Competitor.com article claims Rupp's Trials Marathon totally changed LetsRunners' opinions of him

I think that a major thing that gets obscured is that, no matter what's taken place behind closed doors, Galen's career development has been exceptional.

Everything's been thought out with long-term goals in mind and he's obviously done plenty of the small things that are available to everyone perfectly. (Meb, too, has been a model of longevity, fwiw)

While there are real and important questions, I do hope the clearly-above-water aspects of Galen's development serve as a model to other runners and coaches. I doubt Galen's the most naturally gifted American runner to lace up shoes in the last 20 years, but just imagine if the likes of Ryan Hall, Alan Webb, etc., had managed their careers with such precision.

For that alone, I highly admire Rupp and enjoy cheering for him. Yes, this is a nuanced feeling, given all the noise. But I for one think we can all learn a great deal from his career (and successes).

Finally, count me in the group that's grown in their appreciation for him since his marathon debut. Whatever you think, he's got guts. It was exhilarating seeing him mix it up with Kipchoge so late in the Rio race.

I've always liked Rupp and have rooted for him. I really don't understand the hate. Do people think he's arrogant? Or they just don't like the way he looks? The dude is an absolute beast who has almost always delivered good-to-great performances in high pressure races. Two Olympic medals, a handful of ARs. How can you not root for the guy? I guess if you think he's dirty... but whatever you think of Salazar, you have to know that he's not stupid enough to have athletes just straight-up cheat. The dude might look for loopholes, but he follows the rules. I'd bet big $$$ on it.

I also like Solinsky, a supposed former "rival" of Rupp's.

I also like Kyle Merber, and Boris Berian, and plenty of athletes with all different kinds of sponsors. I think the whole sponsorship rivalry thing is weird and dumb.

Got you bro wrote:

Following track/distance running in the US is akin to following footie in the UK. The media in the UK LOVES to rip down it's own stars, it's own best teams, put far too much pressure on the youth and are quick to show the door to a legend at the first sign of aging. It's absolutely brutal. Here in the US we have the same issue. We've got the NOP who has never once been caught doing anything illegal: If the number 1 is nothing illegal at all, and the number 10 is ILLEGAL, NOP just loves to sit right there at 9.9, yet we wish failure on them. Instead of the media and fans of running propping up the heroics of Rupp at the Olympics, the stories and commentary are trying to rip him down. It's disgusting.

I agree with what you're saying, but from a different angle America had a home hero Lance Armstrong in endurance sports and he trolled everyone and made America look bad with his PED debut. To non-endurance followers (most of America) now have boxing gloves up for every athlete does too good because of suspicions. We trust athletes that train elsewhere and run for us more than we trust athletes here and run for us.

Maybe it's not ethical to you - why do you assume to believe what is ethical for AS and his runners. I have no problem with trying to unlock an athletes potential if it's legal.

otter wrote:

Legal or not after reading the list of what Salazar's athletes were taking during the Olympics made me sick. Assuming it was all legit it's still not ethical when coaches are searching for substances that are not yet banned to feed to their athletes. It's shameful!

The baton being snatched from Meb. I don't think so.

themanontherun wrote:

I've always thought letsrun has a bizarre infatuation with the marathon. It's arguably the worst event, yet everyone here seems to love it. I wonder if embracing that distance has/will improve his reputation around here.

Generally, the more explosively talented you are, the shorter event you run. From a fan perspective, track is by far more interesting. However, from a competition perspective, the marathon is a bucket to where lesser talented individuals can sort of stake their claim.

So, as talent flushes down, the marathon is like the middle of a normal distribution.

With that said, LetsRun has a LOT of slow people when it comes to sprinting. Therefore, they like the event that they can compete at.

No kidding. Seriously. Skin color is NOT the same as nationality.

rojo wrote:

These guys are all Americans but when they take that flag around the track, aren't they basically saying "Hey I'm proud of my heritage/race?"

They are saying they are proud of their heritage. That heritage may be linked to a "race"- whatever that means but is not all compassing. Meb isn't saying "hey I'm proud to be black." He's saying I'm proud to be Eritrean. Big difference.

But I get the point that if its ok for Meb to celebrate his Eritrean heritage why can't some white guy here in America root more for Rupp. He is more like me, I can relate to him more, so I'm going to root for him more- is the thought. It's a tribal mindset but it is similar to what Meb is doing with the flag. People can root for who they want.

But then throw in the history of racial oppression and many white people believing their race was superior and it's a path a lot of people don't want to go down. Being white isn't a heritage.

Plus America is about an ideal and people of various heritages coming together as Americans.

Probably because, you know, you're racist.

zodd wrote:

I never did like African-born Meb very much.

wejo wrote:

rojo wrote:

These guys are all Americans but when they take that flag around the track, aren't they basically saying "Hey I'm proud of my heritage/race?"

But then throw in the history of racial oppression and many white people believing their race was superior and it's a path a lot of people don't want to go down. Being white isn't a heritage.

Plus America is about an ideal and people of various heritages coming together as Americans.

Your last sentence is key.

But I disagree that white is disassociated with heritage. I have Norse, Irish, and German ancestry. There's a boatload of "heritage" tied up in that.

The problem was zodd saying he "didn't like African-born Meb very much," as thinkster just reminded us. African-born is the only qualifier given to Meb. Then zodd says he's rooting for American-born Americans. This is a very bigoted attitude, and more than likely outright racist.

