Ritz out of World Cross to Run US 8k Champs Instead

I got this one... wrote:

We (the best of US runners) can't hang with the world because we choose to race for more money and 'biggest fish in a small pond' honors instead of taking on the world.

I can't disagree with you. But at the same time, it's hard to fault anyone for trying to make a better living. He can't be an elite forever and (sounds mean) he did major in history.

The NYRR Road runners who are "bringing back American Distance Running" do a great job of killing the USA teams by enticing US runners to come to their bad timed events. They are going to kill the 2007 US World Marathon Team by having a fall trials and now they are robbing the world XC team. Thanks i am glad the 8k will have another top runner. Good job NYRR

tuone, i can understand the conflict with a spring marathon, but other than Hall, who else has a marathon planned this spring? not rtiz, culpepper, torres, goucher, etc.

i know that i'm not in their shoes, but it just stinks, in my opinion, that we can't put together an awesome team for world cross.

don't blame it on nyrrc, blame it on the athletes. no one is forcing them to go the 8k. in fact, how many of the top guys not going to world cross are going instead to the 8k? 2 maybe? come on. that isn't very convincing. the 8k makes a ton of sense because there are usually loads of guys who didn't make the world cross team who are in great shape. kudos to them for putting it in a time to help those guys out.

What were the USATF and the NYRRC thinking when they put together the schedule?

Since Culpepper isn't doing a spring marathon, why can't he go?

yeah.....well you cant really b supriced...i didnt get into running till college..and, well you have to admit the philosophy behind these coaches...its like everyones made of glass..

frustrated cross fan wrote:

it just stinks, in my opinion, that we can't put together an awesome team for world cross.

What are your PR's to be telling Ritz and Torres what to do?

Fair enough, but I don't see our "B" team being competitive at this meet. I'm not against USATF funds going towards 2nd-tier athletes, but I personally don't see this as the appropriate trip for a watered-down team.

Once again we stay home with the security blanket of a US Championships American only purse, not to mention the NYRRC dooling out appearance fee $$ for the big fish, small pond race. Makes more sense to run Healthy Kidney or whatever it's called in late April or May after Worlds and bone up against Mo Farah and Buster for international flavor. The Al SAl WWR was run in primo conditions on a super, super fast course in Palo Alto or Mtn. View at the time. I can not see Ritz, Goucher and whoever else going balls to the wall from the start, it's turn tactical after a mile and be a kickers race, with the usual post race comments or excuses.

Sounds like the key factors for our top guys not going to the World XC race are the following:

- Financial incentives are very small vs. road racing

- Their training right now is geared for other races that have larger financial rewards (e.g. spring marathons).

So it really gets down to one reason - economics. If the USTAF organization guaranteed our runners a certain amount of money for going I'm sure there would be more interest. Not sure though how much money it would take to incent them.

Looks like he took the easy way out.

what do my pr's have to do with my frustrations that the u.s. doesn't have better representation from our elite athletes on the world team? maybe you're new to the message boards on letsrun, but that's sort of the point... discussing topics related to our sport.

you know what it doesnt matter what his PR\'s are ..that is a lame arguement that is used way to much

i couldnt shot a free throw to save my life...am I not allowed to say that i think NBA players are lazy compared to college?

In fact why are they paid at all?...they are entertainers ..after i watch say any Will Ferreral(spelling i dont care), im sure gonna say what a dumbass movie it was...even if i cant act..and its no different for Ritzenhien, Goucher, etc.....

why no XC wrote:

Fair enough, but I don't see our "B" team being competitive at this meet. I'm not against USATF funds going towards 2nd-tier athletes, but I personally don't see this as the appropriate trip for a watered-down team.

Don't sell the 2nd tier guys short. I can't remember all the names, but they actually did pretty darned well for themselves last year. If our big names don't want to go, then I have zero problem with some hungry, up-and-comers competing.

I think you left out: Difficult place to get to, shots, high heat and humidity.

"Difficult place to get to"...What?

i just hope they are smart enough never to have a "qualifier", in a place like boulder ...ever again...

I think a lot of people are missing a big piece of the equation.

If one knew anything about top-level athletes, it would be clear that the biggest reason guys are skipping World Cross has nothing to do with lack of financial incentives in Kenya, lucrative offers from domestic road races, etc. - it's because going to Kenya for World Cross has a great chance of negatively impacting the rest of the year. Let's face it, Kenya is a third world country - the water is bad, there are numerous diseases that most individuals in developed countries don't have the antibodies for, etc. If one were to go to Kenya and pick up even something as simple as an intestinal bug, that could mean a month before they get their legs back under them, leaving six weeks before they have to try and qualify for a World Championship team on the track. One byproduct of the current strength in American distance running is that if these guys want to go to Osaka they have to be on top of their game at US Outdoors. This cannot be accomplished in six weeks!

And to the people making comments about needing to "man up" and be "tough": it's not about some misguided measure of "toughness", it's about being PROFESSIONAL. Toughness is not going to make you one of the best athletes in the world. Everyone is tough, Kenyans are tough, Ethiopians are tough, fat beer-drinking-snowmobile-driving-ice-fishing guys in North Dakota are tough, it's not a defining characteristic. This notion that whoever thinks it is in their best interest to take a miss on World Cross is somehow a pussy/not patriotic is ridiculous. It's part of the larger cognitive defect of ignoring patience, thought, and moderation in favour of rash action that is so detrimental to sound training, racing, and development as an athlete.

Are they even going to send a men's team?

Oh, and initial attack plans usually entail taking out C3I.

Sounds good so far.

I thought that Culpepper was running Boston.

In any case, they're going to make money just by showing up to the 8km, and it gives them more familiarity with the NY market for the upcoming November trials.

It's a choice of secure cash + low risk vs. no money + real risk of illness, etc.

If they got paid more to run World Cross than to run/place at the NYRR 8k, then they'd go. And if WCCCs weren't in Kenya, they'd probably be a bit more apt to take the trip. Next year would be great, running in Scotland, but a lot runners get spooked easily in an Olympic year and may stay away.