running success is not predicated on ones resistance to pain For her age group, it generally is. It's rare to find a teen runner who has developed that SEAL-t

running success is not predicated on ones resistance to pain For her age group, it generally is. It's rare to find a teen runner who has developed that SEAL-team-like mental resilience to blow through all pain barriers. At the elite level, sure, it usually becomes a matter of genetics handing out that last sliver of advantage. Even at the elite level though (generally 800m+), you still see feats of mental insanity narrowing the gap between actual performance and "genetic max" [1] Have you ever run competitively? [1] Obvious example: David Rudisha running his blistering 1:40.91 800m in London 2012, all 8 runners in that race were sub 1:44 and 7 set new personal bests.