32-year old Nick Willis says 2016 Olympics may not be his last

Get your numbers straight wrote:

He ran 3:32.68 in 2004 in Rome when he was 21. That was 12 years ago. He's been good for a long time.

He trains smart, consistent and knows how to compete. When he started into the sport he wanted to have a long career and he has. Money was never his motivating factor.

You don't even know that man.

Look up John Walker's career. Gold medal in 1976, was still competing in 1990 at age 39.

Is your "moniker" supposed to be a shot at my post. IF it is, you need to educate yourself. NOTHING in your post refutes anything I have asserted. Willis is very likely CHEATING. How does a runner who cannot break 3:32 until he is 28 suddenly become a 3:29 runner in his 30s? It is like Mo Farah.

Yeah it is me wrote:

Is your "moniker" supposed to be a shot at my post. IF it is, you need to educate yourself. NOTHING in your post refutes anything I have asserted. Willis is very likely CHEATING. How does a runner who cannot break 3:32 until he is 28 suddenly become a 3:29 runner in his 30s? It is like Mo Farah.

Well, you certainly don't seem to be looking for a reasonable answer.

He won Olympic silver in 2008, at the age of 25. What shape do you think he was in at that point in the right race?

Then he had a couple/few years where he needed surgery in the off season - hardly the best preparation to run a lifetime best.

Then he gets the opportunity in the last couple years to run in some of the fastest races ever, and that means he is cheating?!?

Sounds like you are trying to deny a lot of reason here.

OK, so you want me to believe that Mo Farah simply started training with some intensity? Lance simply trained harder than the rest...Willis finally got healthy and was MUCH better than when he was young. OK...

Yeah it is me wrote:

runthecountry wrote:

Well, you certainly don't seem to be looking for a reasonable answer.

He won Olympic silver in 2008, at the age of 25. What shape do you think he was in at that point in the right race?

Then he had a couple/few years where he needed surgery in the off season - hardly the best preparation to run a lifetime best.

Then he gets the opportunity in the last couple years to run in some of the fastest races ever, and that means he is cheating?!?

Sounds like you are trying to deny a lot of reason here.

OK, so you want me to believe that Mo Farah simply started training with some intensity? Lance simply trained harder than the rest...Willis finally got healthy and was MUCH better than when he was young. OK...

I don't know about Mo - I haven't seen him since just before he joined Alberto. My hunch is that Alberto is bending every rule he can get away with, and that (technically speaking) Mo would not be considered dirty.

But the situation of Mo and Lance are HUGELY different than Willis. Mo and Lance have no fewer 7 global titles EACH ... Willis has run some fast times being pulled along in fast races.

Maybe if Willis wins multiple gold medals from here on out, your suspicion would be a little more justified, but you just seem jealous at this point.

runthecountry wrote:

Yeah it is me wrote:

OK, so you want me to believe that Mo Farah simply started training with some intensity? Lance simply trained harder than the rest...Willis finally got healthy and was MUCH better than when he was young. OK...

I don't know about Mo - I haven't seen him since just before he joined Alberto. My hunch is that Alberto is bending every rule he can get away with, and that (technically speaking) Mo would not be considered dirty.

But the situation of Mo and Lance are HUGELY different than Willis. Mo and Lance have no fewer 7 global titles EACH ... Willis has run some fast times being pulled along in fast races.

Maybe if Willis wins multiple gold medals from here on out, your suspicion would be a little more justified, but you just seem jealous at this point.

Not everybody who cheats is going to win 7 global titles. I might "seem jealous," but I suppose those who suspected Lance "seemed jealous." It could also be more accurately labeled "intelligent."

Yeah it is me wrote:

reader of the forums 2.0 wrote:

I think he is fine.

I do think it is weird you got so worked up over some comments he made though.

You are making assumptions about my getting so "worked up" when you have no earthly notion about my mental state. That is what is "weird."

No, I do have some earthly notion about your mental state based on what you wrote.

For example, if someone wrote "I f*cking hate you, go f*ck yourself a**hole, it would be reasonable to imagine that the mental state of the person who wrote that is one of anger.

So your above claim is wrong.

It is indeed weird that a harmless comment by Nick caused you to believe and write that he is "not very bright", "stupid", and "needs an education." It couldn't be that his analysis of his own fitness is merely mistaken.

Yeah it is me wrote:

Get your numbers straight wrote:

He ran 3:32.68 in 2004 in Rome when he was 21. That was 12 years ago. He's been good for a long time.

He trains smart, consistent and knows how to compete. When he started into the sport he wanted to have a long career and he has. Money was never his motivating factor.

You don't even know that man.

Look up John Walker's career. Gold medal in 1976, was still competing in 1990 at age 39.

Is your "moniker" supposed to be a shot at my post. IF it is, you need to educate yourself. NOTHING in your post refutes anything I have asserted. Willis is very likely CHEATING. How does a runner who cannot break 3:32 until he is 28 suddenly become a 3:29 runner in his 30s? It is like Mo Farah.

Funny how everyone but you needs to "educate themselves."

