Noticed Galen Rupp has zero social media presence?

It is a head-scratcher why he is so low profile. I've only heard him say a few words ever. Its bizarre. Promote yourself (and running) a little, geez.

He's pretty much the least interesting "elite" American distance runner, probably by design.

The total lack of social media presence, fan interaction and secrecy pretty much confirms to me, that he has something to hide.

Galen Rupp is boring in interviews, but so are all runners. I mean, what is there to say, really? "Legs were feeling pretty fresh. Been working on my speed lately. Tried to maintain form through the last few laps." It not like there's much to talk about. I cringe when I watch Flotrack interviews that are like 5 minutes and you can tell the runner just wants to get out of there and keeps repeating generic garbage. There's not much to analyze from a race. It's not a sport like football, where you can discuss the outcomes of certain decisions the QB made, why the defense got penetrated, etc. Furthermore, I have a theory that runners and swimmers have severe brain damage from their sport. All the cardio probably sucks causes minor strokes by sucking the blood away from your brain and into your arms and legs. Ever heard an interview with Michael Phelps? That guy is mentally retarded.

Yeah, and Phelps is a rocket scientist compared to Ryan Lochte, if I even spelled hi name right. I'm surprised that guy can even find the pool, and when he gets there, knows what to do with it.

But among those runners who do have something to say and are NOT boring are Ritzenhein, Lagat, Lomong, Chris Derrick, Jenny Simpson, and Lauren Fleshman, just for starters.

TLW wrote:

The total lack of social media presence, fan interaction and secrecy pretty much confirms to me, that he has something to hide.

So, all those guys from before the dawn of the internet.... had something to hide?

What if Mr Rupp creates most of the threads bashing him all by himself?

This way he creates much mire hype than any blig would do...

Based on how contracts are structured, Rupp is probably the highest paid American distance runner out there (or close). He earned that by winning US Championship races and performing well at global meets. He doesn't care about his social media presence, nor should he. Why does he want to read comments from people ripping on him?

Neil wrote:

So, all those guys from before the dawn of the internet.... had something to hide?

Are you stupid or something? It's 2013. If you have zero internet presence as an Olympic Medalist, American Record Holder and one of your nations best runners ever....well that looks a little fishy doesn't it? It's purposely flying WAY, WAY under the radar.

To answer your question: If old school athletes had the internet back in 70/80s you don't think they would have some sort of social media presence?

You don't think Bill Rodgers would interact on the internet with his fans during his prime on the internet?

It's pretty sad that you can follow 2:13-16 guys training, racing and plans on the internet better than you can follow our nation's greatest distance runner.

Come on man.

Uhhh who cares wrote:

Based on how contracts are structured, Rupp is probably the highest paid American distance runner out there (or close). He earned that by winning US Championship races and performing well at global meets. He doesn't care about his social media presence, nor should he. Why does he want to read comments from people ripping on him?

To build up his personal brand and fanbase. To build the sport and build interest in it. Whenever his contract is up that would be beneficial to him or if his agent is negotiating appearance fees. Just counting on track times to make you marketable is not enough.

He can ignore tweets to him or comments on Facebook if he wants. He just needs to be putting out info about himself.

The same is true for NOP as a whole.

TLW wrote:Are you stupid or something? It's 2013. If you have zero internet presence as an Olympic Medalist, American Record Holder and one of your nations best runners ever....well that looks a little fishy doesn't it? It's purposely flying WAY, WAY under the radar.

Runners ought to be doing social media to build their own brands and to help the sport. Not doing it, however, is not "fishy". It's just not taking advantage of what you could be doing to promote yourself and the sport. If you are suggesting that you could detect PED use from tweets or Facebook posts, that's nuts.

Cheeseburger in Paradise wrote:

To build up his personal brand and fanbase. To build the sport and build interest in it.

Agree 10000%

If you went to a major city race more people would recognize Bill Rodgers than Galen Rupp.

Why?

Because Rodgers interacts with fans.

Cheeseburger in Paradise wrote:

Runners ought to be doing social media to build their own brands and to help the sport. Not doing it, however, is not "fishy". It's just not taking advantage of what you could be doing to promote yourself and the sport. If you are suggesting that you could detect PED use from tweets or Facebook posts, that's nuts.

Let me clarify my stance:

I think it's very odd that our nation's greatest distance runner hides away from social media and interacting with fans.

When someone does that, in 2013 when you can do that from a cell phone, I ask why? It's odd/fishy/strange/weird/whatever.

Why would you hide away? Why would you not promote yourself/your brand?

It's like he has something to hide.

Doesn't that clear it up?

TLW wrote:Why would you hide away? Why would you not promote yourself/your brand?

It's like he has something to hide.

Doesn't that clear it up?

No, it doesn't. Making suggestions of doping based on having no social media presence is an illogical leap.

Take a big social media user like Lolo Jones. Despite her constant tweeting and giving interviews, if she wanted to take steroids, she has plenty of time to do it between tweets. Social media doesn't mean having a camera on yourself 24/7, and neither does giving interviews or going to meet and greets. People are still presenting what they want to present on social media and at fan events. If they are going to dope they still have plenty of time and opportunity.

old.fat.slow wrote:

Seriously, we all stalk (somewhat) on FB, Twitter, and whatnot the college elite from yester-year. The Mercado twins, Luke P, AJ Acosta, Wheating, you get the point. Have you EVER seen a picture of Rupp with the guys? Was he just not around till championship time? Let the insults/bashing begin.

Don't include me in "we" when you talk about stalking. You are an old person and you are engaging in Twitter about runners? ROFL! Loser!!! What a loser you are dude.

Cheeseburger in Paradise wrote:

No, it doesn't. Making suggestions of doping based on having no social media presence is an illogical leap.

Take a big social media user like Lolo Jones. Despite her constant tweeting and giving interviews, if she wanted to take steroids, she has plenty of time to do it between tweets. Social media doesn't mean having a camera on yourself 24/7, and neither does giving interviews or going to meet and greets. People are still presenting what they want to present on social media and at fan events. If they are going to dope they still have plenty of time and opportunity.

Holy sh!t dude.

Galen Rupp has always flown way under the radar. Would you agree with that? It's not just social media, it's his whole career. The running community knows nothing literally nothing about him or NOP.

I think it's odd that our best runner does that and TO ME it seems that it is BY DESIGN BY HIS HANDLERS is very odd.

I am not making any illogical leaps. It's not just social presence, it's the whole situation. Put it all together and it's weird.

TLW wrote:Galen Rupp has always flown way under the radar. Would you agree with that? It's not just social media, it's his whole career. The running community knows nothing literally nothing about him or NOP.

I just don't see how you can say that. Here are dozens of interviews and a bunch of workout videos-

More on Runnerspace-

768 hits on Runners World

He does a poor job with social media but to say the running community "knows literally nothing about him or NOP" isn't supportable.

It baffles me that nike would give this clown one penny. Who would buy nike because a cheating elf looking chicken chested carrot brain with the personality of a cabbage wears them? I will never give nike any business, and that is because of rupp.

Cheeseburger in Paradise wrote:

He does a poor job with social media but to say the running community "knows literally nothing about him or NOP" isn't supportable.

Lolo, Symmonds, and even Centro (for example) do a great job promoting themselves and promoting T&F.

Rupp, by contrast, climbs out from under his rock, runs a race, then goes back under his rock.