How Delusional is Nate Jenkins?

Average_Joe wrote:

I was there, watching a friend run that heat. It wasn't him.

Maybe instead of someone playing with names, it was actually someone else named "Nate Jenkins."

Possible but how many Nate Jenkins are there in New England?

Nate the Great will again be the cover story of New England Runner magazine with breakthrough performance for 2012 trials... That's what I see down the road, he SHUT his critics down YEAH SON!

You can get in a nice progression run

100 Ashford StBoston, MA 02134

Driving Directions

Link:

Start address: IHOP Restaurant 1850 Soldiers Field Rd Brighton, MA 02135

End address: Boston University Athletics 100 Ashford St Boston, MA 02134

Start at: IHOP Restaurant 1850 Soldiers Field Rd Brighton, MA 02135

1. Head west on N Beacon St/Leo M Birmingham Pkwy toward Soldiers Field Rd - 305 ft

2. Take the 1st left toward N Beacon St - 138 ft

3. Turn left at N Beacon St - 1.2 mi

4. Continue onto Brighton Ave - 0.4 mi

5. Turn left at Linden St - 0.1 mi

6. Take the 2nd right onto Ashford St Destination will be on the left - 0.4 mi

Arrive at: Boston University Athletics 100 Ashford St Boston, MA 02134

jerzy is that you?

cant wait for early return wrote:

jerzy is that you?

Nope sorry it's not "jerzy," do you mean Young Jeezy or Lil Wayne?

No way Jenkins ever runs 2:10. No way, no where, no how.

This kid reminds me of Magness, had one good day in the sun and responded to that by running himself into the ground instead of sticking to a smart, patient progression.

Well according to a poster on Nate's blog, when the official called "Nate Jenkins" to the line, a dude stepped forward and the official said, "Who are you? You're certainly not Nate Jenkins"

Will the real Nate Jenkins please stand up?

IMHO, he is more than capable of running 2:10

Honestly, this reminds me a bit of Josh Cox. Showed early promise based on one decent marathon and showed himself to be a "monster" in training. Unfortunately, it hasn't really translated to anything faster than what he ran originally, but he's had other outlets to leverage. His own coach said he trained too hard way back when.

At some point, you have to ask whether even running a 2:11 at age 30 is worth it, because you're already behind the eight-ball in terms of employment, school, etc, and all the things that prepare you to have a family and a meaningful existence beyond running. It's one thing to be an incredible athlete in college and give it a shot say from 23-25, but if you haven't made it a career by then, it's time to reevaluate.

There are other things in life. Brian Sell was one in a million and he showed up in the right place at the right time, because, truthfully, a hair under 2:11, like a 28:30 10k, just isn't that big of a deal on the grand stage or even nationally.

It's certainly worth it for him. Nate Jenkins is spending his 20's doing what he loves to do. That is a meaningful existence. When he's finished running he can move forward and continue to do something else he enjoys. The Legend spent his life running and from reading his obituary and memorial thread it appears he had an incredibly meaningful existence that touched many people's lives.

Sagarin stick to making questionable financial and economic theories and football rankings.

Just telling it like it is my man. I've see far too many a runner sacrifice LIFE to live instead for that unattainable END. Many of them wind up single, undereducated, and underemployed, preocupied with the "good old days." Nothing wrong with spending your 20s doing what you "love," but, personally, if you haven't cleared particular performance hurdles by a certain point, you have to question what you're doing.

Sagarin,

I could not disagree with you more. I spent 10 years after college "chasing the dream". I am sure that someone like yourself would call it a waste. Afterall, I only ran 2:16 in the marathon, I was never an Olympian and was broke an unemployed at 33 years old.

However, I had an opporunity to see nearly all of the country and a great part of the World on someone elses dime. I met a number of great people (which eventual helped in finding employment) and even more great memories. But most importantly I achieved what I wanted.

I wanted an answer to the question ARE YOU GOOD ENOUGH TO BE AN OLYMPIAN? The answer ended up being NO. But I would never have found out had I not spent a decade investing of myself.

The journey was wonderful.

Don't worry, Sagarin is wrong about most things. You have to explore whatever it is that you have, whatever can make your life extraordinary. Don't die wondering. If there's a shred of sense in what Sagarin is saying it is that you should be aware of your opportunity cost and factor that into every big decision you make. Sure, if you're extremely gifted and the top schools and top employers are begging for your application, then you don't want to be pursuing an athletic career on a mediocre talent - or maybe ever for that matter. But what's so great about the "ordinary" American life that means you shouldn't wait to get it started? Please. The 10-15 years you spent running will probably be added onto your "useful" lifespan in any case. Chances are at age 60 you can still accomplish more things and be a better dad than the average 50-year-old.

