Desi Linden Boston marathon champion, chances?

keepgoing wrote:

I don't think her chances are quite as high as some of the others.

But, I don't think they're all that low, either. She's one of my favorite racers, and I'm super happy to see her in this stacked field.

I'm also curious to follow her buildup. Do you know about any of the changes she's made to her training? Maybe it will be less metronomic pace focused and more about racing and surging and going after it.

Dei's average course time for the number of times she has raced on Boston is better than all the others.She races Boston well, on a good day she will be tough to beat by any American.

Jordan is the youngest with the freshest legs and it seems a liking for the distance. At some point she will get the American record and legitimate shot at a medal at the Oly games.

As for Flanagan these swan song last race type of races usually don't turn out very well for the retiree.

nill...

She is a fighter.... She has shown that before.

Fighter, yes. Winner, no. I just don't see it happening.

Not only will she not win, she won't even be top three among Americans.

Top Americano, Huddle or Hasay.

Biggest bragger, Shalane.

Desi is a place filler.

Abe Froman wrote:

Top Americano, Huddle or Hasay.

Biggest bragger, Shalane.

Desi is a place filler.

I think it will be Huddle or Flanagan.

Hasay has certainly had a great year but I think it may be vaporfly related and... I think that she’s peaked too soon.

I think the vaporfly does provide an advantage... so sucks to be Molly if she can’t race in them but I think she’s the best runner out of the four.

If Hassy does win, she’s clearly the best in this era (with the vaporfly advantage).

Anyway, it will be an interesting race to watch.

Shalane has been running in vaporflys for a couple years now

Jeremy R wrote:

Shalane has been running in vaporflys for a couple years now

Yes- that’s why I think she will beat Hasay. Flanagan’s a bit past her prime and Hasay should be in her prime but I think Flanagan is the better distance runner now and probably in the spring.

I doubt Hasay will ever achieve the times that Flanagan & Huddle have run in the 5k & 10k (vaporfly or not)... think the vaporfly advantage is mainly on the roads... but I don’t know... I’m no expert just posting my opinion.

No one thought Amy Cragg had anything left ... until she switched coaches. And then she won the 2016 Trials.

I think that if Desi doesn't win, she should switch coaches. They clearly haven't gotten everything out of her that she can do.

Amy Hastings/Cragg is younger than Desiree Davila/Linden and Amy has been an Olympian for 10,000 metres. Desiree has had a terrific career and has maximized her ability extremely well and has run faster than Amy on a half dozen occasions. They are at different stages in their careers at this point and Father Time is undefeated. I'm fairly certain that Deena Drossin/Kastor will not win Boston either but it will not be because she didn't train properly.

Those that are critical of Desiree for her race tactics or her training are just plain silly. The reason for Desiree's successes has been her training and her race tactics. She and the Hanson's have been brilliant at preparing for everything thus far. Go Desiree.

Absolute zero. She needs to shut her trap.

NOP Supertramp wrote:

runn wrote:

Oh but the crickets won't chirp- they'll accuse her of PEDS. Jealousy, yes.

As long as Hasay chooses to train with a dirty coach, the questions will remain as they should. Believe it or not, some people want a clean sport. NOP does nothing to help the sport in that regard.

No NOP athlete has tested positive for anything. No NOP coach has ever been suspended for drug PED use or dispersion. With all the experts/athletes out there no one has provided information or facts that the drug enforcement agencies could use to build a case. The level of testing and scrutiny on NOP athletes over the last 3 years has never been higher. Still nothing, nada, zero, a blank.

Jordan has a very high integrity approach to life and training. Its sad when the crickets chirp just make noise.

PRDreamer wrote:

Absolute zero. She needs to shut her trap.

You must have been talking about the wind chill bro while we were discussing how tough a competitor Desi has been over the years.

Brian Sold wrote:

kadoo wrote:

Zero chance. Des is not a racer, she's a time trialist. She has trained alone and raced way too rarely to mix it up anymore - she will either run identical or negative splits and make podium because others blow up. She also doesn't have the confidence for a break through race, she's going to run whatever she thinks she's in shape for. She's lost that beginner breakthrough or DNF mentality, which you need to actually go for it.

Thank you. I'm still waiting for someone to name a race against even medium-level competition she's won as a pro.

Well, wait no more sell out - here's your answer - BOSTON 2018 BABY!!!

Brian Sold wrote:

Fitness is important. But at their level, knowing how to win is at least as important. Name one major race Linden has won since she became world-class in 2009. Don't say "she almost won Boston in 2011." She didn't win that race. Name even a medium-level victory.

Look, Linden is hitting her watch every mile so afterward her coaches can analyze what a good job she did pacing. Flanagan didn't even know what pace she was running when she put away the others to win NYC.

This isn't meant as a knock on Linden. But her approach to racing isn't how you win at her level. Again, name one medium to big race she's won against a world-class field.

This. x100. dude "gets" it!

BreakerOneNine wrote:

No chance.

She's a talented runner, it would be a breakthrough race for her to win.

Sh*t happens, not seeing it happen for her.

kadoo wrote:

Zero chance. Des is not a racer, she's a time trialist. She has trained alone and raced way too rarely to mix it up anymore - she will either run identical or negative splits and make podium because others blow up. She also doesn't have the confidence for a break through race, she's going to run whatever she thinks she's in shape for. She's lost that beginner breakthrough or DNF mentality, which you need to actually go for it.

Just wow... wrote:

Fighter, yes. Winner, no. I just don't see it happening.

UltraDude wrote:

Not only will she not win, she won't even be top three among Americans.

PRDreamer wrote:

Absolute zero. She needs to shut her trap.

prognosis d wrote:

Brian Sold wrote:

Fitness is important. But at their level, knowing how to win is at least as important. Name one major race Linden has won since she became world-class in 2009. Don't say "she almost won Boston in 2011." She didn't win that race. Name even a medium-level victory.

Look, Linden is hitting her watch every mile so afterward her coaches can analyze what a good job she did pacing. Flanagan didn't even know what pace she was running when she put away the others to win NYC.

This isn't meant as a knock on Linden. But her approach to racing isn't how you win at her level. Again, name one medium to big race she's won against a world-class field.

This. x100. dude "gets" it!

What does he get?

Brian Sold wrote:

Fitness is important. But at their level, knowing how to win is at least as important. Name one major race Linden has won since she became world-class in 2009. Don't say "she almost won Boston in 2011." She didn't win that race. Name even a medium-level victory.

Look, Linden is hitting her watch every mile so afterward her coaches can analyze what a good job she did pacing. Flanagan didn't even know what pace she was running when she put away the others to win NYC.

This isn't meant as a knock on Linden. But her approach to racing isn't how you win at her level. Again, name one medium to big race she's won against a world-class field.

Boston.