The Mayans and Aztecs?
The Mayans and Aztecs?
Nick Rogers 13:18
Joseph Ebuya. Won World Cross in 2010 and he's probably never even won a diamond league event.
Ian Thompson, 1973 CW Games marathon gold.
Mike Booth out of PA in 04' ran something like 4:07 for 1600 against Ian Fitzgerald who went on to have a solid collegiate career at William and Mary. This was at the Baldwin Invite I believe. I don't think booth was ever under 4:15 or so before, but granted he was still one of the PA studs at the time. I don't think he came close to that again for the rest of the year. Never heard much of him after those days, but I do remember all the hype over that race at the time.
iwasntthere wrote:
Nick Rogers 13:18
He also ran 27:55, made three World Cross Teams, made the 2000 Olympic team at 5000 meters, and set the course record at the Senior Bowl 10k when that was the US road champs race.
http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/letter=r/country=usa/athcode=174840/index.htmlGreat kid. What blew my mind at the time was he worked at a Home Depot-type store full time when running his best. I can tell you that being on your feet all day is not at all optimal for hard training.http://www.flotrack.org/speaker/33-nick-rogers/video
runnerryan wrote:
iwasntthere wrote:Nick Rogers 13:18
He also ran 27:55, made three World Cross Teams, made the 2000 Olympic team at 5000 meters, and set the course record at the Senior Bowl 10k when that was the US road champs race.
http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/letter=r/country=usa/athcode=174840/index.html
Sub240 wrote:
Duncan Kibet and James Kwambai. Haven't done anything spectecular sind their low 2:04.
I'll give you Kibet, but Kwambai had a lot of decent races before that and a few decent ones since.
Leo Manzano
consistently great runner on the US scene, but lets be honest. He never was a legit medal threat right up until he started kicking down the homestretch at London. Not knocking him at all, but it's not like he's gonna be a top 5 miler in the world now.
Well, this guy isn't famous like all the other examples, but he still fits the criteria.
There was a guy on my high school team a couple years ago that was pretty good for a freshman (high 4:50s), who got put into the mile for county championships. He busted out a 4:39, but got sick and couldn't race at state qualifiers. He has never broken 5 since, and isn't on varsity for XC either.
I agree with a previous poster... Hate this.
The title of the thread should be, "Can you think of a runner who underachieved in every race they ever ran save for one?"
High Wire wrote:
Ian Thompson, 1973 CW Games marathon gold.
It was the 74 Commonwealth Games actually, but not a one race wonder - he did also win the European marathon that same year.
A one year wonder maybe.
What about Juha Vaatainen?
Wonderful 1971 European and that was it.
God knows what they ran that last 300 in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwyA3sfEED4A lot of the posters on here only seem to like one race
Jason Weller at 2009 Paul Short
KYLE MERBER. 3:35...flukiest race ever
I ran a solid 2 09 in the 800 meter as an 8th grade but never did anything else note worthy in the 800 after that. My HS pr was only 2 12.
1970 Väätäinen ran PRs of 13:43.2 in 5000k and 28:19.6 in 10k; pretty good for that era. 3 days after 72 Oly he ran personal best at 5000 metres to 13:28.4.
The Euro champs was one of the most impressive in the 5 and 10k with Juha running 53 and 53.8 last laps in relatively modest times - but exhilarating to watch.
He was plagued with injury after injury and was therefore robbed of his greatest racing. But not quite a one hit wonder.
He also ran 27:55, made three World Cross Teams, made the 2000 Olympic team at 5000 meters, and set the course record at the Senior Bowl 10k when that was the US road champs race.
27:55 isn't in the same league as 13:18. Did you read the subject line?
All these "one-race wonders" can be attributed to:
(1) PEDs
(2) Course was measured wrong
(3) Course had a net elevation loss
(4) Tailwind
Just sayin'
Rosie Ruiz