Blanks was never in the mid pack! For the first 3k he was around 15-26th but always on the runner's left edge, not the middle. He was 26th at 1k, 16th at 2 & 3k, then top 10 or top 5 after that. That is not mid pack with a total of 255 runners! Then, being significantly larger human than Samuel he doesn't need to be as aware or as careful as Samuel does. While he was in the top 15 for most of the race, Samuel positioned himself right in the middle of guys around him and he got pinballed around a lot. He reminded me of Tsegay trying to elbow Kipyegon in the Olympics last summer! Little people trying to push big people then getting upset about getting smacked back. Graham Blanks ran a masterclass race of tactics, didn't get pinballed, didn't lose his shoe, didn't lose his cool and won the race. Samuel lost his shoe, got in skirmishes for the second race in a row, lost his cool and came in second.
I didn’t mean middle as in place. I meant middle as in center. He was clearly in the center, not on the edge, in the beginning. He eventually worked his way to edge after being in the center.
This reminds me of Fletch and “it was very sudden.” “What do you mean, he had cancer?!” “I mean at the end when he died.” “But he lingered for weeks.” “I mean at the VERY end - the second he died, that felt sudden.”
I think he's an inspiration. He beat won of the strongest fields ever with one shoe in 40 degree weather. Plus, he already has an NCAA title and qualified for the Olympics.
He's one of very few people who has done that at his age
He’s only a sophomore but he had a good chance to win today if he had both shoes.
I don't think he would have won. He was only within a sec because Blanks eased up knowing he had won. Besides not falling requires skill(and a little luck). Tying your shoes correctly is definitely important to perform well. I believe in Lydiard's books he has a chapter on tying shoes and other miscellaneous stuff.
From the interview he seems very kind and humble. When they asked about would he have won if he didn’t lose the shoe he said something along the lines of he thought going in he could win but he’s proud of getting second in such a good field. And then he gave a lot of credit to Graham at the end. He didn’t seem bitter or angry.
From the interview he seems very kind and humble. When they asked about would he have won if he didn’t lose the shoe he said something along the lines of he thought going in he could win but he’s proud of getting second in such a good field. And then he gave a lot of credit to Graham at the end. He didn’t seem bitter or angry.
My thought as well. Very humble and if it had all gone better definitely could have won.
Perhaps but you make your own "luck" to certain degree. ...Like tying your shoes tight. By not getting tangled up with other runners, especially when they're 5" taller and 30 pounds heavier. Make better space for yourself. ...Also keeping your head together when the going gets dicey. He got visibly mad on the course today at his competitors when he got tangled up and no one else lost their $hit like he did.
Yes, he might have won today if he kept his shoe but he didn't. I wouldn't blame bad luck though. He didn't put himself in safer situation, he didn't tie his shoes well enough, and he ran with inferior tactics compared to Graham Blanks.
I would say that finishing second at NCAA XC championship after losing a shoe pretty much checks the box of keeping your head together when things get dicey.
feel like under different circumstances this dude would be worshipped on here given what happened to him.... ran barefoot for how long at nccas in wisconson in november. godtier stuff, seriously. crazy to think about running on the cold soft ground with one shoe on. unbelievable. guy not getting the love he earned to finish 2nd. not saying he would've beat blanks but to finish 2nd is unreal
“I'd be more impressed with him holding on for 2nd if he had not looked like a tool calling attention to himself at the finish, wildly shaking his fist and pointing to his bare foot like he is god's gift to cross country.”
Oh, really? Is that what you’d need to be impressed? Gosh, I hope someone can inform him about what it will take to impress you next time, and he can work on it. Let me guess, repub, right?