Who are the most respected distance athletes?

Spiny Norman wrote:

I'm pretty good at racing marathons...

...but not too good with the humility thing.

Back on topic...loving the FAM!

In general I probably respect 10k runners, marathon finishers, and steeplechasers the most as well as decathaletes.

Specifically, I don't even have to think about it: FRANK SHORTER.

again I think all have to be at an elite level, You say marathon finishers, I know a lot of people that have finished marathons that are not in peak condidtion, Hell I know people that have finished marathons on less than 20 slow miles per week it is not an astonishing acomplishment, it is more on the level as graduating high school its not hard but people make a big deal of it. Ok its not that easy but really not something that deserves respect above elite athletes of any other event.

You could make a good arguement for elite marathoners deserving the most respect, but not marathon finishers.

u r conceited wrote:

Spiny Norman wrote:

I'm pretty good at racing marathons...

...but not too good with the humility thing.

What's wrong with that statement? I wasn't putting other people down. I am pretty good at racing marathons, meaning I usually run negative splits and my marathon times rank higher than my 10K or 5K times or anything shorter.

Well, I guess some people are very sensitive. You won't last long on letsrun.

Sell

Brian "BS" Sell

Martti Vanio and Regina Jacobs. Add Waldimar Cerpinski too.

There are so many of them that I'm hesitant to answer because I'll have to leave out so many, but Ron Clarke has always topped my list and I'll tack on Ron Hill, Shorter, Dave Bedford, Tom Osler and Joe Henderson.

PS, Arthur Lydiard and Barry Magee.

Shorter

Geb

Tergat

Keino

and one that may not have been mentioned: Mottram. I respect him because he wants to be the best, is one of the best, and makes sure people know it.

Spiny Norman wrote:

I am pretty good at racing marathons, meaning I usually run negative splits.

These two statements may be mutually exclusive.

what about lornah kiplagat she gives most of her prize money to charity and her high altitude camp, also tegla loroupe she has organized peace runs in very worn tore areas.

doug225550 wrote:

very worn tore areas.

did you mean "war torn?"

Wilt Chamberlain - 20,000 women. Isn't that like 3 chicks a day since he was 15? That's endurance!

I'd have to agree and disagree about Shorter.

I think most running "scholars" give him props for his role in the running revolution, but many of these same folks (who have met Shorter) feel that he is an arrogant snob who regularyly disrespects runners outside of his era.

well, how many runners (American) outside of his era really did anything respectable? Scott, Maree, Falcon, Kennedy. I know Im missing some, but there cant be that many.

Spiny Norman wrote:

The 10K that hurts more than any other race is the last 10K of a marathon. For most marathon runners, a well-executed race requires the last 10K be no more than 2-3 mins slower than their 10K PR. That doesn't rip up your lungs like a 5K, but the rest of your body is in tremendous pain for at least 30 minutes.

I'm pretty good at racing marathons for time, but the people who can actually race a marathon to win, including throwing down surges past 20 miles, those earn my respect any day.

i agree. you don't know pain until you've ate it the last few miles of a marathon. even if you don't die, it still hurts like crazy. but much respect to the 800. i hated running that race in high school. luckily it ends quickly.

haile and tergat are the runners i respect the most. they're the greatest of all time, but still very humble and they give back to their communities. i guess that's tougher for american runners (monetarily) because the cost of living here is so high...and none of them are make haile/tergat type bucks.

my greatest moment ever was when i was walking to the line at NYC last year. i turned to my left and there was tergat. i told him good luck and shook his hand, and he said, "good luck to you, too." respect!

I have read a little bit about Ron Clarke in the Bowerman book and how he was a front runner and all but can someone please explain what all he did to be \"respected?\" He sounds like a cool guy from the few quotes in the book.

How about Sydney Wooderson who died last week at the age of 92 Look at the thread Sydney Wooderson RIP and read the obituary in PeteM's post. Note particularly the first paragraph of the second page of the obit. It represents an ethic so far removed from today's drug ridden professionals. One can only long for those by-gone days never to return. I suppose even then everything wasn't 100% pure, but by comparison!!!!

[quote]Let me think wrote:

Out of all the distances run 800m up to the marathon, which athletes do you respect the most? Who do the people outside of running respect the most?