| Wsl |
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I have lost so much respect for Solinsky in the last few months. Makes one appreciate Galen Rupp and Bob Kennedy more. |
| Hill Stomper |
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I know man, and Richard Simmons. Rupp, Kennedy, and Simmmons. Those guys maintained fitness without injury for much longer than Solinsky. Solinsky has a lot to learn from Richard Simmons. |
| rojo co-founder |
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I just read the original article and was wondering if a thread would be started about it as I think it's worth discussing. I don't really like the animosity people are directing towards Chris as i think it's refreshing to have guys actualy say what they mean instead of giving the boring/PR type interview you see from 99% of pro athletes that aren't even worth reading. On the plus side, I am pleased that people aren't going nuts calling him racist as he groups all African runners as being one in the same. But what I wanted to talk about is the factuality of his statement. Clearly, he's forgotten all about the 2008 Beijing Olympic 5000 which we labelled the greatest 5000 ever run. http://www.letsrun.com/2008/5k0824.php In that race, Bekele led virtually the entire thing and really slammed the last 2k.
I think in general he says that the Kenyans and Ethiopians don't like to hurt until the last 1k is because the last few years, there haven't been any real transcendant 5k guys. Everyone is pretty much hanging on for dear life at 12:55 pace, the pace slows and then they kick for home. Unless you are way better than everyone, it's hard to push the pace from far out otherwise you just act like a rabbit for everyone else and tire yourself out. So save up and rest of the push for home. If anything, I think Solinsky's plan is very bold (and yet he's getting ripped for being a wimp here). It would be great to see it but I'm not sure it would work. I think an American's best chance for a medal is very much the opposite - to be a wimp and play it safe. Let the Kenyans and Ethiopians make the big moves from 2k or 1k and just try to cover them slowly. Stay in 5th or 6th and then move up when they crater sort of like how Flanagan medalled in the 10k last time out. If you run trying to get 5th, you might end up 3rd when several of the 5-6 guys running for first implode. Remember Pre? If he had tried to medal, he would have. he went for the win and ended up 4th. |
| trance dance turn in shawowski |
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Dathan Ritzenhein - the ultimate wimp for playing it safe. Result: AR & 3rd at a major http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKMZfYn6e80 Forget your Wheaties kiddos, watch this every morning. |
| Cliff Clavin |
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Having won from the front more times than you've probably even finished a race, I can tell you that it usually does. |
| smd |
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Rojo, in the thread below you said Lomong at Payton Jordan was the greatest race ever. It being a 5,000, wouldn't that make it also the greatest 5,000 ever? This is an exciting time to be a running fan, what with greatest this and greatest that being run with such frequency. It'd be helpful if you guys would keep a list. Probably best to make it easy to change for the weekly update. http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=4555596 |
| Placeba |
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It looks like Solinsky just ran off the track and quit the race. Why didn't he just get back on the track and continue running? |
| the BRObius strip |
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Solinsky still takes an unnecessary shot at Alamirew. He makes the nudge sound like a malicious attack. If I was Alamirew (and if I could read English, and if I read what Chris said) I would be pissed. |
| Cliff Clavin |
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I will attempt to defend Solinsky while remaining objective. As I said earlier in this thread, nobody really (with very few exceptions) wants to hurt from more than 1k out, or at least most athletes want to win or do their best but they may want to minimize discomfort if possible. Having said that, my experience is that the athletes with the best kicks have a particular incentive to let the race be decided as close to the finish as possible (within reason), and so it does seem to me that some of the Kenyans, and particularly, Ethiopians have been the ones with the best effective kicks in the 5000 and 10,000 meters (races which Solinsky contests). I assume I am stating the obvious. I am sure there were those who competed against Rupp in college who felt he didn't want to hurt, especially when he developed a decent kick where he could follow until close to the finish and then unleash a strong kick. Did Miruts Yifter want to hurt from a long way out? It is immaterial, he did what worked for him, as he could kick with great explosiveness. This was also true for Geb to a large extent, and of course Bekele. It all depends on who you're facing. Bekele could wait until the last lap against many, but perhaps not so comfortably against Lagat or ElG. ElG wanted a long kick in the 1500, but in the 5000 he could use a relatively short kick and have the advantage. This is not an issue of who wants to feel pain, but more who has what relative strengths and how they choose to allocate their energy based on these relative advantages and disadvantages. Solinsky simply made a statement which perhaps could give him some hope in strategy, but it came across as inartful and silly. |