A lot of trolls have always hated Rupp here and always will.

Some people on Let's Run with actual critical thinking abilities have also been critical of Rupp here.

And, some people on Let's Run, myself included, have been Rupp fans and supporters. We don't stand out as much.

Rupp's accomplishments on the track do the talking for him. He's also one of the most tested athletes we have, and that says a lot too.

Is there some gamesmanship with the technicalities of what is allowable in the sport with Alberto at the helm? Certainly. I'd advise Salazar to take a step back from the brink.

OK so I'm a supporter of Salazar too, truth is. As I've stated before, I had multiple opportunities to gaze at his heels pulling away from me in high school. I like the guy a lot, and he inspired me.

Is Salazar the only one pushing up to the edge here? Oh, please. I think not.

Glad to see that wejo is always the more reasonable brojo. Yes, the reason some groups in this country may be proud of their heritage is partly because those groups have dealt with oppression or systematic racism over the years and are proud that despite this, they were able to overcome and carry on their heritage.

As someone else pointed out, "I'm proud to be Italian" or "I'm proud to be Irish" is different from "I'm proud to be white."

DMulvee wrote:

I think that people forget that 15 years ago, there was a lot of thinking that due to superior genetics East Africans were dominating distance running and would continue to do so. It took the likes of Mottram, and then Solinsky to show that Caucasians who weren't born at altitude could compete, and this is why they are considered role models in a way that some people don't find Farah and Keflezighi as inspiring.

You think that's changed? Did you see how many African born runners made the US Olympic team? Did you see that 9 of the top 10 at US half marathon last week were african born.

I think the african's advantage if the biggest at the marathon.

How about some love for Tegenkamp and Hall? It's revisionist history that you are giving Rupp the credit when they came before him.

Hall was running 59:43 and leading the London marathon at 30k when Rupp was a 13:30/28:15 guy in 2007

(Rupp ran 27:33 the next week).

rojo wrote:

Did you see that 9 of the top 10 at US half marathon last week were african born.

).

Wow. Where was that held? I believe they did something very similar at the Jacksonville 15k last week.

“Right now I kind of have the blinders on and am training a bunch,” Rupp says. He was talking about how his current high-mileage training block lacks race specificity, which will come soon. But the metaphor is apt. He’s focused only on training, racing and winning in Tokyo in 2020. Everything else is for the rest of us to discuss.

They spelled discus wrong.

I'm a huge fan as most of the other people on here are. For some reason though, people come on here to troll/flame rupp and tear him down.

The reason most Pro Runners HATE this board is because of how hateful it is here though, more people want to tear downt he sport then build it up.

HYPED wrote:

Nike cheater wrote:

Now that we know it was only the springy shoes, no.

@Jordan Donnelly - I never wrote this one!

@Angus Wardlaw (adidas sub 2(04) innovation guru)

cool story bro.

Maybe the /// can learn how to HYPE

otter wrote:

Legal or not after reading the list of what Salazar's athletes were taking during the Olympics made me sick. Assuming it was all legit it's still not ethical when coaches are searching for substances that are not yet banned to feed to their athletes. It's shameful!

The baton being snatched from Meb. I don't think so.

Its too bad you feel that way. As long as something is legal, and you take it (assuming it does not harm or is not known to harm your health), its ethical, at least in my opinion. How is it not? How about the utilization of mega doses of supplements? How bout a diet that alkalizes the blood, or one that maximizes capillary blood flow (by inhibition of the Rouleaux effect)? How bout carbo loading before marathons? Remember the DMSO craze for injury management many years ago? How bout the cooling jackets that reduce core temp on hot days? How about electrolyte management drinks? From what I can see, the stuff that Rupp was taking is legal, and pretty innocuous. And it may or may not help. Everyone is looking for an edge, from the type of shoes worn, to diet, to supplements, to injury prevention. No harm, no foul as long as as its legal.

The tied changed some in hist last year of college when he won NCAA's and again in 2012, and then really peaking with his exciting Silver Medal behind Farah.

Last year's Marathon trials and his bronze saw more support.

AS for winning races, most runners lose most of their races most of the time.

rojo wrote:

fdfsdfasdfasdf wrote:

At least your racism is front and center.

Ok, let's assume for a moment that your assumption is true that when this guy says "American born" he really means white.

It's interesting to me how only white people get in trouble for being proud of their race.

The World baseball classic is going on right now. Manny Machado was born and raised in the US. He's American. Who is he playing for? The Dominican Republic.

Why? I don't think it's any different than a white guy being proud of his race

When Leo won his medal, he did a victory lap with the MExican flag. I think Meb used to run with the Eritrean flag.

These guys are all Americans but when they take that flag around the track, aren't they basically saying "Hey I'm proud of my heritage/race?"

There is an assumption that the majority race in a society does not need to display pride because the customs, traditions, beliefs, holidays, language, religion, etc., are all expressions of the majority race. Minority groups show pride as a way to be heard, stand out from everything around them that projects the majority race and project their uniqueness. White pride tends to take on a negative connotation because it is seen as a display of being White and about pride in your race that is expressed through customs, traditions, holidays, language, religion, etc.,. but more so a collective expression of simply being White. White sub-groups such as Irish, German and Italian, etc., express racial pride.