genetics of running?

[A Fool]

I saw something interesting so I desided to ask the brains that be:

 

I was watching a program about military training and they mentioned that they have problems with some of their recruits that, even after long training, cannot physically cope with lengthy/long distance runs, and they suspected that it was genetic and that no matter how hard they train they will never be able to long distance run without collapsing. I just wanted an educated opinion on the matter thanks.

 

~Fool

[Paralith]

I don't know much about this, but I can offer one tidbit of information. My current supervisor, Yi-Wen Chen, has done a lot of expression profile studies on muscles, and the gene expression profiles for flexed muscles are different than the profiles of the same muscles while relaxed. In other words, the process of physical movement involves active changes in gene expression. Judging by this if nothing else, I would say that genetics can most certainly have an effect on your inherent running ability.

[Bluenoise]

It does have an effect (obviously). I saw a documentary on this exact same thing.

 

Here's a very unscientific document that you can use to start a more detailed search

http://sportsci.org/jour/9804/inbrief.html

 

 

Same thing occurs with weight training. Some people no matter how hard they try to bulk up and gain strength will always stay at about the same place. However interestingly enough these people still do get the health benefits associated with hight levels of training even though they don't show any visually obvious progress...