"We proudly embrace science and technology to give our runners every legal means for success and, more importantly, to protect their health and prepare in the most meticulous manner possible for competition."
"My drive and determination as an athlete is well known. I pushed myself as far as my body could go. In fact, I trained and ran so hard it nearly killed me and I still suffer today the negative physical effects of my excessive training. I have that same drive and determination as a coach, combined with much more wisdom. I push my athletes to be the best but will not hurt my athletes like I hurt myself."
"Galen has suffered severe allergies and breathing issues almost his entire life. He also suffers from Hashimotos disease, a thyroid disease."
^ From his letter at
http://nikeoregonproject.com/blogs/news/35522561-alberto-open-letter-part-1
So Rupp, a 3:50i/7:30i/12:58/26:44/1:00:30 guy, happens to have the mysterious trifecta that hounds world-class distance runners without keeping them from being phenomenal: Allergies, asthma and hypothyroidism. Thankfully they have medicines for all three, allowing Rupp to not only make it thru the day without landing in en ER flat on his back, but run 4:18 pace for 6.2 miles.
I wonder how gingerly Alberto must be treating that fragile fellow in training to ensure his long term health?
Here are examples.
Jan 26, 2013
3:50.92 mile. "Second fastest indoor mile ever by an American in front of a packed house at the BU Terrier Classic. Afterwards, he gets mobbed by some fans on his way to a treadmill workout down the street. Five mile tempo, starting at 4:50 pace and working down to 4:40. That was followed by some sprints. He made it look effortless, all after running a 3:50 mile."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcjIiiLf9t4
Jan 16, 2014
13:01 indoor American Record 5K followed by
2 x 800/400 (2:00/54)
2 x 400 (54s)
Jan 26, 2014
An 8:07.41 indoor American Record 2 mile, followed 15 mins later by
5 x mile (400m rest in-between) 4:21, 4:20, 4:20, 4:16, and 4:01
Feb 8, 2014
Drops out of mile race 3/4 of the way in with a cuboid bone injury, does hard workout afterward anyway, Alberto won't say what the workout was.
http://www.runnersworld.com/newswire/galen-rupp-drops-out-of-mile-then-does-workout
^ Those last three all within about three weeks.
More from Alberto about his health.
"As I stated above, my excessive training as an athlete did extensive damage to my body. One of the lingering negative effects from which I still suffer today is hypogonadism with significant symptoms, including multiple low testosterone serum levels. See Exhibit 26. Additionally, I have suffered from primary pituitary insufficiency, hypothyroidism and adrenal insufficiency as a result of my excessive training. These conditions are not new. I have been under the care and treatment of licensed medical doctors for them for approximately the past 25 years. "
http://nikeoregonproject.com/blogs/news/35523713-alberto-open-letter-part-2
So, here's the deal.
Alberto was the best US runner of his day. (Probably - Virgin close) His hard training (and only his hard training of course) permanently trashed his body and he stresses this 3 different times in his letter. He doesn't want this to happen to the runners he coaches like Rupp.
Rupp is far and away the best the US has, running far faster than Alberto at everything he has so far tried.
Alberto is being careful not to overtrain Rupp.
Alberto has Rupp doing hard workouts after hard races, even races Rupp has to drop out of with injury problems.
How is Alberto protecting Rupp's health and long term interests? Maybe Rupp is just not trainign at all between insane workouts. That would explain it.
This whole thing is an f'n joke and people need to wake the F UP!!!