I love Mantz and I love Eyestone. Far be it from me to tell these guys how to train. But I’ve said for forever and a day that I do not think he recovers well enough and for long enough after hard marathon efforts. I wish they would take yet another week down and no hard workouts AFTER they think he’s fully recovered. Just build in the margin. It’s also a way to extend a career.
I get that he’s trying to do world cross and the turnaround time is short, but, at this point, I think I’d probably start to focus on Boston. My $0.02 which isn’t worth much. Marathons really do take a toll.
So I don’t know jack about training either but looks like Clayton Young is now injured. I thought similarly that he had a quick turnaround after Worlds to get ready for Valencia.
Yeah I’m really scratching my head. Both of those guys have been nonstop since that chicago before the Olympic trials. I think all the success is making them greedy, and there is this bias that because things have been going well, things will just keep going well, because high volume high intensity training has worked well for me, more volume and more intensity will work better. how many times has Conner escaped major injury by the grace of the Alter-G?
So I don’t know jack about training either but looks like Clayton Young is now injured. I thought similarly that he had a quick turnaround after Worlds to get ready for Valencia.
Well both guys probably figured if they werent going to target big December races on a quick turnaround, their next big race would be in March. If theyre hurt, they can still get full prep for the World Road Running Champs Trial or whatever Half they want in March and then run their spring Marathon as planned.
Great post…could not agree with your more. What are Grant and Cole saving themselves for? Another example of why are sport will have growth spurts bu5 lots of stagnation.
I love Mantz and I love Eyestone. Far be it from me to tell these guys how to train. But I’ve said for forever and a day that I do not think he recovers well enough and for long enough after hard marathon efforts. I wish they would take yet another week down and no hard workouts AFTER they think he’s fully recovered. Just build in the margin. It’s also a way to extend a career.
I get that he’s trying to do world cross and the turnaround time is short, but, at this point, I think I’d probably start to focus on Boston. My $0.02 which isn’t worth much. Marathons really do take a toll.
I don't think any blame should be headed towards Eyestone, whose stance we certainly know on this type of stuff.
I love Mantz and I love Eyestone. Far be it from me to tell these guys how to train. But I’ve said for forever and a day that I do not think he recovers well enough and for long enough after hard marathon efforts. I wish they would take yet another week down and no hard workouts AFTER they think he’s fully recovered. Just build in the margin. It’s also a way to extend a career.
I get that he’s trying to do world cross and the turnaround time is short, but, at this point, I think I’d probably start to focus on Boston. My $0.02 which isn’t worth much. Marathons really do take a toll.
I don't think any blame should be headed towards Eyestone, whose stance we certainly know on this type of stuff.
Not trying to blame anyone, and, as I said, far be it from me to judge any elite’s training. I also completely understand the fine line between optimum performance and injury at that level. I might be one of the few here who think taking most Sundays off after the long Saturday progression runs is very smart and, frankly, probably sets them up for success better than those who hammer through seven day weeks and for career longevity.
But the marathon is just a different beast and Mantz has a history of not recovering and getting injured in the wake of them. I’m not sure where the culpability lies or if it lies anywhere at all. I just think with an objective lens that when Mantz and/or his coaches think he’s recovered and ready to go, then take another down week deliberately. Even if it feels unnecessary. Just build it in. Easy to say, hard to do I realize.
Gosh Dang it. I might not even want to go to the US XC champs anymore, even living 20 minutes away
Okay.....that seems a bit dramatic! A bummer US doesn't care about XC but that isn't anything new.
But, come on, go watch Worlds ya jibronie! Once in a lifetime chance dude, do it! It will still be a fun event and as a fan of the sport it is pretty special to see!
Sheesh, 20 minutes for a banger HS XC Meet is sometimes worth it, best XC Meet of the year in the entire world. You'd regret not going! Go!!!!
Sincerely,
Random dude on the internet who has your XCTF well being at heart.
I'm 20 minutes from the US championshipships, which is in Portland, so Tallahassee is on the opposite side of the country. No Mantz and no Fisher is a huge bummer to me. I'd for sure go to the World meet if I was 20 minutes from that. Nico Young and Grahm Blanks just aren't nearly as much of a draw to me as Fisher and Mantz.
All I wanted for 2026 as a running fan was a respectable showing by team USA at OUR world XC champs on OUR turf. Now our 2x ncaa champ, 26.2/13.1 record holder is in the pool for a week straight after skipping another sort of down time. Our 5k world champ isn’t going to show up. Our 10k record holder isn’t going to show up.
what the heck is this sport? Why are our top athletes so incentivized to not show up to a world championship? This year they don’t even have a “OG/WC” excuse.
....
I thought about this long and hard, there is no excuse for not being supportive of your country by competing for a spot for a World Championship held in your country. Even if Grant and Cole are contemplating running NEW events they could do that another year. These X Country Championships 🏆 held in the United States are kinda rare and our TOP elite runners may not ever get that chance again.
A. An elite athlete only has so many performances in them.
B. Careers are short and getting shorter. You have to make money while you can. Unless your contract gives you a sizeable bonus for winning national XC or making an XC squad, it may not be a priority for them.
C. The "patriotism" argument is dated and tired. That's an unreasonable expectation created by fans and a relic of The Cold War.
if I were man, I wouldn’t run another race until next spring and just relax for a while and let his legs take a rest and then slowly build back up. Are you kidding me? He just broke two American records this year and was running his ass off. You don’t wanna grind his talent into the ground, relax recoup, recover, and then set some strong goals for the spring and summer.
He recently responded to a comment on strava, "Little injury. Still waiting for a diagnosis, but hoping to be back for US cross country championships in a few weeks."
Good luck Conner!
This post was edited 32 seconds after it was posted.
All I wanted for 2026 as a running fan was a respectable showing by team USA at OUR world XC champs on OUR turf. Now our 2x ncaa champ, 26.2/13.1 record holder is in the pool for a week straight after skipping another sort of down time. Our 5k world champ isn’t going to show up. Our 10k record holder isn’t going to show up.
what the heck is this sport? Why are our top athletes so incentivized to not show up to a world championship? This year they don’t even have a “OG/WC” excuse.
This is why XC needs to be in the Winter Olympics!! Making XC an Olympic sport raises its prestige so that athletes see it as a real discipline even outside of the Olympics. World XCs becomes almost as prestigious as World Track Champs. And at the very least, XC outside of the Olympics becomes an opportunity for athletes to get experience before the Olympics. Such a shame that the Winter Olympic Committee is so stuck up about allowing in a non-snow sport. Look at how flexible the Summer Olympics is, allowing in wacky sports like freestyle dancing. People need to make the Winter Committee understand how much this is truly wanted—need to make a petition or something.
Auf keinen Fall! Why don't ja add it to the summer Olympics? Ninkompoop