Valby, St Pierre, racing Dash to the Finish 5k in NY

Now I have a reason to tune in!

Rece got rejected by who in HS 29 years ago?

Rece didn’t get rejected. Not once.

NB runners are contractually obligated to be there. Wouldn't expect much of a race out of any or all of them. Wouldn't be surprised to see a DNS for Valby, maybe others.

So they're contractually obligated to be there, but can also DNS? Looks like they found a loophole!

This time of year, it’s hard to predict levels of fitness.

Parker Valby returns after injury! Cant wait to see what she has in her legs. It’s been a long 9 months without racing due to her foot injury but she’s been recovering and training hard. Her last race was New Balance Grand Prix 3000m in her pro debut placing 3rd with an 8:34 for 3k. Remember Parker Valby is the only collegiate female athlete to win 5 NCAA individual titles in a single academic year (2023 cross country title by a dominant performance and NCAA record 18:55, 5000 and 3000m indoor titles, and the 5000m and 10,000m outdoor titles, then going on to Qualify for the 10,000 Olympic final where she placed 11th, culminating in her 2024 Bowerman Winner award). She holds the collegiate record for the 5000 in 14:52 and- what likely seems to be holding the 10,000m record for years to come in 30:50. She was the FIRST collegiate athlete to break 15 in the 5k and 31 in the 10k. She showed female athletes what is possible, because after she broke 15 in the 5k, something that has never been done before by a collegiate female athlete, over 7 girls broke it the very next year. So excited to watch her race! Lets go PARKER!!!

We don't really know how much she is willing to persist "knowing she will never be at the top".

She showed persistence in the past knowing that she could be at the top of the NCAA. That work led to NCAA records and championships, making an Olympic team, and getting a big contract.

Since then we have barely seen her in a running or training context. We have no info on her injury. She posts a lot of videos that have nothing to do with running. Maybe she is cross-training like a maniac and maybe not. Hopefully she runs XC in December and we find out.

You are damaged.

Valbymania is back!

Expect Great Things!!!

ESP- not guil-ty!

The ones who are damaged are those on “burritos”. For a long time after the so called career is over. That’s who you should worry about.

I doubt Monson or ESP will be at full-strength, just yet. Agree that it’s likely Kelati to win.

So would you. Twice.

Thats not entirely correct. She has posted a couple instagram stories each week, picture of her outside in running clothes with caption about "tempo" or "interval" etc in heavy heat/humidity, and then doubling with a hard cross train session later in the day. Similar to her college training that got her to 11th place in the Olympics.

Right, the difference is Valby doesn’t have a team counting on her to return ASAP from injury, as she did in college. There’s no reason to come back until you’re damn sure it’s 100% healed, and fitness is at a reasonable level. We know from her past that if she makes it to the start line on race day, she’ll be trying to win. Half-a**ing a race is not in her DNA.

Wow. What a fascinating start to what already promises to be a great marathon