If I may chime in with a perspective from a similar sport. Our culture is geared towards sprinting. We know it takes less time. Even though the workout intensity may be three times that of a distance specialist, it seems to be a trade-off that we are more than happy to live with. Added to that the prestige that comes with being a top class sprinter over that of a distance athlete. Sprinting is more glamorous, hence more attractive for the athlete and to a lesser extent the coach. That being said, a responsible coach should always guide young athletes towards the distance side of training (at least in my sport) so as to develop a base for whatever type of athlete he or she may be later on.
