What runner do you most respect?

Ben True

Ed Whitlock

Some random local runner that pulls off 32 minute 10ks for no reason, no glory, no coaching, and no money. And is humble about it. And they're over 40.

I think the other thread got yanked.

Respet boyyy wrote:

Mostly to lighten that other thread up. I would say Jordan McNamara

Molly Huddle

Any elite runner that does not look half starved.

Mekhissi because he is such a badass

And also all the runners who just run for their own glory

I'll give you 3.

1. Molly Huddle. Just seems to go about what she does quietly, seems really nice, and is rarely talked about here even though she is one of the top few runners in the US.

2. Ritz. Many like to question him, but he has had a heck of a career and has persisted through injuries that many would have caused many to just thrown in the towel.

3. Meb. Hard to believe, but an Olympic medalist and winner of NY and Boston somehow has never been given his due.

rojo, because he wasn't tempted to take the dirty path his brother did

I will throw another one in for Molly Huddle. I do think our sport needs many faces (brash, resilient, annoying, awkward, humble, egotistical, whatever the hell Kara is) but Molly is one of the most admirable characters out there.

Meb

Sage Canaday

Another one for Ritz. Even after injury after injury, even after all the other stars from his cohort, Teg, Webb, Hall, have fallen by the wayside, Ritz just keeps grinding out impressive results year after year with the same hunger and determination he's always had. He's humble without being boring and he's real without being arrogant or whiney.

Josh McCalary. Ran 4:00.xx countless times

Khalid Khannouchi. He came to the U.S. after the Moroccan government refused to cover his training. He worked as a dishwasher in Brooklyn for 12 hours a day and trained at night. He is one of only 5 men to break the marathon world record twice and his pr is a 2:05.

1. Haile Gebrselassie. I find it incredibly inspiring how he worked himself out of extreme poverty and slowly made his way into the European circuit. Than after a successful top end elite career, he continued to run simply because of how much he loved it. Also being a successful businessman who grew up in rural Ethiopia is definitely something special and I really respect what he is doing for his country and how much pride he takes in it.

2. Meb Keflezighi. Very similar to Geb, he has a very inspiring story and its incredibly impressive what he worked through to have success in America. Similar to Ritz, Meb worked through many large injuries in his career and kept proving people wrong countless times when they believed he was done for.

Anyone who seems to show a really deep love for the sport and dedication to it gets my respect. It's easier for me to identify people like that if they stick around for a long time after their peak years but not essential.

Max King. Was working a full time job at a pharmaceutical company and still made USATF national teams.

In the same line of reasoning, Daniel Lincoln when he set the US steeple record while a third year medical student (long, hard hours).

Lastly, Chris Solinsky. Seems like a stand up guy, no arrogance, down to earth, not atypical of midwesterners in general.

Bernard Lagat, Bill Rodgers, Frank Shorter.

Lagat has been around so long and is so consistent. He is also so kind and charming and classy, you just gotta love the guy.

Bill was a real underdog, seemingly came out of nowhere with his 75 Boston win. Just imagine today someone setting a PR by 10 minutes to win a major city marathon in a new American record? everyone would lose their minds

Frank had an incredibly difficult childhood. But he busted his butt academically and athletically and is the only American to ever medal twice in the Olympic marathon and the only American in over 100 years to win an Olympic gold in the marathon. Then factor in his 4 consecutive Fukuoka wins, the man is a legend. You can argue for days between who is better than who, but Frank and Bill are no doubt the 2 greatest American runners of all time.

Also, respect to athletes that train on their own and are self coached and work hard simply for the love of the sport and to test their limits despite the fact that they'll never have the talent to run sub 2:20 marathon or sub 15 5k or anything like that.

Bernard Lagat

And Nick Willis, can't believe I forgot him.