I was already into running when I read the article. I'd been running track for a few years, but I didn't care about the sport of T&F outside of the meets my HS team competed at. That, the old RW article on the big 3, and Gault's 10 year anniversary of Solinsky's 26:59 article all struck a deep chord with me at around the same time, and here I am 5 years later with my gf thinking it's so funny how I care so much about track lol
Despite the replies, I actually think there are a lot of parallels between them. First, they both have suffered mentally, which prevented them from achieving their full potential. Second, they are both insanely talented, though Mu is clearly even more talented..(how many people won the Olympic at 19!)
Despite the replies, I actually think there are a lot of parallels between them. First, they both have suffered mentally, which prevented them from achieving their full potential. Second, they are both insanely talented, though Mu is clearly even more talented..(how many people won the Olympic at 19!)
Nobody knows who was more talented. Henry set 4 world records one summer. So he was about as talented as one gets. But yes they both had more talent than they knew what to do with.
One thing I struggle to understand… her coach and Mu herself have said she struggles to run in a pack, that fall has given her some serious anxiety, fear, doubts, effected her confidence, etc… so knowing all that…. Why doesn’t Kersee enter Mu in some 400 races?? She can race, be in a designated lane and spot and then actually race without worrying about a fall or pack??? Racing some 400 in a designated lane could help her confidence, help her speed, find some joy in running and then once she starts to believe in herself and her capabilities again, then enter her in some 800 where the pack gets tighter… but, while the pack would be tight- shed at least in the race with conference and believing in herself that she can run and win… now I feel as if she’s running scared and also doubting herself.
I am like you much more positive about Mu-N than most of the rest of the posters. The abuse and negativity about Mu on this site is disgusting to me. I hope she never sees it. Her career would be amazing if she stopped now. The very folks who write about talent going away somehow dump on Athing more than nearly anyone else. I hope she shows the haters up or goes off to enjoy a non-running life or, ideally, both.
Her career hasn't been amazing. She has achieved much in a short amount of time at a young age; that isn't a "career". Since those early successes, the last few years increasingly point to a lack of fulfilment of her undoubted talent. Her heart may no longer be in the sport.
This post was edited 34 seconds after it was posted.
One thing I struggle to understand… her coach and Mu herself have said she struggles to run in a pack, that fall has given her some serious anxiety, fear, doubts, effected her confidence, etc… so knowing all that…. Why doesn’t Kersee enter Mu in some 400 races?? She can race, be in a designated lane and spot and then actually race without worrying about a fall or pack??? Racing some 400 in a designated lane could help her confidence, help her speed, find some joy in running and then once she starts to believe in herself and her capabilities again, then enter her in some 800 where the pack gets tighter… but, while the pack would be tight- shed at least in the race with conference and believing in herself that she can run and win… now I feel as if she’s running scared and also doubting herself.
SML - he doesn't want the two to race each other, or even to compare times, it seems. Big mistake on his part. Mu should be a 48.5/1.52 runner by now - but she clearly isn't and that is on him.
One was a drunk, the other is dealing mental stuff (nobody knows exactly what). Completely different
I don’t think you would be qualified to be making even these assessments, and I think that of course there could be some parallels between these two, even the fact that both were immensely talented is a parallel, but I would agree that this would lead to “so what” as a response.
i am completely qualified to make all assessments, you are all drunk, i know about this, the Sause from quality up close and personal study.
Despite the replies, I actually think there are a lot of parallels between them. First, they both have suffered mentally, which prevented them from achieving their full potential. Second, they are both insanely talented, though Mu is clearly even more talented..(how many people won the Olympic at 19!)
Nobody knows who was more talented. Henry set 4 world records one summer. So he was about as talented as one gets. But yes they both had more talent than they knew what to do with.
I see absolutely ZERO parallels between Mu and Rono outside of them both being talented runners. Mu has achieved a lifetime of accolades in a very short period time (6 years?). She crushed it in college and then jumped to the pro scene and crushed it there. Winning 2 global titles and running an American Record 800m. Rono's career lasted 20 plus years!(1976-2000), granted there were periods of time where he was MIA, but nonetheless was still competing on and off through his 40's. Also, don't forget that he NEVER had the opportunity to run in the Olympics due to Kenya boycotting the 1976 and 1980 games and the World Champs didn't exist. It's safe to say that he would've won the 10,000m gold in '76 and '80, and potentially both 5000's as well. If you look at his career compared to Mu's, there's no comparison. Multiple NCAA titles, multiple World Records, and multiple world leading performances. Not too mention that most of his remarkable performances were done in Europe while running two distance races per week, and don't forget the amount of traveling he did to get to those races of which were mostly by train and or car/bus.
The difference between them are:
Mu doesn't enjoy running! People keep saying she has mental issues and is dealing with this or that...blah blah blah. Not loving or enjoying something you're good at is NOT a mental issue. It's called "Life". Do you really think Mu could've survived the grind that Rono went through to be successful? Absolutely NOT! I think Mu has every right to feel the way she does, and if she never runs to her ability again, WHO CARES! We all wish her the best, and hopefully she finds her happy place in life both in athletics and personally.
