Who would you say is the best runner out of both the boys and the girls that never won a national title, the ones that have been second but never first?
She wasn't second, but Deena Kastor is another to consider as "best" to have never won.
Meb set the 10,000 AR and would have better PR's than Rupp in most, if not all of the distances with Rupp's shoes alone.
Except for the marathon, Rupp's PRs predate the super shoe era. Moreover, there's co chance Meb would have run 3:52 for a mile instead if 4:02 with a different pair of shoes. Or even 26:44 instead of 27:13, that's a huge disparity. We could keep going down the list of their PRs, they aren't close enough for shoes to be the difference at all.
Who would you say is the best runner out of both the boys and the girls that never won a national title, the ones that have been second but never first?
the answer is marie lawrence: 2, 2, 2, 5 . each year lost to non-senior just to beat em the next year. unreal consistency
Rupp had the best of everything imaginable before everyone else got access to them... training equipment (Alter-G treadmill, altitude house, etc), shoes (reference Rio Olympics), Dr's, and so on. And he was competing a decade after Meb.
Meb set the 10,000 AR and would have better PR's than Rupp in most, if not all of the distances with Rupp's shoes alone.
Faster times do not necessarily mean an athlete is more talented, especially when you are crossing into different eras of our sport. I can't even imagine how fast German Fernandez would have been if he was Alberto's science project.
Please stop. Meb is a tier or two behind Rupp. German Fernandez?
This is easy because with few exceptions, the most talented US distance runners have never won the footlocker title. It would be better if you asked which footlocker national champion WAS the most talented/had the best career...
Alan Webb, Ryan Hall, Galen Rupp, Matt Centrowitz, Evan Jager, Meb K. all never won.
on the girls side: Emily Infeld, Jenny Simpson, Colleen Quigley, Kara Goucher, Cory McGee, Deena Kastor, were not winners. Shalane never qualified.
Some notable national champions were: Molly Seidel, Dathan Ritzenhein, and Adam Goucher.
The 8 national champions when I was in high school were:
Zoe Nelson, Katelyn Kaltenbach, Aislinn Ryan, and Jordan Hasay
Chris Solinsky, Matt Withrow, Ken Cormier and AJ Acosta
Who would you say is the best runner out of both the boys and the girls that never won a national title, the ones that have been second but never first?
Hardly anyone even read the OP's post correctly.
People are naming runners who placed 10th, 15th, never qualified, never chose to compete, etc.
This is easy because with few exceptions, the most talented US distance runners have never won the footlocker title. It would be better if you asked which footlocker national champion WAS the most talented/had the best career...
Alan Webb, Ryan Hall, Galen Rupp, Matt Centrowitz, Evan Jager, Meb K. all never won.
on the girls side: Emily Infeld, Jenny Simpson, Colleen Quigley, Kara Goucher, Cory McGee, Deena Kastor, were not winners. Shalane never qualified.
Some notable national champions were: Molly Seidel, Dathan Ritzenhein, and Adam Goucher.
The 8 national champions when I was in high school were:
Zoe Nelson, Katelyn Kaltenbach, Aislinn Ryan, and Jordan Hasay
Chris Solinsky, Matt Withrow, Ken Cormier and AJ Acosta
do with that information what you will.
Jager didn't even make the finals his Senior year, did he?
Who would you say is the best runner out of both the boys and the girls that never won a national title, the ones that have been second but never first?
Hardly anyone even read the OP's post correctly.
People are naming runners who placed 10th, 15th, never qualified, never chose to compete, etc.
This is easy because with few exceptions, the most talented US distance runners have never won the footlocker title. It would be better if you asked which footlocker national champion WAS the most talented/had the best career...
Alan Webb, Ryan Hall, Galen Rupp, Matt Centrowitz, Evan Jager, Meb K. all never won.
on the girls side: Emily Infeld, Jenny Simpson, Colleen Quigley, Kara Goucher, Cory McGee, Deena Kastor, were not winners. Shalane never qualified.
Some notable national champions were: Molly Seidel, Dathan Ritzenhein, and Adam Goucher.
The 8 national champions when I was in high school were:
Zoe Nelson, Katelyn Kaltenbach, Aislinn Ryan, and Jordan Hasay
Chris Solinsky, Matt Withrow, Ken Cormier and AJ Acosta
do with that information what you will.
Jager didn't even make the finals his Senior year, did he?
Correct. He was a favorite to win, being I think 9th as a junior, then failed to qualify.
Rupp had the best of everything imaginable before everyone else got access to them... training equipment (Alter-G treadmill, altitude house, etc), shoes (reference Rio Olympics), Dr's, and so on. And he was competing a decade after Meb.
Meb set the 10,000 AR and would have better PR's than Rupp in most, if not all of the distances with Rupp's shoes alone.
Faster times do not necessarily mean an athlete is more talented, especially when you are crossing into different eras of our sport. I can't even imagine how fast German Fernandez would have been if he was Alberto's science project.
Who would you say is the best runner out of both the boys and the girls that never won a national title, the ones that have been second but never first?
Hardly anyone even read the OP's post correctly.
People are naming runners who placed 10th, 15th, never qualified, never chose to compete, etc.
Fair point. Okay then I'll bite
Guys: Galen Rupp. But Olympic medalist Meb Keflezighi was also a runner up.