Semi OT: Genetics and training (Phinney content)

[Bruce K]

So lying here watching the replay of the FIS Women’s Relay from Norway when the announcers mention the USA 2 Team that did not start.

One of the members was Kelsey Phinney (yes that Phinney).

So Taylor’s younger sister has some speed as well.

Fairly recent graduate from Middlebury with a degree in Neuroscience where she raced in college. Overcame a knee injury (is there a pattern here?).

New to the US team.

Pretty cool...

BK

[redir]

Genes will take you a long way. If you are the kind of person who can handle the discipline of training and you have the genes then you leave everyone else behind. The pro's in any sport are super humans.

[witcombusa]

Those kids are swimming in the deep end of a great gene pool!

[FlashUNC]

At the tip of the spear you gotta have the gift.

World class is world class for a reason.

[oldpotatoe]

So lying here watching the replay of the FIS Women’s Relay from Norway when the announcers mention the USA 2 Team that did not start.

One of the members was Kelsey Phinney (yes that Phinney).

So Taylor’s younger sister has some speed as well.

Fairly recent graduate from Middlebury with a degree in Neuroscience where she raced in college. Overcame a knee injury (is there a pattern here?).

New to the US team.

Pretty cool...

BK

Considering Taylor's height and that her sister is a female, and not dismissing Davis' genes...but a LOT of the strength both of the kids have, both mental and physical, is from Connie...I feel really fortunate to know the family..they are great people, all of them.

[Bruce K]

I didn’t specify which parent.:rolleyes:

Connie and Davis were/are both world class athletes and both kids have worked really hard to achieve their respective successes.

With Kelsey you could easily make the case that Connie’s speed skating ability transferred to Nordic Skiing speed.

The coolest part may be that they are all genuinely good folks.

BK

[David Tollefson]

Davis had a pretty strong background in nordic skiing as well.

[defspace]

Considering Taylor's height and that her sister is a female, and not dismissing Davis' genes...but a LOT of the strength both of the kids have, both mental and physical, is from Connie...I feel really fortunate to know the family..they are great people, all of them.

Mitochondria are maternally inherited. I suspect maternity matters more than paternity for endurance athletes.

[Black Dog]

Mitochondria are maternally inherited. I suspect maternity matters more than paternity for endurance athletes.

Well to a degree. Mitochondrial density in muscles is influenced by training and genetics. Since mitochondria reproduce themselves under the direction of the cell the genes that regulate mitochondrial reproduction are inherited from both parents. However the efficiency of the mitochondria themselves is entirely inherited from the mother.

Non the less. Your genes set the height of the ladder and how fast you climb it. Training moves you up the rungs. All pros have tall ladders and climb them quickly.

[RFC]

The reality is that, if we wanted to, we could create super humans through selective breeding over generations. Results could be achieved much earlier with advances in genetic engineering and gene drivers.

Gattaca is just around the corner.

There was an Olympics many years ago (I don't remember which one) at which the Russians sent a bunch of comely Russian women to the Olympic Village to capture genetic material.

[Gphin]

I often wondered if my Phinney genes were in the same pool. Wifey always said I looked a bit like Davis back in the day:)

[gone]

Genes help, but....

Right now, somewhere in the US there’s a potential TdF winner sitting in a trailer with a 6 pack and a bag of pork rinds watching Duck Dynasty.

There are so many other “filters” (lifestyle, family, opportunity, motivation, ...) that making it to the top level in any sport is akin to winning the lottery.

Yes, having parents that are athletes helps a ton (genetics, biased toward an active lifestyle, supportive environment, ...) but it’s the individual that’s gotta spend the time in the pain cave.


Greg

[54ny77]

sweet, where do i sign up?


Right now, somewhere in the US there’s a potential TdF winner sitting in a trailer with a 6 pack and a bag of pork rinds watching Duck Dynasty.