They have ultra marathons where you run for 24 hours straight, and this guy would have smoked the current record holder going over rough terrain.
People in general are more athletic nowadays, but our top athletes are basically inhuman compared to athletes from 75 years ago, let alone 2000 years.
It’s most likely a straight up lie, or exaggerated by several multitudes. Ancient “historians” are pretty famous for exaggerating things to make things look more heroic.
For example Herodotus claimed Xerxes led an invasion force of over 5 million people, in reality it was more like 100k-300k. This was well known even as far back as the Roman, who called Herodotus both the father of history and the father of lies.
It’s insane, and science agrees. Read up on Functional Threshold Pace (FTP), which is what would be a factor in runs like this. The sheer amount of fueling (food+water) required to keep pace going would be insanely impossible for 480km, unaided, without stops. And I mean all caps INSANE.
I still think it’s pretty crazy. The “genetic freak factor” is still moderated by the conditions of their environment.
We have a lot more genetically gifted athletes now then back then, and our genetically gifted athletes grew up with diets fortified with vitamins and other nutrients. If modern athletes even slightly struggle with doing something similar, ancient athletes would find it impossible.
It’s just as crazy as claiming that someone from ancient greece would be able to compete on the same level as Usain Bolt in sprinting.
They have ultra marathons where you run for 24 hours straight, and this guy would have smoked the current record holder going over rough terrain.
People in general are more athletic nowadays, but our top athletes are basically inhuman compared to athletes from 75 years ago, let alone 2000 years.
It’s most likely a straight up lie, or exaggerated by several multitudes. Ancient “historians” are pretty famous for exaggerating things to make things look more heroic.
For example Herodotus claimed Xerxes led an invasion force of over 5 million people, in reality it was more like 100k-300k. This was well known even as far back as the Roman, who called Herodotus both the father of history and the father of lies.
I mean yeah it’s definitely a lie I’m not saying it isn’t.
But I do think it’s not that insane of a lie. I mean for one apparently the guy died and for two genetic freak factor.
It’s insane, and science agrees. Read up on Functional Threshold Pace (FTP), which is what would be a factor in runs like this. The sheer amount of fueling (food+water) required to keep pace going would be insanely impossible for 480km, unaided, without stops. And I mean all caps INSANE.
I still think it’s pretty crazy. The “genetic freak factor” is still moderated by the conditions of their environment.
We have a lot more genetically gifted athletes now then back then, and our genetically gifted athletes grew up with diets fortified with vitamins and other nutrients. If modern athletes even slightly struggle with doing something similar, ancient athletes would find it impossible.
It’s just as crazy as claiming that someone from ancient greece would be able to compete on the same level as Usain Bolt in sprinting.