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PaperclipPerfector  2mo ago (text post)   3067 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for August 17, 2025

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

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I've seen that article (and e.g. https://www.slowtwitch.com/running/we-often-run-faster-off-tri-training/). Best I can tell, Couzens has appallingly bad epistemics, but I think he's pretty close to right on this point.

What do you mean by bad epistemics exactly?

Thanks for the other article. I am much more the triathlete body type so it makes sense that I'm breaking down every time I do 70+ miles. 60+ loads of cross training worked way better for me: I ran 16:10 off the bike once in a tri and I don't think I could even do that now just running.

What do you mean by bad epistemics exactly?

His truth-seeking processes are bad. In particular:

-Refuses on principle to engage with disagreement, except maybe of the "fifty Stalins" variety

-Lots of talk about intermediate outcomes but precious bloody little about actual performance

-Confident inference from naive linear regressions on heavily pre-selected populations (as in linked article)

It's not really that bad by the standards of the fitness industry, I guess, but it annoys me coming from someone whose self-presentation makes it seem like he should know better.

Ahh I see. It is a lot better than what I'm used to, which is just idle theorizing usually. At least couzens tries to support his ideas with "something". But you're right, it's not very rigorous. Thanks for the explanation.

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