Lost All Respect For Mo Farah

Paula = truth teller. She also implied, and I agree, that David Rudisha is not only a better athlete, but a better man than Mo Farah.

We spent a large part of the Week That Was writing about Farah skipping CGs.

We decided to write about it before we knew about him being airlifted or about his quote about not wanting to run when he wouldn't win.

Farah's quote of:

only reinforces our criticism. Obviously, the airlifting sounds very serious but what we were criticizing was the mindset of, "If I can't win, I won't run."

Imagine if everyone had that mindset. There would be one entrant in each event.

Now, I don't think that makes David Rudisha a better man, a better sportsman? Yes. Better man? Not at all.

I also think the OP's title is stupid. I haven't lost all respect for Farah. I think very few athletes are willing to relocate their families and be 100% all in to being the best.

But when people wonder why the NOP isn't universally beloved it's examples like this that jump out at you. Rupp's going to go for the AR in Eugene, no wait, it's going to be Palo Alto. Rupp's going to run, oh wait, the pollen is too high.

We're going to do CGs, oh wait, no we're not. All of these decisions are 100% the right thing for Salazar and company to do when thinking only about the athlete. And that's their job and how they are compensated.

At LetsRun.com, our job is to report on and think about the sport.

Moving on...

Homunculus, come on. He's speaking metaphorically. He's not in 14:00 shape. He ran 13:23 two months ago with a 52 last lap. That type of fitness would almost certainly garner a medal at CGs.

Positive Contribution wrote:

Agree about the 10,000. Replace it with a 10K XC race.

5000 longest race on the track. 10K for roads and XC.

I'll third this. Please no track races longer than 15 minutes (Okay, we'll give some leeway for women and slower runners...though slow people like myself tend to be smart enough not to enter long distance events on the track).

As a fan, I only pay attention for the final mile or so of a 10,000 but can watch an entire 5,000 without much trouble (even multiple heats sometimes).

Wow. Thank heavens ADD Americans don't control this sport. Didn't Michael Johnson suggest something similar like axing some distance events to replace them with even more sprints? Ridiculous.

If you want a 10k road race or XC at the Olympics then campaign for them to be included on their own merits. We all know how many forms and permutations sports like cycling and swimming have at a single games.

The "if I cant win, I wont run" mentality is really said, think of the example that would set for young kids who look up to him? Sounds like Mo is trying to do his best Ricky Bobby impression.

Yet another reason Mo will never be remembered as more than a lucky, doped up championship runner. GOAT's like Bekele muscle it up (i.e. London 2012 10K) even when they know they probably wont win.

ITT: The same people who ask why Ryan Hall and Alan Webb still compete when they aren't good enough.

rojo wrote:

Homunculus, come on. He's speaking metaphorically. He's not in 14:00 shape. He ran 13:23 two months ago with a 52 last lap. That type of fitness would almost certainly garner a medal at CGs.

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=5857846

Whatever it is it is not a metaphor, but it's a pretty common expression used by athletes. So maybe he won't lose by a minute, and maybe he has sufficient fitness to be in the hunt until the last couple laps. That could still leave him far behind the leaders with no chance to win. And that's what he's saying - he's saying he has no chance to win. Tons of athletes decide not to run when they are in that position.

To quote Paula Radcliffe: “As desperate as I was to be part of the amazing experience of the London Olympics, I don’t want to be there below my best.”

I will just add this from Paula Radcliffe on pulling out of the 2003 World Championships:

"I have had my preparations interrupted this year which has left me short of time and training. I have come very close, but this week has shown me that I am not quite at the level that I hoped I would be."

"UK Athletics Performance Director Max Jones said: 'I am fully behind her decision to withdraw because I would not want her to compete if she is not 100%.'"

Athletes say this kind of stuff ALL THE TIME. I have no idea why everyone is jumping on Farah for saying the exact same thing after being airlifted to the G-D hospital.

Homunculus wrote:

Athletes say this kind of stuff ALL THE TIME. I have no idea why everyone is jumping on Farah for saying the exact same thing after being airlifted to the G-D hospital.

Agree 100%

No surprise. I'm surprised more people aren't picking on Bolt for not doing the 100 and/or 200. He probably could have won those. Most people think that Farah is the best distance runner in the world. That is very valuable. If he loses, then it could cost him a lot of money. Same reason why Bolt hasn't been competing. Money wise, it's better to not compete to race and risk losing if they're not at the top of their game. Bolt was just lucky he had a relay he could do. Farah didn't have that luxury.

It's all about money...

you're dam right it is...it's his JOB!

Rojo...for the next year only post 80% of the material you guys come up with

TAA wrote:

No surprise. I'm surprised more people aren't picking on Bolt for not doing the 100 and/or 200. He probably could have won those. Most people think that Farah is the best distance runner in the world. That is very valuable. If he loses, then it could cost him a lot of money. Same reason why Bolt hasn't been competing. Money wise, it's better to not compete to race and risk losing if they're not at the top of their game. Bolt was just lucky he had a relay he could do. Farah didn't have that luxury.

