Can a group of elite marathon runners chased down an antelope?

nerraw1111

On the plains of New Mexico, a band of elite marathoners tests a controversial theory of evolution: that humans can outrun the fastest animals on earth

After running for two and a half hours, they log a 4:36 mile, according to their GPS. It's 94 degrees. It seems within reach

Great read if not a bit comic in its execution

http://outsideonline.com/adventure/travel-ga-201105-persistance-hunting-sidwcmdev_155715.html

RacoonQueen

What's with all the threads about these animals and marthons? They can compete in track and field events too you know. This forum is soooooo obsessed with marathons. *grumble, grumble*


Sorry, couldn't resist. :pac:

donothoponpop

RacoonQueen wrote: »

What's with all the threads about these animals and marthons? They can compete in track and field events too you know. This forum is soooooo obsessed with marathons. *grumble, grumble*


Sorry, couldn't resist. :pac:

Wayyyyyy before the m*r*th*n was ever a mass participation sport for animals, Greek philosophers were discussing the respective running times of various species. One of the most famous, is the race between Achilles and the Tortoise:


Zeno of Elea (circa 450 b.c.) is credited with creating several famous paradoxes, but by far the best known is the paradox of the Tortoise and Achilles. (Achilles was the great Greek hero of Homer's The Iliad.) It has inspired many writers and thinkers through the ages, notably Lewis Carroll and Douglas Hofstadter, who also wrote dialogues involving the Tortoise and Achilles.
The original goes something like this:

The Tortoise challenged Achilles to a race, claiming that he would win as long as Achilles gave him a small head start. Achilles laughed at this, for of course he was a mighty warrior and swift of foot, whereas the Tortoise was heavy and slow.
“How big a head start do you need?” he asked the Tortoise with a smile.
“Ten meters,” the latter replied.
Achilles laughed louder than ever. “You will surely lose, my friend, in that case,” he told the Tortoise, “but let us race, if you wish it.”
“On the contrary,” said the Tortoise, “I will win, and I can prove it to you by a simple argument.”
“Go on then,” Achilles replied, with less confidence than he felt before. He knew he was the superior athlete, but he also knew the Tortoise had the sharper wits, and he had lost many a bewildering argument with him before this.
“Suppose,” began the Tortoise, “that you give me a 10-meter head start. Would you say that you could cover that 10 meters between us very quickly?”
“Very quickly,” Achilles affirmed.
“And in that time, how far should I have gone, do you think?”
“Perhaps a meter – no more,” said Achilles after a moment's thought.
“Very well,” replied the Tortoise, “so now there is a meter between us. And you would catch up that distance very quickly?”
“Very quickly indeed!”
“And yet, in that time I shall have gone a little way farther, so that now you must catch that distance up, yes?”
“Ye-es,” said Achilles slowly.
“And while you are doing so, I shall have gone a little way farther, so that you must then catch up the new distance,” the Tortoise continued smoothly.
Achilles said nothing.
“And so you see, in each moment you must be catching up the distance between us, and yet I – at the same time – will be adding a new distance, however small, for you to catch up again.”
“Indeed, it must be so,” said Achilles wearily.
“And so you can never catch up,” the Tortoise concluded sympathetically.
“You are right, as always,” said Achilles sadly – and conceded the race.

Woddle

I tried not to laugh but couldn't resist once the images of Brad Pitt and a pizza eating Michael Angelo started entering my head.

Pisco Sour

RacoonQueen wrote: »

What's with all the threads about these animals and marthons? They can compete in track and field events too you know. This forum is soooooo obsessed with marathons. *grumble, grumble*


Sorry, couldn't resist. :pac:

I'm sure a Red Kangaroo would demolish Mike Powell's long jump record. Couldn't see Jonathan Edwards' triple jump mark lasting long either.

nerraw1111

I blame Born To Run and the popularity of paleo fitness/diet movement.