and women) What product was linked to the “foot runners” in
advertisements?
- milk as part of a healthy and balanced diet
Did the “foot runners” set a new world’s record?
- yes
How did fans in Texas react to the “foot runners”?
- they were impressed and fascinated, so they celebrated their
achievements
What did Mexico want the International Olympic Committee to add to
the Olympic program?
- they wanted to add the 100 km race
How did Mexican newspapers cover the race in Texas?
- with great enthusiasm, highlighting their achievements
How did U.S. newspapers cover the race in Texas?
- with great interest and focused more on their ability then
achievement
How did analysts explain the “foot runners” exceptional endurance?
- cultural and physiological adaptations like diet, lifestyle and genetic
factors
Where else did the “foot runners” compete in the 1920s?
- they competed all throughout texas during the time
Where did they reappear much later in the twentieth century?
How did Mexico and the United States use the “foot runners” in
different ways?
What did the “foot runners” themselves think of their feats?
David Epstein, “Sports Genes,”
Sports Illustrated
, May 17,
2010, pp. 53-65.
Was there someone in your high school who was what David Epstein
calls a “natural”?
Do you think genes or work ethic make great athletes?
- its a combonation of both but someone who works hard but has no
"genes" for it will reach a higher ceiling then that of one with genes
but no training
The Genetic Playbook
Did the genetic breakthrough of sequencing the human genome
(accomplished in 2003) give us the power to identify and predict
precisely which genes make great athletes?
- no as it involves interplay of multiple genes and environmental
factors
Could we genetically select a great athlete by looking at DNA?
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- no as the process of identifying genes makes it very difficult to
pinpoint the genes for athletecism
We Are Because We Run
What, according to scientists of human evolution, are we all
programmed (by our DNA) to do?
- BE LONG DISTANCE RUNNERS
What kind of running made our ancestors exceptional predators?
- endurance running
How fast is Usain Bolt in the world of the African savannah?
- he would be the slowest
In what context are all humans spectacularly fast runners?
-in the context of long- distace endurance running due to out natral
cooling ability
How do Epstein’s ideas about running compare to Heinrich’s ideas?
- it alligns with it as they both focus on the point of human evolution
What groups of humans, in the twenty-first century, appear to be the
fastest endurance runners?
-east african populations
Who are the fastest sprinters?
-usain bolt
Do they, according to Epstein, have genetic advantages?
-yes
All Genes Are African
Who is “mitochondrial Eve,” and what does she reveal about our
racial heritage?
-most recent common matrilineal ancestor for all living humans
According to Epstein, why is the average African more likely to be
much more genetically different from his next door neighbor than she
or he would be from Dirk Nowitzki or Ichiro Suzuki?
-because all humans descended from a reletivly small group of
africans
The Speed Gene
What have scientists who have looked for “speed genes” discovered
about whether or not exceptional athletes have such markers in their
DNA?
- they have not been able to indentify the genes for athletic
performance
How much of the world’s population probably has the “speed gene”
(ACTN3)?
- about 50%
Knowledge Equals Power
What would discovering that you had a copy of the ApoE4 gene in
your DNA lead you to change about your lifestyle or behavior?
-might lead to individuals to make lifestyle changes to reduce the risk
of alzheimers and adopt healthier habits
What problems or diseases does the gene increase your risk of
having?
-alzheimers
What did the discovering of that gene lead the hockey player Ron
Duguay to wish he had done during his career?
- wish he wore a helmet during his career to reduce head injury
What have concussion and CTE studies of NFL players revealed about
the ApoE4 gene?
-that athletes with the gene may recover slower from head trauma
and may suffer demetia later in life
Should people with the gene be barred from participating in football,
hockey, boxing, or other contact sports?
Should insurance companies
test for ApoE4?
-no it is up to the athletes decisions as they understand the risks,
insurance policie care debating but it raises ethical questions
Finding the Perfect Athlete
What did geneticists who sought to predict how many people in the
world would have all of the necessary genes to make them superior
endurance runners discover?
-A very small fraction of the population possess all 23 genes needed
Out of the roughly 7 billion people on earth right now, how many are
likely to have all of these 23 genes?
-A very small fraction
What has the geneticist Yannis Pitsiladis discovered about whether or
not world champion athletes are genetically programmed for superior
performance?
- that they are not necessarily proggramed for better performance
What do his studies of East African (Kenyans and Ethiopians) distance
runners reveal about what makes great distance runners?
- living in high altitudes and being part of running culture play a big
role in running success
Is it “nature” (genes) or “nurture” (environment and culture) that
makes the biggest difference?
-nurture
What does the prevalence of hypertension among African Americans
but not among Africans reveal about the nature versus nurture
argument?
-it suggests that both genetic and environmental factors influence
physical traits and health conditions
What explanation does Pitsiladis favor in explaining the dominance of
Kenyan distance runners, Jamaican sprinters, and African-American
basketball players, a socio-economic (cultural) explanation or a
genetic (biological) explanation?
- he prefers a cultural explanation
The Nature of Nurture
If you could “choose your parents,” might you be a better athlete?
- you might have a chance but its no guaruntee as it is not the only
factor
Evidence from studies of what two species indicates that “family
lineage” (genetics) does matter in athletic performance?
- animals and human families
What do studies show about “heritable” exercise capacity in humans?
-that it can be influenced by genetics
Does work ethic or genetic inheritance count for more in creating
athletes?
-there might be a genetic factors that determins the ethic factor
Is there a genetic component of work ethic, in Epstein’s view?
- no as there are various factors that influence it
Why does the geneticist Pitsiladis predict that the sons and daughters
of great Kenyan running stars will not become great runners
themselves?
- because success is not soley determined on genetics
Does Epstein find any evidence of connections between genes and
work ethic?
-no
What does Epstein conclude, is it genetics or work ethic and
environment that produce great athletes?
With a quotation from whom does Epstein conclude his essay?
-Dr. Kwame Nkrumah
What does Epstein tell you about this person (whom you read this
week) that goes beyond his academic interest in running and reveals
his personal accomplishments in the world of sport?
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