Collegian Luis Grijalva smokes Drew Hunter (7:42 to 7:44), Nick Young fails to break 8:00

Ehh I wouldn't call it jealousy, so it say. There is a major discrepancy between the "hype" and the actual results of this group - especially Drew - that rubs many of us the wrong way.

I remember when Drew was in high school. He took down Grant Fischer, crushed Foot Locker, and signed that huge 1M contract. Because of this, we thought he was going to be be "our guy" on the world stage - perhaps even a world-beater. Now, halfway through his 10 year contract, he has yet to accomplish anything of significance. No fast times, no medals, nothing.

Also, his training is undoubtedly holding him back - he seems to have decent speed, yet cannot kick to save his life. I personally believe he has the talent to run sub 13 and contend at the highest level. But never with Tinman. This 7:44 and loss to a college runner just confirm this further. And that's what is frustrating to us.

No one really knows what kind of training Drew is in, could have been a rust buster without a lot of sharpening involved. I wouldn’t put 7:44 as a terrible performance, maybe an off day or just tired from mileage, still has plenty of potential.

These aren’t posts of disappointment - they are posts of glee of him losing mixed with venom.

Considering how badly injured he was a year ago, Hunter is doing well. A nice gradual build back. The reference for Drew will always be Grant, who has run 7:46/13:11 this year. So far so good.

Lets refernce a guy who spent 4 years studying for highly demanding engineering degree against someone who turned pro after highschool.

Its true that there are plenty people in these boards that do not like tinman himself. Which I can understand to degree. But I do not think anyone here wishes Hunter anything but good. It is frustrating though to not see him improve as many would have expected given his resulsts in HS and turning pro immediately. Being another ~3:35/13:20 guy just is not that good. Hope he finds traction and improves significantly beyond these times

Maybe I’m mistaken but didn’t Drew have a race in 2019 where his kick qualified him for worlds.

Gnarshralper wrote:

Maybe I’m mistaken but didn’t Drew have a race in 2019 where his kick qualified him for worlds.

+1

and in that kick for worlds didn't he have 3 stress injuries in his foot??

NAU elite baby wrote:

https://twitter.com/tinmanelite/status/1330381630779875329

Damn that's fast.

NERunner53 wrote:

When did 2 seconds in a 3k become smoking someone? Why does someone's good race have to be framed as putting down another run who also seems to have had a good race? Why is a small, non representative (look at their fans/views/merch) of the general running community, subset of LRCers so dang jealous of all things Tinman?

Why do people assume that people who criticize others have to be jealous?

This. All the Drew Hunter fanboys have to claim is a 5k "world team" where he got in on a technicality. He's had a career that most runners couldn't even dream of, but you're right he has not lived up to the hype, and I don't think all the hype was just fans' wishful thinking, it was legitimate hype - 1:48/3:57/7:59 highschoolers don't come along often.

YMMV wrote:

Considering how badly injured he was a year ago, Hunter is doing well. A nice gradual build back. The reference for Drew will always be Grant, who has run 7:46/13:11 this year. So far so good.

+1

I expect Drew to be much fitter by the time the trials roll around

The community that watches live distance races (every single one available) in the United States is less than 1,000. You have a very poor understanding of just how small the community is that supports elite distance running, so those who despise Tinman probably compromise north of 1%.

I go back and forth on these guys/this group. I don't love them, I don't hate them. I can see it from all angles.

By all I can see, these guys are good, down to earth guys who are chasing their dream. (Well Parsons seems to have an air of self-importance that is a turn off for me). We should be encouraging this, because I think we all want the same end result, which is a breakthrough athlete to come out and be one of the best in the world. Will it come from Tinman Elite? Maybe, maybe not. But it would 100% not happen if the group didn't exist.

Do I love them peddling $200 Tibetan singing bowls to high school kids? No, I do not. I can't express how deeply I wish this wasn't a thing.

Is Tom Schwartz a bit of a turn off with his ego and insistence that his methods work? Yes. We need results to respect the man.

Do I feel bad for his high school kids who have been unduly influenced and severed from their high school teams to fulfill Tom's ego? Yes, I do. They will run super well now but probably be close to their peak by 18-19.

In the end, I enjoy and respect what they're doing. If the USA is going to produce more and more top athletes, it has to come from an environment where they're supported and encouraged to chase the dream.

But of course, at some point, there have to be results. It's a fair criticism to point out that half the team at any given time if on the shelf with injury and if they aren't, they never seem to race ro show much improvement.

Han Solo wrote:

But of course, at some point, there have to be results. It's a fair criticism to point out that half the team at any given time if on the shelf with injury and if they aren't, they never seem to race ro show much improvement.

This is what I find funny about Tinman elite. Isn't the point of Tinman's CV to get good training stimulus while avoiding a lot of faster intervals in order to stay healthy? Most of the team gets injured anyway lol.

*US indoor 2 mile championship won from the slow heat. He won fair and square, but it’s the lamest way possible to win a championship.

` wrote:

seasoned ranker wrote:

And yet he has a US title and made a Worlds team. What other US distance runners did that by 21?

I don't think Drew would be very happy if those were his only career accomplishments.

Just like Fisher wouldn’t be very happy if he didn’t build on his current career accomplishments.

` wrote:

seasoned ranker wrote:

Just like Fisher wouldn’t be very happy if he didn’t build on his current career accomplishments.

There is an order of magnitude more Hunter hate on here than Fisher. Always had been, and it had always been unwarranted.

FTFY

I think he’s more getting at the point that indoor championships meet squat.