Christophe Lemaitre "White Lightning" 9.92 and 19.80!

[white lightning]

The only problem I have with Lemaitre is that his coach is probably too relaxed and he lacks experience. I really wish he wasn't going to school fulltime. They are wearing the kid out. His family and coach should try to persuade him to put off school until after his athletics career. He has that once in a life time talent that should not go to waste. It makes me angry that he has not gotten any stronger in the off season. I love the kid and root for him with all of my energy but he needs the right people to guide him. He will get old very quick and his career will stall if they don't approch everything the right way. Hoping they skip the race this weekend and get him back to where he needs to be soon.

I will guarantee one thing though. No one on the planet is more angry and embarassed than Christophe right now. He is not going to accept this and he will do everything it takes to get back running fast very soon. Give him a few weeks to a month and watch out.Edited by: white lightning

 

[trackster]

Well, I'm pretty danged disappointed which is why I am being hard on him. The problem is--and we all know this--he isn't just an athlete any more. He is a symbol. There's no avoiding it. He stands for a lot more than just Christophe LeMaitre now. A lot of kids are looking up to him. He could inspire an entire new generation of runners. So he can't afford to suck. Indoors, outdoors, 60, 200. Doesn't matter. He can't be seen putting his reputation on the line and getting annihilated by second tier mediocrities. And my fear, as FastEuro suggested, is that his training was simply never that intense. On top of which, training in that many different time zones is moronic. Most Europeans (like Pickering) are smart enough to do their warm weather work in South Africa. It's a long flight, but at least it's in the same time zone. A four day junket to Japan? Ay yi yi. Yeah, I'm venting...

 

[Twinsen9]

Hey ! Don't forget he was sick in december...<div>
</div><div>We are just on february.

In march, he will be better. And in Korea, I hope he will do his best.</div>

 

[JReb1]

Let's see what Chris does in the summer before jumping to conclusion
about his training and dedication to the sport he loves. If by the end
of the summer CL doesn't improve by a few tenths of a second off his 9.97 we will
then know he wasn't properly prepared this year as last. Chris BETTER be ready for
the 2012 Olympics though, so he can at least medal in the 100 or 200.

 

[mastermulti]

I'd say he's tired from training, travelling. Combine that with a month around christmas of minimal training due to illness and I will disagree with you guys. I don't think 6.65-6.70 is too dismal at this stage. Seemed to me his fatigue showed in a lack of kick mid-race.
Whether he's overtrained or undertrained his recent endeavours reek of fatigue.

C'mon Trackster. It's not his head. We know he wins races and Tyson Gay himself commented on his good mental attitude.
Right now it MAY be having an effect on him because he hasn't much experience but some wise people have to get him to believe his only moderate times are those of a tired athlete, are only temporary and are not crucial to his long term season goals.
He'll just have to learn to deal with this as part of what T&F throws at you at this level.

Anyway, I'm prepared to wait patiently for big things in a few months. I'll bet he soon reverses the result on Ernst (who has after all been running very good indoor 200s)Edited by: mastermulti

 

[Bk21]

come one guys! some of the comments are very hard on the kid, like if two bad
performances will determin his whole career! we're all disappointed but somehow
logical, it is february and he is in the middle of a huge physical training (and
no it's not just for the cameras, his coach detailed his training and
weighlifting schedule and I can assure you it's pretty huge, and he's working his physical training with Renaud Longuevre group who is a well known physical trainer for top athletes)..<div>here's an article after his stuttgart's race</div><div>and here his reaction after his Liévin race</div><div>
</div>

 

[white lightning]

Here is what Christophe said. Thanks for posting this bk21.
Lemaitre: "Lack of freshness"





Only 6 of the 60 <SUP>th</SUP> meeting in Lievin m from Tuesday night (6''69), Christophe Lemaitre believes that lack of physical freshness after a heavy winter preparation.


"I still lack freshness. I pay the course of fatigue in the U.S., it will do me good to go a little at Aix, to find my bearings and get in shape now and the championships of France.I knew it would be difficult, "said Christophe Lemaitre Voice of Sport after his <SUP>6th</SUP> place of 60 m from the rally Tuesday night in Lievin 6''69.




