Disgruntled much?
http://okathletes.com/2014/07/28/an-open-message-to-elite-runners/
Disgruntled much?
http://okathletes.com/2014/07/28/an-open-message-to-elite-runners/
I ran with Clay at OSU, he's a good man.
Definitely not, "Disgruntled."
That "woulda coulda shoulda" stuff gets exceedingly old.
hulohoop wrote:
Disgruntled much?
http://okathletes.com/2014/07/28/an-open-message-to-elite-runners/
Not as I read it. Very good stuff, imo.
I enjoyed the read. Didn't seem very disgruntled, probably just opened the eyes of many.
stopped reading when he started talking about runners' lack of God.
Get over it, dude. wrote:
That "woulda coulda shoulda" stuff gets exceedingly old.
Second this. How many times have elites gotten hurt and made a comeback, over and over and over again? Most do gain a greater appreciation for the sport, whether that appreciation is apparent to others or not. Clay gets one injury and he's down and out and cursing what elites do. I'd have greater respect for him, or someone like Steve Magness, if they actually made something of themself FIRST. There's always the opportunity to coach and have something to fall back on, and ironically a lot of elites do end up coaching at some level. Clay is still in his mid-20's and could make something of himself if he really wants to persevere through BOTH the ups and downs. Otherwise if he doesn't, the above stands true- he'll go on to live vicariously through others, like a Little League parent.
Besides his thinly veiled religious preaching, he's completely off the mark about who the real athletes are. No, it's not the ones who love competition, personal rivalries, or even racing the clock. What really separates the athlete from the hobbyist is whether you love to run fast.
There are a lot of elites and subelites who are just showmen at heart - they are well-suited for their event and they succeed quickly, and they enjoy their success. But they don't really love what they're doing. As soon as they are past their peak, be it biological or economic, they're done. They either move up in distance or give up entirely. They don't keep running 3:45's or 14:00's for the next 15 years because they don't really like it all that much.
And there are people who are slower but still relatively fast who continue the rest of their lives simply because they like to run fast. That's athleticism. Some elites are like this too, such as Geb, Lagat and Whitlock. But overall only a small percentage of runners are. Mostly it's about fame, fitness or socializing.
Hopefully, I don't open a can of worms. I already got some flack on my previous comments regarding German in another thread. Anyways, I'd agree with you, however, Clay doesn't talk about who he coaches, just says he enjoys it and praises the runners. If he were to proclaim their exact results and stats, then you'd have an argument.
Clay's always been a nerd to the sport. He just only applied it to himself, until recent years. Last I saw of him a year ago, he was out 1 year from the sport, so he's at 2 years? I'm not going to talk about his complications with his leg, but I personally think he's done for good. I do think we'll see him mingle in collegiate coach in the years to come. Last I heard from him, he said he was going to try and work with Martin Smith. He'll do well if that's the case, he's got the energy and motivation to coach and do it well. He can motivate people. However, I just don't think that'll be in running, which I personally believe he cares more for, regardless of what his article says. Then again, I've seen him once in the last 2 years.
I stopped at "having no religious affiliation or true faith in anything".
Tis why I will never set foot in Oklahoma or any state near it. Amen.
thank you, seriously. saved me the trouble of even starting to read it.
Greentexter wrote:
stopped reading when he started talking about runners' lack of God.
This kid is tremendously self righteous and extremely narrow minded.
He's talking as if he knows what it's like to be elite. He doesn't know because he's never been there.
The hypocrisy of Clay Mayes is at Ted Haggard levels.
He's an idiot.
I ran with Clay and have total respect for the guy. He's one of the few people who really understands what it means to be truly passionate about something and give it your all. I frequently saw him get beaten by guys who weren't half as dedicated as him but were simply blessed with greater genetics, and this sort of stuff only drove him further. It was great to see a guy that driven and focused, but I think perhaps he was a bit too single-minded, as was I. There is a fine line between passion and obsession, and straying to far into the latter can be soul-destroying when things don't work out. I speak from experience as I suffered both depression and an identity crisis when things didn't work out for me. Part of being successful in running (and in life) is not being so single-minded that your entire happiness depends on one and only one thing. I love running and still run 70mpw on my own for the fun of it, but I also have a dozen other things in life that are important to me (though religion is not one of them). It seems it's taken Clay a long time to realize this, but I'm glad he has. I hope he appreciates one can be both very dedicated AND have a life outside of running.
Overall it's a decent piece that I don't totally agree with, but Clay is a good guy with good intentions who has helped many runners and will help many runners to come. I wish him the best with his coaching and with his leg as we all should for our fallen brethren.
Interesting rant by a young rudderless runner who has yet figure it out yet. He's not alone , nothing has really changed over the years , b runners as Clay will never make the so called money. Truth be told its never been there and only a very small percentage do make a living off the sport. Its unfortunate Clay doesn't appreciate the talent he has or make the best if it for himself and not worry about the so called elites. Some elites give back some don't , thats life.
Winning and winning big goes a long way in the sport.
WEJO can we get an ipaddress check for 4-5 of the last 6 posts?
They're oddly eerily similar, 4 of which posts came within a short time frame.
I'm also worried for the last poster, as his grammar is atrocious and astoundingly bad. Where are Letsrun English majors at?
Absolute DRIVEL.
Don Underhill wrote:
He's an idiot.
I've never heard of this guy before, but I have to agree with your assessment.
I’m a D2 female runner. Our coach explicitly told us not to visit LetsRun forums.
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