Rono loved to run! No one can question that he put he put his heart and soul into his athletics. His downfall, which he dealt with throughout his career was alcoholism, and yet he still performed at the highest level. If Rono had the support system through sponsors, coaches, and managers/agents that Mu has, who knows what he would've achieved. One thing for sure is that he would've been even greater than he was, which is hard to comprehend.
Nobody knows who was more talented. Henry set 4 world records one summer. So he was about as talented as one gets. But yes they both had more talent than they knew what to do with.
I see absolutely ZERO parallels between Mu and Rono outside of them both being talented runners. Mu has achieved a lifetime of accolades in a very short period time (6 years?). She crushed it in college and then jumped to the pro scene and crushed it there. Winning 2 global titles and running an American Record 800m. Rono's career lasted 20 plus years!(1976-2000), granted there were periods of time where he was MIA, but nonetheless was still competing on and off through his 40's. Also, don't forget that he NEVER had the opportunity to run in the Olympics due to Kenya boycotting the 1976 and 1980 games and the World Champs didn't exist. It's safe to say that he would've won the 10,000m gold in '76 and '80, and potentially both 5000's as well. If you look at his career compared to Mu's, there's no comparison. Multiple NCAA titles, multiple World Records, and multiple world leading performances. Not too mention that most of his remarkable performances were done in Europe while running two distance races per week, and don't forget the amount of traveling he did to get to those races of which were mostly by train and or car/bus.
The difference between them are:
Mu doesn't enjoy running! People keep saying she has mental issues and is dealing with this or that...blah blah blah. Not loving or enjoying something you're good at is NOT a mental issue. It's called "Life". Do you really think Mu could've survived the grind that Rono went through to be successful? Absolutely NOT! I think Mu has every right to feel the way she does, and if she never runs to her ability again, WHO CARES! We all wish her the best, and hopefully she finds her happy place in life both in athletics and personally.
Rono loved to run! No one can question that he put he put his heart and soul into his athletics. His downfall, which he dealt with throughout his career was alcoholism, and yet he still performed at the highest level. If Rono had the support system through sponsors, coaches, and managers/agents that Mu has, who knows what he would've achieved. One thing for sure is that he would've been even greater than he was, which is hard to comprehend.
I don’t think it is “safe to say” that Henry would have won Golds in 1976 and 1980 at 10000m. I am not sure he was quite good enough in 1976 and in 1980 he would have had to deal with Yifter. Maybe he could have won but it was not a sure thing.
I see absolutely ZERO parallels between Mu and Rono outside of them both being talented runners. Mu has achieved a lifetime of accolades in a very short period time (6 years?). She crushed it in college and then jumped to the pro scene and crushed it there. Winning 2 global titles and running an American Record 800m. Rono's career lasted 20 plus years!(1976-2000), granted there were periods of time where he was MIA, but nonetheless was still competing on and off through his 40's. Also, don't forget that he NEVER had the opportunity to run in the Olympics due to Kenya boycotting the 1976 and 1980 games and the World Champs didn't exist. It's safe to say that he would've won the 10,000m gold in '76 and '80, and potentially both 5000's as well. If you look at his career compared to Mu's, there's no comparison. Multiple NCAA titles, multiple World Records, and multiple world leading performances. Not too mention that most of his remarkable performances were done in Europe while running two distance races per week, and don't forget the amount of traveling he did to get to those races of which were mostly by train and or car/bus.
The difference between them are:
Mu doesn't enjoy running! People keep saying she has mental issues and is dealing with this or that...blah blah blah. Not loving or enjoying something you're good at is NOT a mental issue. It's called "Life". Do you really think Mu could've survived the grind that Rono went through to be successful? Absolutely NOT! I think Mu has every right to feel the way she does, and if she never runs to her ability again, WHO CARES! We all wish her the best, and hopefully she finds her happy place in life both in athletics and personally.
Rono loved to run! No one can question that he put he put his heart and soul into his athletics. His downfall, which he dealt with throughout his career was alcoholism, and yet he still performed at the highest level. If Rono had the support system through sponsors, coaches, and managers/agents that Mu has, who knows what he would've achieved. One thing for sure is that he would've been even greater than he was, which is hard to comprehend.
I don’t think it is “safe to say” that Henry would have won Golds in 1976 and 1980 at 10000m. I am not sure he was quite good enough in 1976 and in 1980 he would have had to deal with Yifter. Maybe he could have won but it was not a sure thing.
interesting
Yifter was quite past his prime in 80, but still nasty asf.
you can't have Rono popping up in his early years and drinking years and say he would have won anything.
everybody knows in 1978 edmonton, that nobody on the planet was beating Rono, period, ask Rod Dixon. who was capable of WR, and saw no hope against Rono.
i like to remention, Arch Jelley, John Walkers coach said Yifter closed in under 23 for 200m in some random european 5k ....
in 1976, you had Dixon and Quax with the 1500 speed and Viren amped on Reindeer juice, so a B game Rono isn't going to factor.
in 1980 an A game Rono, which he wasn't kills everybody, Yifter included, assuming that Rono would take it at WR pace,
who knows how fast Yifter really was? no clue. except time wise, he never went anywhere close to his ability. and he might have been a great 1500 man. it does not quite add up, so you wonder about the training, which was pretty good aerobically, but makes one think that the specialzed work was very sketchy.
this is speculation. of course. not intimate with Yifter training.