<DIV ="blocPub">document.write('</SCR' ?ipt +> &lt; height=250 marginHeight=0 ="http://ad.yieldmanager.com/st?ad_=&amp;ad_size=300x250&amp;site=431951&amp;section_code=sp-ah_LREC_Top&amp;cb=1297247647457787&amp;yrc=&amp;ycg=m&amp;yyob=1969" Border=0 width=300 allowTransparency marginWidth=0 scrolling=no&gt; <NO><O>Edited by: white lightning

 

[mastermulti]

the articles indicate exactly what a lot of us suspected. He's learning to cope with an elite athlete's workload.

I bet he's asleep before he touches the pillow these days.

I re-read an article from my Aussie all time favourite sprinter Damien Marsh in a 1996 issue of Track and Field magazine yesterday.
He said when he went to the U.S. to train he felt like he was a school boy athlete compared to the workload of the top Americans.

My guess is Christophe is learning the same lesson.

 

[Observer]

the articles indicate exactly what a lot of us suspected. He's learning to cope with an elite athlete's workload.

I bet he's asleep before he touches the pillow these days.

I re-read an article from my Aussie all time favourite sprinter Damien Marsh in a 1996 issue of Track and Field magazine yesterday.
He said when he went to the U.S. to train he felt like he was a school boy athlete compared to the workload of the top Americans.

My guess is Christophe is learning the same lesson.

Well, if he actually learns this lesson, it is the end-of-the-line for him as a short sprinter. The heavier work-load will transform him into a long sprinter; or else a short sprinter that can only peak and have a few good races each year. (Or another option, to find the vitamins that help these other elite sprinters recover from the work-load.)

On the other hand, he's already legend, and has done plenty enough for a career, more than any other French sprinter ever.

 

[FastEuro]

Seems like his body is still recovering from the intense training. When your body is not used to a specific activity, it shuts down - breakdowns. Th healing process is where the gains are made. He is not healed, and with intense training, depending on your body (we all recover differently) recovery can take a while. Once your body is used to a form of training, then there is no more of a shutdown, the body knows what to expect and compensates/recovers much more quickly. The only other way to recover quickly from intense training is with the magic yams, if you know what I mean.

 

[the argie]

For what I am reading, it seems that Christophe has turned, suddenly, into a bad sprinter.
The boy is just tired, so he needs some days to recover. He will not go toKarlsruhe, he prefer recovering andpreparing the French championship.
About CL training, read Patrice Ragni's blog.
Edited by: the argie

 

[the argie]

Thanks for posting the video but it won't play in the United States. Can you please try to post it to youtube if possible? Thanks.

I haven't an youtube account. There's another link:

http://video.eurosport.fr/athletisme/le-reseau-christophe-lem_vid165617/video.shtml

If it doesn't work, you can use that:

http://www.allanonymity.com

 

[LoLy]

Thanks for posting the video but it won't play in the United States. Can you please try to post it to youtube if possible? Thanks.

<div>
<div></div>I haven't an youtube account. There's another link:</div>
<div></div>
<div>http://video.eurosport.fr/athletisme/le-reseau-christophe-lem_vid165617/video.shtml</div>
<div></div>
<div>If it doesn't work, you can use that:</div>
<div></div>
<div>http://www.allanonymity.com</div>
<div></div>
<div></div>

Main informaitons in this vid for the English speaking viewers:
- now he trains 1.5 h of weight training every morning, and 2 h of running in the evening
- he and his coach now that he lack of power
- CL said he is just 20 with only 5 years of experience in sprint, so he has to work out to improve his technique
- his coach says he is generaly slow while training. he is a "competition guy" that runs fast only for events. That's is streght: a very strong mental capacity to go beyond his limits.

 

[trackster]

That sounds like good news. I couldn't get the video to work, so I appreciate the summary.

 

[Twinsen9]

See that !<div>
</div><div>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDXHaoamcac

Christophe was very tired !!!</div><div>
</div><div>His legs are "heavy" (I don't know how to say that in good english sorry)</div><div>
</div><div>I'm not anxious. Christophe is just tired after a big big month in january.</div>

 

[JReb1]

See that !<div>
</div><div>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDXHaoamcac

Christophe was very tired !!!</div><div>
</div><div>His legs are "heavy" (I don't know how to say that in good english sorry)</div><div>
</div><div>I'm not anxious. Christophe is just tired after a big big month in january.</div>

CL does look tired here but I can visibly notice that he's gained
some muscle mass since last summer which should help him in the 100 this
summer. I still think Christophe will break the 9.90 barrier this
summer and run a 9.87-9.89. CL took a full 10th of a second off of his
100 from 2009 to 2010 so I fully expect him to do the same in 2011 and
2012 which would put him in the 9.7's for the Olympics and give him a good shot at a
medal but probably not the gold, IMHO

GO CL!

