So What Happened With Mary Cain?

What does running with a college team have to do with her performance today?

prooooof wrote:

What does running with a college team have to do with her performance today?

Everything. So she is not blowing everyone away as a rookie pro. Is that what was expected? Or at least place?

If she went to college she would get the entire college experience. Not just the running, not just the team concept but the entire experience. Let her grow into her talent. Let her develop. Yes, liked Jenny Barringer Simpson.

There is a lot to be said for going the college route.

I know she is supposedly "going to college." But I can assure you it is a completely different life that she is living now. Frankly I am surprised her doctor father was supportive of this.

And yes, although I haven't read the posts I am sure, the Mary Cain to college topic has been beaten to death.

Eureka wrote:

prooooof wrote:

What does running with a college team have to do with her performance today?

Everything. So she is not blowing everyone away as a rookie pro. Is that what was expected? Or at least place?

If she went to college she would get the entire college experience. Not just the running, not just the team concept but the entire experience. Let her grow into her talent. Let her develop. Yes, liked Jenny Barringer Simpson.

There is a lot to be said for going the college route.

I know she is supposedly "going to college." But I can assure you it is a completely different life that she is living now. Frankly I am surprised her doctor father was supportive of this.

And yes, although I haven't read the posts I am sure, the Mary Cain to college topic has been beaten to death.

College experience means lots of parties and seks. Good luck Mary.

Eureka wrote:

prooooof wrote:

What does running with a college team have to do with her performance today?

Everything. So she is not blowing everyone away as a rookie pro. Is that what was expected? Or at least place?

If she went to college she would get the entire college experience. Not just the running, not just the team concept but the entire experience. Let her grow into her talent. Let her develop. Yes, liked Jenny Barringer Simpson.

There is a lot to be said for going the college route.

I know she is supposedly "going to college." But I can assure you it is a completely different life that she is living now. Frankly I am surprised her doctor father was supportive of this.

And yes, although I haven't read the posts I am sure, the Mary Cain to college topic has been beaten to death.

Like Jenny Simpson? What are you talking about? Was Simpson winning US championships and making it to world finals while in highschool? They have nothing in common.

Why does she need the team experience? There is no team competition in the pro level of the sport. Please explain your logic

Re: national championships

I'm not sure indoors counts

Why do some of you have to become so mean-spirited and snarky when someone dare disagree with your POV?

Why can't we discuss without being the way so many on here are?

I was using Jenny as an example of a high school standout (and yes Jenny was definitely a standout) that is developed slowly and went to college.

And sorry but the college experience does not just mean partying and drinking. Sorry if that is what you did.

I believe that Mary Cain will not have as well rounded a life without going to college, living on her own, learning how to cope and adjust and make decisions on her own.

She is obviously under Alberto's thumb and probably on a fairly short leash. I feel bad for her.

What happened to Benito Muniz?

http://www.tullyrunners.com/XC2014/SomersBigRed2014.htm

This weekends performance quite underwhelming for a lad with his talent.

Eureka is obsessed with Jenny. Just wants to find some random and unrelated reason to mention her name on this message board over and over and over again.

Yawn!

AJs Nation, Jim Ryun at Dusseldorf, TheRealMerb, Pirate/Cat/Gun Girl and Kelly Lundy all have a nice fan base here too.

Who am I missing?

Mary Cain is going to college. She's getting the "college experience". She's just not running for her college.

I think these last few months Mary Cain's attention on her running has got to have been distracted by the whole thing of moving away from home, starting college, new friends etc..that's always a big life change. I would wait until later this year when she has settled in to her new routine before expecting better performances.

Eureka wrote:

Did she give a pre or post race interview?

Maybe she should have run for a college team first. Thoughts?

People. How many times do we have to say it? Please read the homepage.

Lotsbom wrote:

Other notable finishers included Morgan Uceny in sixth (4:22.0), Hannah England in seventh (4:23.1), and Mary Cain in tenth (4:25.5). Cain did not speak to the media following her race, although she cheered home the children’s which followed the professionals and then did a workout at the Central Park Reservoir with her coach, Alberto Salazar.

So no Cain didn't speak to the media. In my mind, it 100% should be a requirement of all racers that participants speak to the media. but that's another story.

NOw let me defend her.

That being said, Cain accomplished her #1 goal for the year. Win World Jr gold.

