NXN not Cain-certified: Mary Cain Will Not Run Cross Country

changing form in a runner who doesn't have injury problems is a bad idea.

Its a true shame when you go undefeated and have a "poor" track season. Come on!

Eh, I too think Baxter beats her at NXN but cain was VERY much "in the picture" last fall.

ritz fan wrote:

I guess Alberto forgot having repeatedly injured Ritz that changing one's natural form isn't a good idea:

Alberto said:

“Mary will most probably not run any cross country races. She’s doing a remarkable job changing her form, but in order to handle it and not risk injury, she’s only up to five miles a day. And the workouts are not very fast as well.”

Anyone else think this is horrible?

1) Trying to change form isn't a good idea.

2) Having a HSer specialize is horrible as well. You need xc for base.

Now everyone right this down. The date is Oct. 28, 2013. I predict Cain ends up being worse in 2014 than she was in 2013. Either that and/or injured.

Sincerely,

Ritz Fan.

PS. I think Cain is scared of Baxter.

No Salazar fan here. Whether this "form change" is being done on a x/c course or on a track is not known by us. I live in Westchester County, as does Cain, and the weather so far this fall has been terrific for either. I would suspect on a track since Salazar wants Cain good-to-go indoors in early January and it's easier for him to know whether the form change he has in mind for Cain -- radical or only tweaking -- is what he wants.

As for injury next year, I wouldn't want to make a bet. Presumably, Salazar has learned from his past screw-ups.

He did not have Cain ready to peak, or ready to race at the WC last summer, and that is two strikes against Salazar. Her 1500 prelim in Moscow was as dumb as it gets, and Cain wasted a lot of energy to qualify for the semis. Only her raw talent got her through.

I'm a little nervous about Alberto's science project here.

“Mary will most probably not run any cross country races. She’s doing a remarkable job changing her form, but in order to handle it and not risk injury, she’s only up to five miles a day. And the workouts are not very fast as well.”

XC is not Cain's thing. If AlSal wanted her to win a NXN title I think he could train her to do it. I think it is clear that AlSal is looking more at indoors and shorter races. 800 and 1500.

Cain has nothing to win in 2013 in XC.

Message to all the people who think this is a bad idea: CAIN IS NO LONGER A HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE. When I say this, I mean that Cain no longer deals with high school competition. She is a World Championship finalist, and she would gain nothing from winning a HS national xc race. Salazar believes that changing her form will benefit her in the long term, so doing that will help her a lot more than an xc season. Mary Cain is a world class athlete, who is above high school xc.

NOP Follower wrote:

Mary Cain is a world class athlete, who is above high school xc.

How can you be above something that you lost in?

this guy wrote:

How can you be above something that you lost in?

That seems to be the only comeback anyone has. Yes, Baxter beat Cain last year. But you can't deny that between then and now, Cain has accomplished things that Baxter has only dreamed of doing (and she might do it too, but in the prime of her career). Cain's thinking of World Championship medals, while Baxter is thinking of winning NXN. Cain and Baxter shouldn't be in the same conversation at this point.

NOP Follower wrote:

this guy wrote:

How can you be above something that you lost in?

That seems to be the only comeback anyone has. Yes, Baxter beat Cain last year. But you can't deny that between then and now, Cain has accomplished things that Baxter has only dreamed of doing (and she might do it too, but in the prime of her career). Cain's thinking of World Championship medals, while Baxter is thinking of winning NXN. Cain and Baxter shouldn't be in the same conversation at this point.

What other comeback would there be?

this guy wrote:

NOP Follower wrote:

That seems to be the only comeback anyone has. Yes, Baxter beat Cain last year. But you can't deny that between then and now, Cain has accomplished things that Baxter has only dreamed of doing (and she might do it too, but in the prime of her career). Cain's thinking of World Championship medals, while Baxter is thinking of winning NXN. Cain and Baxter shouldn't be in the same conversation at this point.

What other comeback would there be?

A valid one. There's no reason why Cain skipping xc is a bad idea.

RuKiddingMe!! wrote:

baxter is one of the best HS XC runners this country has ever seen!...raced cain twice in XC (12&11 NXN), it would of taken a mighty big camera lense to see cain or anyone for that matter in the picture! Heard the excuses, but these are the facts....has far as I know she as never been pushed thoughtout the whole race?...never?

Yes, Baxter SMASHED Cain by 4 entire seconds at NXN last year. Holy sh*t, Batman!

The facts are that Cain holds multiple U.S. HS records and was a WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP finalist as a junior in high school. Baxter is certainly one of the best U.S. HIGH SCHOOL runners of all-time.

Baxter is a beast, but comparing her XC success to Cain's track success is comical at best. A comparison would have been IF Baxter had placed in the top 15 at WORLD CROSS in the senior race.

What a shamefully biased article by Marc Bloom!! Complete lack of respect for Sarah's talent and accomplishments.

NOP Follower wrote:

A valid one. There's no reason why Cain skipping xc is a bad idea.

It is a valid one. And I never said it was a bad idea. I said it was a bummer and that she can't be above someone that beat her. Two of the best high school runners of all time happen to exist at the same time and they aren't going to have a rematch.

NOP Follower wrote:

A valid one. There's no reason why Cain skipping xc is a bad idea.

Here's one: track is boring and sucks. XC is cool. XC is real. XC is in 3D, track is in 2D. In XC, you get to make right turns. In XC you don't wear out your body doing the same thing over and over.

this guy wrote:

NOP Follower wrote:

A valid one. There's no reason why Cain skipping xc is a bad idea.

It is a valid one. And I never said it was a bad idea. I said it was a bummer and that she can't be above someone that beat her. Two of the best high school runners of all time happen to exist at the same time and they aren't going to have a rematch.

You never said it was a bummer, all you did was ask me a couple questions.

NOP Follower wrote:

this guy wrote:

It is a valid one. And I never said it was a bad idea. I said it was a bummer and that she can't be above someone that beat her. Two of the best high school runners of all time happen to exist at the same time and they aren't going to have a rematch.

You never said it was a bummer, all you did was ask me a couple questions.

That's irrelevant. I never said it was a bad idea. (And I did say it was a bummer under a different name)

Can someone explain to me how Alberto is changing her form from another side of the the country. I think he gets too much credit for coaching via email.

If not the case can someone tell me how this works exactly?

The Animal Within wrote:

Can someone explain to me how Alberto is changing her form from another side of the the country. I think he gets too much credit for coaching via email.

If not the case can someone tell me how this works exactly?

My understanding is that Alberto lays out the program in detail, then local NYC coach John Henwood works with Cain in person.