Simon Bairu sub-2:11 in Houston?

He's jogging it in, gave up.

2:19:52

back to 10km hopefully and XC

2:19:52

Did he jog it in, or hit the wall hard?

Er... wrote:

2:19:52

Did he jog it in, or hit the wall hard?

no the guy is not a marathoner, simple as that

Both, it appears. His pace started to fade after 25k and looks like he just shut it down at 35.

Awful!

Dylan Wykes ran 62:39 just now in Arizona, completely solo. Looking good for his upcoming marathon.

I just talked to Simon.

I don't think I've ever seen a guy that emotional after a race. He was very disappointed. I thought he was having a breathing issue at first and this was well after the race in a press room, but it was just him being emotional.

Simon asked that we not record the interview he was so emotional so we honored the request.

He did not shut it down. He was determined to finish. He remains committed to the marathon but will focus on the track now for the Olympics.

He said he never contemplated not qualifying but he thought running the last 10 miles by himself was too much.

His main pacer Tim Nelson dropped out early but Andrew Bumbalough ended up going 16 miles despite being told not to run more than 10. Simon was very appreciate of his teammates.

In his head he totally believes he's a marathoner and I think he was just shocked it went so badly.

It looks like he is even less of a marathoner than Ritz. I guess that he should give it a second try in the fall or next winter if he feels like it and then just pack it in (as the odds of him going from 2:20 to sub 2:10 are 1/1000) and just concentrate on the track.

Regardless of whether or not he shut it down, he STARTED the race, he tried, and he FINISHED the race.

That, as well as his disappointment, is honorable.

That all took courage, and evidences a respect for not only his teammates in the race, but for his competitors and the sport in general.

Yet another guy who didn't win, but who is still a better athlete than Solinskrap.

Guess what goes around comes around. Maybe you shouldn't have focused on your old teammate at UW, Simon and put that energy into running more miles. I don't feel bad for him, he head had ballooned after he beat hall and now hopefully he comes back to earth

This is a good reason why I think they should combine the Mexican, Canadian and US trials together.Top 3 from each country should then get selected (assuming they have A/B standards).

We had 45 guys under Simon's Houston time at the trials, obviously there is far more depth in US marathoning than there is in Canadian (or even Mexican) Marathoning. So...why not reach a helping hand out to our neighbors and let them compete with us? I am ceratin Simon would have finished far better if he had run in the US olympic trials marathon.

That's my view anyway.

yeah! great idea...maybe the ethiopians can invite the kenyans to their training camp since they're just next door next door...you know, out of good will and all...

Bairu depletes over a 10,000m track race (watch his PR race)... Marathon is not his future. It needs to come as natural and as easy as you see in Ryan Hall.

Solinsky had to have surgery on his hamstring...

Pretty standup move by Bumbalough to keep going another 6 miles for Bairu. Maybe he's in for another great season after last year's breakthrough. Definitely had the best season relative to expectations of any of those guys. Hope 2012 is a bounce-back year for Jager, Teg, and Solinsky.

Agree. Bairu bombed hard!

Sprintgeezer wrote:

Yet another guy who didn't win, but who is still a better athlete than Solinskrap.

Your obsession with Solinsky is beyond bizarre. Get a hold of yourself.

Canadians have other marathoners - Coolsaet, Wykes and Gillis. Gillis and Coolsaet have qualified. Coolsaet looks like he's ready for a sub 210 after going sub 211 in Toronto in less than favorable conditions. Wykes is trying to qualify later this year after a 212 in Toronto.