THis was her first race since she won gold on LRC founder's day (July 24th). 7 weeks? IT's very hard to stay fit for 7 weeks from a physical standpoint. Were their setbacks physically? We don't know as she didn't speak to the media.

But I think the mental aspect is bigger. She has just started college.

Think of it this way. You win world junior gold. THat's exciting. THere is naturally going to be a letdown after that. Alberto tells you he'd like you to run a few DL events. You start to try to get ready for that (but getting ready for a guaranteed loss isn't as easy as WJrs). Something comes up, things aren't perfect so you don't go to Europe. Then you have the nerves, anxiety, etc of starting college.

Is it a surprise that you don't run your best race in your only race 7 weeks after the fact? No it's not. On the bright side, she got paid to go home and see her parents.

5th avenue is generally viewed as a post-season race.

I didn't watch either race at all. However, I'll be the first to disagree with the suggestion for her to "run for a college team" first. Sorry if my post sounds a bit caustic, but the "running for a college team" argument has been beaten to death here.

1) Since she's 18, I don't see how she COULD have run for a college team before this race, unless you count a few weeks of training as "running for a college team".

2) Just because some runners have success in college does NOT mean that runners as a whole will benefit. Just off the top of my head, Fernandez was effectively ruined in college, Webb didn't do very well in college, Derrick stagnated for some time after his Freshman year, Jager left in the middle of college, etc.

This has been brought up many times before. Cain as a female high school phenom is well beyond all but a few in US history. She's beyond Verzbicas, Fernandez, Hasay, etc. The only ones who can really compare or exceed her relative abilities are Ryun, Lindgren, and Slaney. Having her run dual meets week in and week out against (in most cases) vastly inferior competition is NOT going to help her in any way.

Since she won an indoor US title, took silver at the outdoor US championships, won the World Jr. 3000m, and made the World Championship finals, it's safe to say that "racing experience" from college is one of the last things she actually needs.

true - college athletics are not necessarily the best environments for personal development. In some situations I am sure athletes benefit, but this is likely the exception and not the norm. Often athletic teams provide a sheltered environment where focus on arbitrary unrealistic goals is the norm. I feel this dissuades many athletes from taking full advantage of the meaningful education and research opportunities at their disposal. Mary taking the opportunity to work with a group of top level athletes and coaches/experience mentors is likely much more an asset to her education and personal development than any collegiate team could be, regardless her long term career choice.

Stop, think, then post. wrote:

Mary Cain is going to college. She's getting the "college experience". She's just not running for her college.

Cain did a workout on the reservoir?! Did the cops clear it for her or did she just go plowing through people?

Mary's only comparison is Ajee Wilson - who also turned Pro. She is learning by getting her butt handed to her on the DL - that is what is about. Not winning meaningless College meets. Her College experience will be her own in her own time. Lots of kids do well in College without ever competing at the varsity level, Ajee and Mary can be one of them while pursuing a Pro career. If you have anything wrong with that then that is YOUR problem not theirs.

eureka is dumb wrote:

Mary's only comparison is Ajee Wilson - who also turned Pro. She is learning by getting her butt handed to her on the DL - that is what is about.

Ummm...

isn't Ajee the world leader?

I guess he meant this weekend when she finished all the back in 2nd place.Details 1 212 Eunice Jepkoech SUM Africa KENKEN 1:58.21 8Details 2 256 Ajee WILSON Americas USAUSA 2:00.07 7Details 3 142 Marina ARZAMASOVA Europe BLRBLR 2:00.31 6Details 4 174 Tigist ASSEFA Africa ETHETH 2:00.57 5Details 5 196 Lynsey SHARP Europe GBRGBR 2:00.80 4Details 6 169 Sahily DIAGO Americas CUBCUB 2:00.96 3Details 7 227 Angela SMIT Asia-Pacific NZLNZL 2:02.37 2Details 8 203 Tintu LUKKA Asia-Pacific INDIND 2:03.13 1SPLIT TIMES

Butt Handed to Her? wrote:

eureka is dumb wrote:

Mary's only comparison is Ajee Wilson - who also turned Pro. She is learning by getting her butt handed to her on the DL - that is what is about.

Ummm...

isn't Ajee the world leader?

She's young, give her some time. She needs to adjust to college life and life in general.