| smoke yee another'n, bubby |
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL6eATer2yU&feature=related Solinsky was, in fact, pushed by Alamirew. At 16 seconds, Alamirew is on Solinsky's right shoulder. Right after 16s, it is evident that Almamirew shoves Solinsky to the inside with his left arm and IMMEDIATELY (almost subversively) steps out and continues on ahead on the outside rear of the lead pack. You can tell by the subtle downward jerk of Alamirew's head, immediately before Solinsky's loses his balance, that he contracted his body to push Solinsky to the inside of the track with his left arm. It is very subtle, but you CAN see it with clever usage of the pause button. Solinsky visibly is caught off guard, mid-stride, and instinctively swings his left arm up in an attempt to regain his balance. |
| the BRObius strip |
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That's called racing. What Solinsky described sounds like a football hit. |
| haha |
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100% agree. You don't see mo farah bitchin about edwin soi in the 3000m indoor world championship race. Chris could learn a thing or two from a lot of professional runners. |
| J.R. |
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Yes, it does look like Alamirew shoved Solinsky as you said. Also Merga elbowed and cut him off drastically just a few strides before that. However, Solinsky should have focused on holding his position in both instances, instead of hugging the curve and trying to balance on the edge of it. He made a major mistake there and should practice to learn from it. Merga should definitely have been disqualified. Alamirew's foul was more effective, yet not so obvious. Perhaps he saw Solinsky's precarious running style and took advantage of it. They had no reason to want him out of the race, unless he had fouled them earlier. |
| 2ndThatEmotion |
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Really I mean that was ONE of the lamest reasons to quit a race by an elite athlete! QUESTION: how can someone say the Kenyans or Africans don't want to hurt the last 1000m? Most other nations aren't around to make them hurt but if they were WHO IS TO SAY THE KENYANS AREN'T CLOSE TO MAX EFFORT that last 1000m? How can you say they aren't trying and not actually hurting that last 1000m, is there some equipment I don't see plug onto them letting Mr. Solinsky know that their effort is less then 100%? |
| Mega ahead |
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Whats wrong with you people? Are we not watching the same video. Fact: Alamirew touched Solinsky Falsehood: Alamirew THREW HIS WHOLE BODY into Solinsky Point worth Discussing: Why Solinsky stumbles forward, but then makes an UNNECESSARY run off the track. Seriously, watch the video, he DID NOT need to step off the track. This is all laughable. |
| J.R. |
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You are making things up, as I did not say what you have suggested. |
| Cliff Clavin |
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You are making things up, as I did not say what you have suggested.[/quote] He's referring to Solinsky's own words. Posters reply to more than just you, surely you must know this. |
| naia champ |
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Good thing LR wasn't around in '72. •"I'm going to work so that it's a pure guts race at the end, and if it is, I am the only one who can win it." - |
| fgfg |
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remember SOLINSKY faked and dropped out of that race in europe |
| VIPAM |
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When athletes like John Ngugi, Moses Kiptanui, Paul Tergat etc retired it did leave a void in Kenyan distance runners. That's not to say that Kenyans don't hurt from more then 1000m out; however, they haven't been as successful as in the past in routinely capturing as many medals as they have in the past in the 5000m and 10000m. With the addition of runners from other countries like Zersenay the Kenyans don't neccessariy have to push the pace because Zersenay does it for them...in an attempt to get away from the kickers like Kenenisa Bekele. I'm still trying to understand where the comment came from since Kenyans are always in the top 5 or higher in Championships races. The important factor isn't the Kenyans on the men side it's the Ethiopians who almost always sit and outkick the Kenyans in the last 400m. So when you have the closing speed of the Ethiopians and now Mo Farah and Bernard Lagat, why would you need to push it from more then 1000m out? ..... By the way I love that above quote by the previous poster! |