Same reason Asbel Kiprop ain't run the 1500. And neither of those guys were in a hospital.

People are too critical of Mo

Positive Contribution wrote:

This quote says it all.

“I’m not going to turn up in my home country and get beaten. A lot of those Kenyan guys I can beat, but when I’m only 80 or 90 per cent I’m just asking to be beaten.”

He's in for another shock at Great North Run, then.

Vamos Algeria wrote:

TAA wrote:

No surprise. I'm surprised more people aren't picking on Bolt for not doing the 100 and/or 200. He probably could have won those. Most people think that Farah is the best distance runner in the world. That is very valuable. If he loses, then it could cost him a lot of money. Same reason why Bolt hasn't been competing. Money wise, it's better to not compete to race and risk losing if they're not at the top of their game. Bolt was just lucky he had a relay he could do. Farah didn't have that luxury.

Same reason Asbel Kiprop ain't run the 1500. And neither of those guys were in a hospital.

People are too critical of Mo

I imagine a general dislike of NOP on here is fueling the Mo complaints. Just look at the WTW. It went out of its way to point out that Solinsky has the better record against Rupp, as if that's supposed to prove that Solinsky is the better runner, and then went on to slam Farah for not running the CGs, and then brought up Centro for missing USAs again, even though there were several high profile athletes that skipped (Gatlin, True immediately come to mind). NOP is deserving of some of this criticism, but not all of it, especially when there are people who are doing the exact same things that they do.

I don't understand why the brojos and other lrc posters want Mo to potentially jeopardize his health just to run a couple races. What were they saying when their beloved Radcliffe was doing the exact same thing, when she didn't even have medical issues? I imagine they weren't constantly calling her out for being a coward or repeating "IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE SPORT BLAH BLAH BLAH."

Vamos Algeria wrote:

Same reason Asbel Kiprop ain't run the 1500. And neither of those guys were in a hospital.

People are too critical of Mo

Asbel Kiprop was soundly beaten at the Kenyan trials. Kenyans don't have the luxury of making the team just by being available.

El Keniano wrote:

Vamos Algeria wrote:

Same reason Asbel Kiprop ain't run the 1500. And neither of those guys were in a hospital.

People are too critical of Mo

Asbel Kiprop was soundly beaten at the Kenyan trials. Kenyans don't have the luxury of making the team just by being available.

Are the Kenyan trials for African Championships the same as the one for the Commonwealth Games?

Some good counter-points in Farah's defense here. I think what it comes down to is people just don't like him, so they grasp at anything that's available and puff it up a little bit.

I think the guy's annoying. All his interviews leave me thinking he's kind of stupid. It's like he tries to be cool and charismatic, but he can't quite pull it off because he's not quite smart enough, and not genuinely a fun guy. So I'm personally happy that he's getting a hard time, even if it's not fully deserved.

One thing I do find funny, though, is how he's now like a princess who can only run when he'll probably win, given the fact that for his entire career up until 3 or 4 years ago, he was that guy that got dropped when the racing got serious. He should have run so he could stay in touch with his roots, with the guy he was before Salazar gave him his mysterious makeover by spotting his fatal inability to do pushups, and rectifying it.

Positive Contribution wrote:

asdfasiodjfaijf wrote:

"I only participate when I am 100% certain I will win."

He can never be that certain.

I'm sure you be trollin though.

Yeah maybe a little with that comment.

But look if you 80-90% healthy I understand not racing unless it is an Olympics or WC's since that was you do all your training for anyway. Otherwise it is wise to risk serious injury.

However if you refuse to race because are 80-90% fit while having no pains or oncoming injuries. Well that is just bush league IMO.

I think it's a fine outlook to have. So, he wants to give his home fans the best value for their dollar and the best results for their morale and spirits! Commercial teams sports are motivated by all the nonsense commercialism and have rigid set schedules. Fact of life is T&F, athletes can choose. It's not as egregious as the top sprinters dodging each other. Mo turned up for the London Marathon. Mo has been been at all the major championship 5ks and 10ks and many important races, etc. Cut him a break. Maybe his competition should have chosen their races better to have a sniffing chance at beating him when it counts

according to lets run Mo farah is :

Doper/cheater

Coward who ducks competition

Can medal but cant run fast time to save his own life

cheats on his wife when he is away training

fakes passing out

Bad person/bad athlete

Money chaser

stupid/ low IQ

Well news flash :Mo will continue to dominate 5 n 10 k distance for the next 3 yrs -- world championship 2015, Olympics 2016 and world championship 2017

brace yourself for more butt-hurt for at least 3 yrs LOL