What's wrong with Ryan Hall

This is amazing to me how many people on here think they know the solution to Hall's so-called problem. Do you guys really think you know more than a 2:06 marathoner?

Besides, I do believe they were doing 800m repeats not long ago. If you guys think you know how speed comes in to play with a marathon, then chances are you learned it from guys like Hall. You're not going to teach this guy anything. He was a phenom in high school & raced many big races. He ran for Stanford while at the top of the NCAA and ran in many big races there too. And now he's been a part of almost every big marathon out there. If you think you know what you're talking about based on your 16 minute 5k then don't you think Hall has it under control? I mean cmon. I think he knows what he's doing.

It's humorous to me that people on here actually 1. think they know enough to diagnose some sort of problem, and 2. think they know enough to tell Hall how he could supposedly solve it. This is one of the most ridiculous threads I've seen. People taking themselves way too seriously.

Again, let's take Meb out of the race. Hall runs the EXACT same race. He gets 3rd overall in 2:10 at nyc behind a couple foreign guys who are notably top marathoners in the world. Nobody would be saying Hall had a problem.

Meb ran a GREAT race. Hall does not have any issues.

Thank goodness that none of you have a camera on you during your races or else people would be ripping you apart and doubting your expertise..

Unfortunately Hall has never been a good racer. If he's not going to step up and deliver on his potential I wish he'd at least shut the hell up about his 18 mile tempos at altitude. Marathons aren't 18 miles and the majors in which he runs aren't run at altitude.

Caveman wrote:

http://www.wiseacre-gardens.com/sound/porky06.wav

Did your parents record you this morning?

There's nothing extremely wrong with Hall - He just doesn't seem to have that fire this year. At the trials and his 59:43 he was electricity - now he is just another runner. I say he should find a new goal for 2010 - stop with the marathon training slog and run world cross, or go for the AR in the 10000.

5er wrote:

There's nothing extremely wrong with Hall - He just doesn't seem to have that fire this year. At the trials and his 59:43 he was electricity - now he is just another runner. I say he should find a new goal for 2010 - stop with the marathon training slog and run world cross, or go for the AR in the 10000.

It's difficult to turn down over $250,000.

"I think Hall does better with a faster race. He's more in his element in a Chicago, London, Berlin type race. Flat, fast, and plenty of pace makers".

This is completel contradicted by his OT performance in NYC. For whatever reason, his performances were better a couple of years ago.

1998 wrote:

Do you guys really think you know more than a 2:06 marathoner?

Would you say that to Hall's coach?

He lost to two very good marathoners in Boston (both 2:06 runners) and he ran well in Philadelphia.

ciego no más wrote:

5er wrote:

There's nothing extremely wrong with Hall - He just doesn't seem to have that fire this year. At the trials and his 59:43 he was electricity - now he is just another runner. I say he should find a new goal for 2010 - stop with the marathon training slog and run world cross, or go for the AR in the 10000.

It's difficult to turn down over $250,000.

Agreed. Ryan is a victim of his own success (that Houston half marathon AR). How is Ryan any different than an NFL lineman who only has X number of years of earning power?

Ryan makes 70% more in appearance fees than he does in prize $$$$.

It does take significant moola to build that dream house in Big Bear.

Kudos to Ryan for fighting back in the last 3 miles of his last 2 marathons for a respectable finish....many others would have blown up or DNF.

A consensus does seem to be emerging though. (And in a rare breath of fresh air, the majority of these posts were relatively positive, or at least neutral.)

Most of the thought would like to see Ryan race with the verve he showed at The 1/2AR or the 2007 OT's. While running well at NYCM and Boston, he did not quite have that over the top energy that set him so far apart at these earlier races.

It's not too hard to see what the change in venue/coach did for Ritz. Most of us would like to see Hall capitalise on his talent. It could be time for a change for Ryan as well.

Perhaps skipping a spring marathon and retooling with some shorter, speedier track work/races is the way to achieve that.

As Meb so well demonstrated. There is time in your 30's to throw down a top flite marathon.

amen to the positivity[quote]driske wrote:

A consensus does seem to be emerging though. (And in a rare breath of fresh air, the majority of these posts were relatively positive, or at least neutral.)

1998 wrote:

This is amazing to me how many people on here think they know the solution to Hall's so-called problem. Do you guys really think you know more than a 2:06 marathoner?

you're only as good as your last racee... 2:10 marathoner, i think you'd be suprised to find out just how knowledgeable many of the letsrun posters are. besides, bringing back the quick stuff worked for ritz...

Put me in the "There is Nothing Wrong" with Hall camp. He had a bad patch at 16 to 19 miles in NYC and fought back to finish the last 5 miles in 25.03--anyone who has raced NYC knows this is stellar on those hills. Plain and simple, the guy had an off-day, and seemed a little hesitant to take the lead (perhaps because everyone got on his case after Boston)....Is there anything worng with his training? No way. The guy prepared well and was in winning form. Perhaps he and his coach have to manage his taper a bit better to make sure he is sharp on race day, but anybody who has raced the marathon knows this is not an exact science. Some days you nail it, others you need to fight it.

I say the guy sticks with the marathon, takes his $250,000 appearance fees and nails one soon.

jjjjjjjj wrote:

the body needs different stressors to continue to improve, or indeed often to maintain).

Very wise words.

When Hall ran his 59.43 / 2.06 he was not so very far removed from his 5km / 10km training, maybe 1-2 years, so that type of training was still contributing a % to his level of fitness.

As time has gone on, his training has appeared to change, but the changes all seem to be in the direction of endurance ie longer tempos, longer long runs etc, less under distance racing.

While we have been told these changes have resulted in increased fitness levels, these haven't manifested themselves in any race situation as yet. Read into that what you will but there is a very strong correlation between Halls performance drop off (albeit very minor drop off) and his shift in training away from that 5km/10km fitness contribution.

It will be interesting to see how Mahon deals with that, there is more than one way to skin a cat.

mahon seems to have trouble peaking his athletes.

though they believe they are going to run fast, they appear not to have the correct mix of training.

take a look at mahons own career, good when you'd not expect it, poor when expected.

track racing has been mentioned - that may be the case,but there is something going on here - his wife can't finish a race either. . .

deep religious beliefs add to the personal belief that 'it will all be good' - maybe giving you peace of mind, but no piece of the podium.

sophomore slump? huh?

he's got MAYBE 3 more good marathons in him, be wise young man, the clock is ticking.

pick your races wisely.

I can't believe no one has posted the most obvious answer:

Lack of experience.

Look at the guys who beat him.

Meb won an Olympic medal 5 years ago, Has come in top 3 in Majors a few times since.

Rob is the king of Boston and has a Chicago Title.

Gharib is 37 and has also been doing this for a long time.

This was Ryan's 6th marathon.

Look who else with fancy P.R.s didn't reach the line first: Makau and Kwambai.

This year in New York it was about who dealt with the hills and the wind the best and it turned out to be those who have logged thousands more miles than the young guns.

The only advice I could possibly give Ryan Hall is to keep training at a high level, learn from your mistakes and stay hungry for the next race.

Rye is with the primero team in North America. A group that has brought home the Oly/IAAFWC medals that matter, by Deena and Meb. There's no other place anyone could think of training.

Hall is a better Half Marathoner