I was at the BU Development meet, and can confirm what occurred before the start of the Mile. We all got a bit of a chuckle because "Nate Jenkins" certainly wasn't the Nate we were used to seeing, and the officially called him out on it quite frankly. I'm sure there are other Nate Jenkins in New England; i've ran against "Bill Rodgers" before, haha.

I sincerely believe Nate has the ability to run in the 2:10-2:12 range; he's shown himself to be in that shape before but has had terrible nagging injuries that crop up that prevent him from really showing us his potential. I was very excited when he dropped those times on the track last year during indoors (4:13/8:08/14:03), all coming off 130 mile weeks. I didn't agree w/ the move to Colorado, but i'm just a regular joe and don't know much. It's been said countless times, but those times he ran last indoor off high mileage compare very similarly to the PR's of other long-drivers like Rodgers, Hodge, Pfitzinger, & Beardesly

Rodgers ran 28:05, Hodge 28:2x or 28:19 I think at Penn. Beardsley never really raced on the track during his good run, Nate can't run that fast.

BTW, Rodgers finished 3rd at World xc, Hodge made a few World xc teams, you can't put Nate in the same category as those guys, come to think of it, 2:10 put's him within 30 seconds of BR, no way, look at their bodies just for starters, come on???

The Scale of Delusion (1-10: 1 is least delusional)

Using my Cox Calculator, i put Nate Jenkins at an 8.

Meb & Ritz are "1"

Ryan Hall is a "2"

Average delusion would be "5"

Josh Cox delusion measures high. The calculations put him at 8.91. Using the Cox method, he checks out with an "8".

Dean K. comes in at a 9.65. But again, employing the Cox method, he gets a "9".

Most triathletes with BLOGS are usually perfect "10's".

Extraordinary. You tell me I'm wrong and then proceed to roughly make the same argument.

Look, I'm not encouraging anyone not to chase their dreams here. In fact, I think they should. But it's a calculated risk. And the majority generally know after two or three years post-collegiately whether they "have the goods" or not. Frankly, most know by the end of college whether it is worth pursuing or not.

Reminds me of the 14:00/29:00 thread. Those are solid "starting" credentials, and there's a guy who should give it a few years, maybe through 2012. Maybe get in some grad school while he's doing it. Then, re-evaluate, because a four-year cycle is an awfully long time to be sacrificing other things in life. Also reminds me of the "Should I double on Christmas thread?" There is far more to life than running.

To each his own. I essentially started my life at 25. For some, they don't mind waiting until they're 33. So be it. I'm just giving advice based on what I've witnessed over countless examples. As to the advice about being more "able-bodied" at 60, the jury is decidely out. Hard core long-distance running does so much free-radical damage and damage to the musculoskeletal system, that it may very well be the cause of heart disease, cancer, and chronic inflammatory diseases later in life. As I said, you've got to weigh all the risks.

He's probably going to be a coach. Sure he's a few years behind on saving for retirement or whatever, but so are a lot of people. I think he'll probably be fine.

Sagarin wrote:

Then, re-evaluate, because a four-year cycle is an awfully long time to be sacrificing other things in life.

I am honestly not trying to get in a pissing match but YOU DON'T GET IT. It was never a matter of "sacrificing other things in life". If you view it as a sacrifice you shouldn't do it.

I began to sacrifice when I QUIT running. I sacrificed the pursuit of excellence. I sacrificed traveling the world. After having a chance to see Japan, Europe, Mexico, Dominican Republic, I have not been out of the USA since. I sacrificed the ability to never look at a punch clock at work. I sacrificed staying in Hotels that I have never been able to afford on my own. I sacrificed a wonderful lifestyle.

Well, if I have any say in the matter, Nate certainly won't end up single and lonely.

Moreover, Nate was wise in that he got his master's degree in education prior to becoming a full-time runner. When he decides his career as a professional runner is over, he can easily become a teacher-- he is certified and ready to go whenever the time comes.

I think there is a lot of jealousy from people who watch others pursuing their dreams. All too often we get scared and fall back on the safer route. When we see others hunting down their dreams with passion, it makes us uneasy because we know that we do not possess that same courage and drive to go after our own dreams. I think that is what is happening on this forum.

Nates girl wrote:

Well, if I have any say in the matter, Nate certainly won't end up single and lonely.

Moreover, Nate was wise in that he got his master's degree in education prior to becoming a full-time runner. When he decides his career as a professional runner is over, he can easily become a teacher-- he is certified and ready to go whenever the time comes.

I think there is a lot of jealousy from people who watch others pursuing their dreams. All too often we get scared and fall back on the safer route. When we see others hunting down their dreams with passion, it makes us uneasy because we know that we do not possess that same courage and drive to go after our own dreams. I think that is what is happening on this forum.

solid post- I just hope Nate's drive doesn't impel him to train himself into retirement. Certainly, though, no one can question his motivation.