Letsrun staff thinks xc should replace the 10,000m in the Olympics. Are they mentally challenged?

10,000 meters should never have been run on the track to begin with. 25 laps is too many. It should be on the roads.

They put it on the track so that fans could see the whole race, but there aren't enough fans to justify that. The Londoners watched because their hero was likely to win. Otherwise they'd have paid little attention.

I agree with them. I've always thought that the 10,000m was too long to be a track event. I would absolutely love cross country in the summer games. Especially if they did it as the last event so all the track distance guys could double back.

Brojos are right.

I actually think the mens XC race should be on one of the first 3 days of the summer olympics, NOT at the end - The Marathon has been traditionaly the last event and should remain that way.

How cool would it be if XC was the very first medal event to occur after the openning ceremonies?

The WCCC should replace the 100 yard dash.

I prefer it the way it is though, as a stand alone event, and to not be tarnished by being part of the Olympic fiasco.

But it's already tarnished. Nobody goes anymore. It didn't use to be that way, but it is now. Without looking, I can't think of a single track medalist that's competing this year. Is there one? It really can't fall much further than it already has. Being part of the Olympics may bring back some of it's past glory, and make winning it actually mean something.

The Insider wrote:

But it's already tarnished. Nobody goes anymore. It didn't use to be that way, but it is now. Without looking, I can't think of a single track medalist that's competing this year. Is there one? It really can't fall much further than it already has. Being part of the Olympics may bring back some of it's past glory, and make winning it actually mean something.

You mean a 13:41 5k runner didn't run there?

So frigging what.

The best runners in the world do compete at the WCCC.

The 10k takes too long. People get bored watching. A 10k XC would be much more interesting to watch.

J.R. wrote:

You mean a 13:41 5k runner didn't run there?

So frigging what.

The hell are you talking about? All the track medalists are sub-13 guys...

XC should not replace any current event, but be in addition to the current litany of distance events at the Summer Games. There should be at least one distance running event where team scores determine medals, and it's doubtful anyone would want to watch a distance relay event on the track.

As for the suggestion that they have XC at the Winter Games ...... no, just no. All the events of the winter games are supposed to be related in some way to snow and/or ice being an integral part of the surface of competition. Otherwise, why not have wrestling and basketball (aka all the indoor sports) at the winter games instead of the summer games as well? Maybe even have indoor track at the winter games?

They should replace the Marathon with XC. The best don't run the Championship Marathon anymore because it's not a payday. A 2:06 guy won the Olympics? Give me a break. Most top Kenyans and Ethiopians would rather take a payday than compete in the Olympics. Just scrap the event.

The 10,000 is the greatest event on the track. It should never be taken out. If you want to add XC that is fine but to suggest that it should replace the 10,000 is a terrible idea. Did you watch the 10,000 in London? It was great. Cross country races are rarely ever that exciting. Someone like Tadesse would take it from the gun and tactics would hardly be a factor. I want to see guys race in a stadium more than I want to see guys try to survive 12k of slop. For those of you saying 25 laps is boring watch the London 10,000 then watch World XC tomorrow. Cross country is cool but it has nothing on track.

From what I can see, the 10,000mts is rarely run at any big track meeting these days.

In fact, if memory serves me right, even the 5000 wasn’t run that often.

One can see why, a precession of Africans all looking very similar especially dressed in the same Nike kit and most of whom, we (or the spectators) have little idea who they are.

Going by the European TV coverage, watching replays of a failed triple jump or a high jump pole being knocked down is more interesting than watching laps of a distance race.

I get the impression that the more talented African distance runners aim for road races now, where the money is.

I can’t think one would earn a lot if one had to rely on running track 10,000’s any more.

I agree - the 10k just isn't run enough to justify its inclusion in the OG. By all means replace it with XC.

Clam Evans wrote:

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Two separate questions. They could have significant mental challenges even if they don't think XC should replace the 10K in the Olympics. Rework the question.

Canova>God wrote:

Did you watch the 10,000 in London? It was great. Cross country races are rarely ever that exciting. Someone like Tadesse would take it from the gun and tactics would hardly be a factor. I want to see guys race in a stadium more than I want to see guys try to survive 12k of slop. For those of you saying 25 laps is boring watch the London 10,000 then watch World XC tomorrow. Cross country is cool but it has nothing on track.

Are you trying to be a troll?

Tactics a factor? Mo didn't have to do anything. Sit in the pack, do zero work and then outkick everyone. There weren't really any tactics to the race.

Running a 10k on the track made sense back in the days when there wasn't television. Now it makes no sense. You can watch it perfectly on tv no matter where they are running in xc.

As for the summer/winter games, it would be awesome if it was winter but that's not happening. The same athletes shouldn't be able to win events in different Olympics for the same activity. Bekele could win 5k and xc but one in summer and one in winter. Not right.

As for the guy talking about the marathon, i assume he also is a troll. Every marathoner in the world would die to win the Olympic marathon. No one capable of winning it skips it for a payday. The value of being an Olympic marathon medallist will produce income for Meb and Deena until the day they die.

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Editor's note: the title of this thread was changed to remove the word retar***

A winter Olympics snow event would not automatically go to the best summer athlete.

Make an event with obstacles --like the 3000 hurdles-- and hills and with muddy XC trails and that would be an interesting event. Gear worn would be completely different. At the end athletes who be dirty, just like in real XC.

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