Martin F**an 23:47 - VCP Record

'couch'?

Uh, no, they run a shorter course now...47 meters shorter.

try getting off the track wrote:

After the renovation of the course, has the start/finish been in the exact same place? Is the course run the exact same way? The point is, measurements are made much more accurate now. Perhaps the course was more harsh in the past, but they run a slightly longer distance now.

At the same time, that old course does not look that bad. The surface is still hard. So you have to avoid a few rocks/roots, but come on, XC is not supposed to be on groomed golf courses!

23:48 is still incredible when put in a historical perspective. A great run, a great show of confidence!

zxcvb wrote:

Uh, no, they run a shorter course now...47 meters shorter.

try getting off the track wrote:

After the renovation of the course, has the start/finish been in the exact same place? Is the course run the exact same way? The point is, measurements are made much more accurate now. Perhaps the course was more harsh in the past, but they run a slightly longer distance now.

At the same time, that old course does not look that bad. The surface is still hard. So you have to avoid a few rocks/roots, but come on, XC is not supposed to be on groomed golf courses!

23:48 is still incredible when put in a historical perspective. A great run, a great show of confidence!

the course is run exactly the same as it was, the path through the woods is unchangable. the start for the 8k may be moved up a few yards to change it from 5 miles, but the difference is in the surface. Having run both the new and the old, believe me it is a HUGE difference. Climbing and decending hills on perfect footing is alot different from the old days when I can remember passing a guy who was tangled in the fence boardering the major deegan because he lost it on the downhill, slid down the gravel under foot, and smashed into the fence. Either way a great run.

Lads!

fagan is a great friend of mine. I was at the race watching.He was absolutely flying but relaxed! He prob could have run 15 secs faster. Whatever you want to talk about it terms of the course lets not forget about meet of champions a few weeks ago. He ran faster than all those guys! It's a wonderful run for Martin, Providence and Ireland. We are so proud of him. Congrats pal!

"There was good money in the washing the ducks"

why does he imitate Radcliffe with the long white socks and nasal strip?

Why do you guys always look for the negatives. It is so annoying to read about the fact that the old course was a bit longer or that the surface is new, and not to mention the fact that he wears long socks and a nasel strip. Here is the reality, they guy ran the cousr faster than anyone has before on this renovated course. It was a great day for running from what I hear and he took advantage of that. He probably tried the socks in training and liked it so he races in them. So does Meb but no one says anything about him.

Great run and its only a pity he didn't break the record at PennState because he so easily could have if he was trying.

But he still did not run faster than Merrick, irrespective of what spin anyone attempts to put on it.

What about the nasal strip?

PENN wrote:

Why do you guys always look for the negatives. It is so annoying to read about the fact that the old course was a bit longer or that the surface is new, and not to mention the fact that he wears long socks and a nasel strip. Here is the reality, they guy ran the cousr faster than anyone has before on this renovated course. It was a great day for running from what I hear and he took advantage of that. He probably tried the socks in training and liked it so he races in them. So does Meb but no one says anything about him.

Great run and its only a pity he didn't break the record at PennState because he so easily could have if he was trying.

penn... wrote:

But he still did not run faster than Merrick, irrespective of what spin anyone attempts to put on it.

Ass, where is the spin?

The course has been changed and he has now run faster than anybody else ever has. Thats the very definition of a course record.

Plus, lets not use all this "grooming" stuff as an excuse for this super fast time. The grooming took place circa 95 and nobody had broken 24 until this year.

Regardless of how fast the PSU guy ran in the 70s, Martin flew yesterday.

The fastest time I can remember on the groomed course before this season was Matt Lane's 24:13 from his senior year.

Agreed, brilliant run for Martin, very happy for him. I'm sure he'll be right up there at NCAAs. Well done man.

"I was in the Pogues for a few years there.....I was yeh"

And Charlie Bevier ran 2 seconds faster than Merrick. For 5 miles on the "old" course. I like to give Charlie his props because I can recall his running on a cinder track in upstate NY in a dual meet against my HS. Link is to RT article mentioning his VCP course record (run over the "college course" although Charlie was a bit out of college when he ran his time).

VCP historian wrote:

Merrick ran 23;51 for 5 miles (8056 meters), worth 23;44 for 8km. Yes, it was an 8km CR, but intrinsically weaker.

You mean EXTRINSICALLY weaker, don't you?

Steven F. Smif wrote:

Your stupidity has no bottom.

The course has been 'changed' by shortening it.

What PSU guy are you talking about? Merrick ran for U Penn,

not Penn State.

quote]penn... wrote:

But he still did not run faster than Merrick, irrespective of what spin anyone attempts to put on it.

Ass, where is the spin?

The course has been changed and he has now run faster than anybody else ever has. Thats the very definition of a course record.

Plus, lets not use all this "grooming" stuff as an excuse for this super fast time. The grooming took place circa 95 and nobody had broken 24 until this year.

Regardless of how fast the PSU guy ran in the 70s, Martin flew yesterday.

The fastest time I can remember on the groomed course before this season was Matt Lane's 24:13 from his senior year.[/quote]

No, if I meant extrinsically, I would have written extrinsically.

CompuDoc wrote:

You mean EXTRINSICALLY weaker, don't you?[/quote]

The nonsense about his socks and nasal strip is nonsense. But putting his run, which was very good, in the right perspective is not. That's just the sort of thing that LetsRun is good for. You get some input from other people who have background information.

Then maybe you need to go look up "intrinsic."

VCP historian wrote:

No, if I meant extrinsically, I would have written extrinsically.

CompuDoc wrote:

You mean EXTRINSICALLY weaker, don't you?

Since 8k is less than 5 miles, we can compare performances intrinsically.

Carter tied Merrick's course record in 1986.

lads i went to england in 53 and got a job as a digger,good aul money in the diggin....fagan was amazing at vcp and he will be top ten at ncaas.