 

[trackster]

Christophe apparently won't even run in the Euro indoor championships now. His coach has ordered him to rest for two weeks. And now I see this video where he's huffing and puffing long after the race is over, whereas all of his competitors recovered immediately. Tiredness doesn't make you huff and puff! Being out of shape does. And resting for two weeks won't get him into better shape.

His coach is a small town guy in over his head. He's been given the most talented runner in Europe, and he's ruining him. Carraz simply doesn't have a clue what to do with LeMaitre. He's trying everything at once, creating an absurd travel schedule, failing to oversee Christophe's horrendous eating habits, starting a weight program four years too late, failing to get him in shape for the start of the indoor season, killing Christophe's once supreme confidence by making him look awful in every race, ordering him to rest when he's in terrible condition already. We are watching the unraveling of Christophe LeMaitre before our very eyes. After all our anticipation, they've thrown in the towel on 2011. Maybe he'll get a new coach for 2012.

 

[white lightning]

Ok trackster. I love you man. You have a tremendous knowledge of track but you are jumping off the bandwagon a little too quick. Am I upset? Yes. Am I a little angry? Of course but it's not as bad as you think it is. I'm usually a negative guy when I don't see what I should see. This kid is in a little over his head as is his coach. They will get it worked out. Don't give up on Christophe. If you do you will be sorry. Trust me that Christophe will be just fine by the summer. The only thing I hate it that he should be improving and not being stuck in neutral. That pisses me off. I still have to try to have faith in his coach and the team around him. He is not and will never be another Shirvo. He is a cut above and I sitill expect alot of upside from him. I just hope I don't have to wait till 2012 or later to see it. My final thought is that all will be forgiven as long as he is ready by the summer time. Train hard, eat hard and make sure he gets his rest. New personal bests are coming this summer although they may not be as much of a jump as we had hoped for.

 

[trackster]

Oh, don't worry. I'm just venting. I'm a Christophe LeMaitre man to the end. Pickering, too. I just feel like there's no way he should have come out slower this year than last, and it's looking like his coach doesn't have a clue. But, believe me, I am hoping he turns this around before the outdoor season. It does, unfortunately, sound like they have shut him down for the indoor.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/lemaitre-absence-boosts-gb-chances-2212432.html

 

[the argie]

I've got a friend, he's from Nigeria but he lives in France, he loves athletics, and he follows CL after 2009. Every week he writes me to give me french athletis and CL's news. He told me a lot of things.

About his coach, he told me the French federation wanted to take Carraz to the insep, but he decided to remain in Savoie. Ibelieve ifthey wanted to take him it was not for being a badtrainer.

Christophe initiatedhiswight traininglate becausehis parentswanted CL ending his physical development before. So, CL initiated his weight training when his parents wanted.

About CL eating habits, ok, he likes burgers but every weekend, when he goes to his parents' home, his motherprepares the food for whe week. And she doesn't do fast food.

There are more things but now Idon't wantwriting.

And next week, i'm going to put the video in youtube.Edited by: the argie

 

[white lightning]

Thank you for all the great updates. We appreciate you and your friend keeping us up to date. I hope he can run fast at the French Indoor Champs. I want to see him get back into the 6.50's range.

 

[the argie]

About CL's training:
"De toutue façon, il n'avait pas le choix. Il avait vachement de retard. Il a été très malade en décembre, il ne tenait même pas debout. Et puis, je n'attache pas tant d'importance que ça a la salle: c'est une preparation pour l'été"
Pierre Carraz, 5 frebruary 2011.

The important is not if CL runs in 6''50, but if he runs in -9''90

 

[the argie]

There is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8dhxWbw5a0

I thought to subtitle it, but my English level is the worst in the world.Edited by: the argie

 

[white lightning]

Thank you my friend from all us here and those of us on youtube. Youtube.com has really grown into the most popular video uploading site in the world. Now if only we can find a way to get it translated. There are programs that can do sub titles but I don't know too much about them. Hoping he bounces back in a big way in the near future.

 

[Bk21]

latest news about Lemaître here


Next race in indoor French Championship this sunday