So how far did Ryan Hall make it today?

Hall fan wrote:

Le Foot wrote:

0/10

Don't think this is a troll attempt. OP makes a valid point. Hall drops out of races these days more than he finishes them. With all of the resources he has as a big name professional runner, you'd think he would be able to get his act together. Today was blamed on the same hamstring from London, for instance. From 2 years ago! Clearly his rehab/strengthening program/whatever is inadequate. And he's still self-coached, right? I love watching the guy run, it's just disappointing seeing him drop out of races so frequently.

No the OP doesn't have a point

Hall has no obligation to finish a race on a bad hamstring.

TLW wrote:

runn wrote:

I agree with everything except the retire part- He can travel and race as much and for as long as he wants. But, I have to admit, I've pretty much given up on him.

Everytime Hall toes the line and drops out he ruins his legacy, loses fans, etc.

When he dropped out at the Olympics at 50 MINUTES into the marathon(!!!!!!!!). I stopped being a fan forever.

So if he made the idiotic choice of running 2+ hours on a busted hamstring, you would have continued to be a fan of his? That makes no sense.

I suspect you weren't a fan in the first place. That's fine, just say so.

Who says his hamstring was busted at any one of these races? Just as likely that he was in poor shape due to his imaginary coach, realized he wouldn't be able to compete and dropped out, citing injury as the reason.

Or did he really always have an injury for all of these races that he has DNFed? Then he shouldn't have started them. A professional runner should know his body better. Of course then he couldn't collect any appearance money so maybe he is misleading the race organizers in order to collect a check.

The careers of world class marathoners rarely extend beyond a few years - even five is unusual. For Ryan it's now 8 years since his big breakthrough. It's unrealistic to hope that he's going to make some big comeback. Let go of that hope - I think Ryan probably has. He's essentially a really fast hobbyist now. This was a local 10k and he didn't feel like risking his long term health only to finish even further back in the pack than he would have anyway. It's no big deal.

I'm still a big Ryan Hall fan, but it's like how I'm a big fan of Frank Shorter or Jim Ryun. I admire their careers. But they are over.

jason T-Rexing wrote:

Who says his hamstring was busted at any one of these races? Just as likely that he was in poor shape due to his imaginary coach, realized he wouldn't be able to compete and dropped out, citing injury as the reason.

Or did he really always have an injury for all of these races that he has DNFed? Then he shouldn't have started them. A professional runner should know his body better. Of course then he couldn't collect any appearance money so maybe he is misleading the race organizers in order to collect a check.

You're right, let's go with your theory, he's probably the ultimate con man. That's a lot more logical than that he was just injured. Very brilliant detective work, dude!

How many times does Ryan Hall have to toe the starting line in "great shape" only to DNF by the halfway point before you wake up to reality?

jason T-Rexing wrote:

How many times does Ryan Hall have to toe the starting line in "great shape" only to DNF by the halfway point before you wake up to reality?

Wow, I hope I never wake up as disturbed you

jason T-Rexing wrote:

How many times does Ryan Hall have to toe the starting line in "great shape" only to DNF by the halfway point before you wake up to reality?

How far did he get today?

J.R. wrote:

jason T-Rexing wrote:

How many times does Ryan Hall have to toe the starting line in "great shape" only to DNF by the halfway point before you wake up to reality?

How far did he get today?

Who knows - reports just say "midrace" or something. The more telling stat is that he couldn't keep up with the lead pack for even one mile.

Le Foot wrote:

Hall fan wrote:

Don't think this is a troll attempt. OP makes a valid point. Hall drops out of races these days more than he finishes them. With all of the resources he has as a big name professional runner, you'd think he would be able to get his act together. Today was blamed on the same hamstring from London, for instance. From 2 years ago! Clearly his rehab/strengthening program/whatever is inadequate. And he's still self-coached, right? I love watching the guy run, it's just disappointing seeing him drop out of races so frequently.

No the OP doesn't have a point

Hall has no obligation to finish a race on a bad hamstring.

You miss the point. He shouldn't be toeing he line at all if he has an injury. That's just dumb. He should be racing healthy. Otherwise he just sets himself up for another DNF.

not the point wrote:

Le Foot wrote:

No the OP doesn't have a point

Hall has no obligation to finish a race on a bad hamstring.

You miss the point. He shouldn't be toeing he line at all if he has an injury. That's just dumb. He should be racing healthy. Otherwise he just sets himself up for another DNF.

Or he could just start the race and see how he feels and if it hurts, drop out

Revolutionary thought, I know

Le Foot wrote:

not the point wrote:

You miss the point. He shouldn't be toeing he line at all if he has an injury. That's just dumb. He should be racing healthy. Otherwise he just sets himself up for another DNF.

Or he could just start the race and see how he feels and if it hurts, drop out

Revolutionary thought, I know

Racing through an injury? You can't be serious. More like incredibly dumb. That's a great way to end your season prematurely.

jason T-Rexing wrote:

Who says his hamstring was busted at any one of these races? Just as likely that he was in poor shape due to his imaginary coach, realized he wouldn't be able to compete and dropped out, citing injury as the reason.

Or did he really always have an injury for all of these races that he has DNFed? Then he shouldn't have started them. A professional runner should know his body better. Of course then he couldn't collect any appearance money so maybe he is misleading the race organizers in order to collect a check.

That is a plausible theory. In reality he probably goes in thinking about the appearance money, and justifies it by starting the race. The "great shape" that you hear about it is him marketing himself to build his brand. It's a slap in the face when guys like Hall get a fat paycheck to bring home multiple DNF's while many other professional runners who perform awesome barely make anything. I keep thinking Hall's luck is going to run out sooner than later, but I'm always surprised at how Asics holds onto him. If he would have been Nike they would have dropped him after the Olympics. Maybe Webb should have signed with Asics, he probably wouldn't have yet had the "come to Jesus" meeting that Nike likely gave him.

Look, Hall's career downturn can be pinpointed to one single episode: when he turned to God as a coach.

I'm not being anti-religious. I'm citing historical fact.

i hate larry rawlson wrote:

Look, Hall's career downturn can be pinpointed to one single episode: when he turned to God as a coach.

I'm not being anti-religious. I'm citing historical fact.

When he turned to God he ran a 2:04:58 marathon.

Oh it was wind-aided you say? Who do you think was controlling the wind?

Checkmate, atheists.

not the point wrote:

Le Foot wrote:

Or he could just start the race and see how he feels and if it hurts, drop out

Revolutionary thought, I know

Racing through an injury? You can't be serious. More like incredibly dumb. That's a great way to end your season prematurely.

It's not racing through an injury if you drop out before the injury happens. It's no worse than a DNS, except if you start the race you at least give yourself a chance.

I'm not talking about God and for all you know it was Satan who pushed him along trying to tempt him into PEDs.The point I'm making is he turned away from science-based coaching and has paid the price.

Milano wrote:

i hate larry rawlson wrote:

Look, Hall's career downturn can be pinpointed to one single episode: when he turned to God as a coach.

I'm not being anti-religious. I'm citing historical fact.

When he turned to God he ran a 2:04:58 marathon.

Oh it was wind-aided you say? Who do you think was controlling the wind?

Checkmate, atheists.

i hate larry rawlson wrote:

The point I'm making is he turned away from science-based coaching and has paid the price.

He's been advised by Renato Canova, Jack Daniels, and a few others, and his wife is coached by Steve Magness. So I am certain there is plenty of scientific influence in his training.

I'm not being anti-religious. I'm citing historical fact.

It's hard to cite historical fact without being anti-religious though. Religion and facts don't gel.