Sacramento Running News

Pistorius in 2007 (Image courtesy of Wikipedia)

While on this very day, Oscar Pistorius will be running in the 400 meter semi-finals of the World Championships, over at the Science of Sport, Ross Tucker continues to dig into the research on whether those’ prosthetic lower legs give him an unfair advantage. (Hold onto your hat! Tucker posts five lengthy and interesting analyses of the science and politics.)

While Pistorius won the right to compete in the World Championships through a legal appeal, I have my doubts about whether he (or anyone else on these prostheses) will be allowed to compete in open competition for very much longer.

I have always viewed cross-training as something to help prevent injury. Some claim it can make you faster. The science on this has been sketchy at best, and some new studies (as reported by the New York Times) do not really clarify anything.

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This past week, South Africa’s Oscar Pistorius ran 45:07 for the 400, which was fast enough to make him the first amputee to run a qualifying time for the World Championships.

It was an inspirational feat, and the video is worth watching.

I have no doubt that he has worked very hard to achieve amazing things. But part of me wonders about the technology involved.

There are some pretty serious scientists who are quite confident that Pistorius has benefited unfairly by the use of these high-tech, carbon fiber wonders.

(Scientists) Weyand and Bundle said the lightweight blades allow Pistorius “to reposition his limbs 15.7 percent more rapidly” than five of the most recent world record-holders in the 100 meters.

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