Reader of forums, I would advise you to read more and post less. You are also not very bright, as I do not need to be "worked up" to label others, such as you and Nick Willis, as being not very bright. If you were brighter you would recognize this.

reader of the forums 2.0 wrote:

Yeah it is me wrote:

Is your "moniker" supposed to be a shot at my post. IF it is, you need to educate yourself. NOTHING in your post refutes anything I have asserted. Willis is very likely CHEATING. How does a runner who cannot break 3:32 until he is 28 suddenly become a 3:29 runner in his 30s? It is like Mo Farah.

Funny how everyone but you needs to "educate themselves."

Again, reader, you are not very bright. IF you were, you would realize that you, Willis, and another dolt do not comprise everyone.

Yeah it is me wrote:

Reader of forums, I would advise you to read more and post less. You are also not very bright, as I do not need to be "worked up" to label others, such as you and Nick Willis, as being not very bright. If you were brighter you would recognize this.

The irony that is soaring several meters over your head is that with every post you've made after the one I originally responded to, you've only further demonstrated my thesis that you're "worked up."

People that are "bright" don't go around telling everyone that doesn't hold their view they need to "educate themselves."

reader of the forums 2.0 wrote:

Yeah it is me wrote:

Reader of forums, I would advise you to read more and post less. You are also not very bright, as I do not need to be "worked up" to label others, such as you and Nick Willis, as being not very bright. If you were brighter you would recognize this.

The irony that is soaring several meters over your head is that with every post you've made after the one I originally responded to, you've only further demonstrated my thesis that you're "worked up."

People that are "bright" don't go around telling everyone that doesn't hold their view they need to "educate themselves."

Again, I am not "worked up." Actually, it is not your not holding "my view" which triggers me to tell you to educate yourself, but of course you are not bright enough to recognize this. There is no point in continuing this...

Yeah it is me wrote:

Not everybody who cheats is going to win 7 global titles. I might "seem jealous," but I suppose those who suspected Lance "seemed jealous." It could also be more accurately labeled "intelligent."

You are right about one thing - not everyone who cheats is going to win 7 global titles.

However, not everyone who runs a PR after the age of 28 is necessarily doping. Believing they are cheating doesn't make you "intelligent" - while I'll admit a little dose of skepticism is required for intelligent commentary on the sport, it can go overboard.

And touching on a previous point, Willis never claimed he was coming back for gold, or at the top of his game, in 2020. I don't think he harbors any illusions about being on the podium after this year or next, but he can still hope to be the best fit to represent his country.

I NEVER stated that believing somebody is cheating makes one intelligent, but I asserted that those of us who suspected Lance of cheating would more accurately be labeled "intelligent" as opposed to "jealous," if one had to pick between the two.

Willis certainly isn't stupid or uneducated for thinking he can be at the Olympics in 2020. He is in the shape of his life, running all time PBs and has shown consistency over the years that would suggest he will still be around the 3:30 mark in another couple of years. Stretching that out for a few more will be difficult, but it has been done in the past, and Willis seems a likely candidate to do so.

Either way, should Willis stay healthy and injury free, I see him running the Olympic qualifying time and going to another Olympics, which is just what he said. He doesn't need to medal to have achieved something.

I don't think anyone here needs educating, but perhaps a chill pill might help.

Yeah it is me wrote:

I asserted that those of us who suspected Lance of cheating would more accurately be labeled "intelligent" as opposed to "jealous," if one had to pick between the two.

Go back.

Read what I wrote.

In fact, I'll put it right here:

"But the situation of Mo and Lance are HUGELY different than Willis. Mo and Lance have no fewer 7 global titles EACH ... Willis has run some fast times being pulled along in fast races.

Maybe if Willis wins multiple gold medals from here on out, your suspicion would be a little more justified, but you just seem jealous at this point."

And the debate between intelligent and jealous was never about Lance. Completely different case, completely different context, and completely different athlete than Willis.

track in monaco illegal and needs to be treated as such

giv false impresion of p.b like for farah.

p.b at 38 then doper

The only thing different about Monaco is it pays well, gets great pacemakers determined to take the field round fast through 1100m and has fantastic weather.

It is childish to claim the track is 'unfair' or 'illegal'. Stupidity beyond reason.

People go there each year and try to run the fastest they possibly can because the great conditions make it possible.

There is NO evidence otherwise. It is embarrassing to sit here and watch grown adults question the legitimacy of sports equipment meticulously tested by various professional, 3rd party laboratories in order to be certified as within the specifications set out by the IAAF for all tracks.

But then the Letsrun experts know it all don't they.

Willis is faster in 2015 than any other year, period. He has had lots of injury trouble in the past and last two years been getting over it and training well. You can shout 'drugs' at the screen also if you like but the fact remains; he ran those times.

You do realize that Willis is talking about making the New Zealand Olympic team and not the US team right?

And I suppose you realize his aim is to make it to the 2020 Olympics. Which is not that difficult in a country that has not won an Olympic distance medal probably since 1976.

So what exactly makes him a liar?

He also knows that to keep his sponsors he just needs to the top New Zealand distance runner for another few years. And he needs to remind the public that he is indeed still New Zealand's best hope. I say he is a smart chap.

You on the other hand are just building up straw men to pick fights with.

Joplas wrote:

And I suppose you realize his aim is to make it to the 2020 Olympics. Which is not that difficult in a country that has not won an Olympic distance medal probably since 1976.

Assuming you consider the 1500m middle distance and not distance, I'd like you to meet Lorraine Moller.