Neely Spence 2:35 debut in heat....not bad at all

We're you there? Or are you just talking crap? I ran it. It was over 70 around Wellesley and there was zero cloud cover- sunny 100% of the time. Really no bad headwind until we crested heartbreak. Probably 15 degrees cooler and windy in Boston.

You may want to review the list of US Olympic and World Championship team members over the years. Many D2 runners, including Steve Spence. That's the division that develops distance runners.

Cool School wrote:

sdfsdfsdfsdf wrote:

She said her goals were top 10 and 2:35. She did both (was 9th). Not sure how it is a letdown, since she did exactly what she hoped to do. She never claimed she was going out there to win, or to run the "fastest debut by an american," so I'm not sure why anybody is disappointed. It isn't on her if other entities over-marketed her.

This is completely incorrect! She said sub 2:30 and it was only after the race she changed her stance on what would be respectable.

Someone looks silly.

Marco Brolo wrote:

Eh I would say more like 2:28-30 on the fast end. 2:25 would be ambitious.

Another average result for Spence.

Has anyone explained why she went D2 over D1? Was it really just a marketing ploy? To create an underdog story?

She specifically went to Shippensburg to be with her dad

If neely spence joined The Bee Gees I would definitely buy their new album.

History wrote:

She specifically went to Shippensburg to be with her dad

And that doesn't play into this underdog story?

Her claim to fame was a 15:35 5k but she got signed to a FAT contract because of her "story". The underdog training under her dad at a D2 school mixing it up with the D1 athletes. The future of American distance running. I heard it all. And it all worked. You ask any D2 college girl from that time and they know/love Neely Spence. She was their white knight. She ran average times and got herself a big contract. Genius actually. And somehow she has kept it going.

Spence doubter wrote:

History wrote:

She specifically went to Shippensburg to be with her dad

And that doesn't play into this underdog story?

Her claim to fame was a 15:35 5k but she got signed to a FAT contract because of her "story". The underdog training under her dad at a D2 school mixing it up with the D1 athletes. The future of American distance running. I heard it all. And it all worked. You ask any D2 college girl from that time and they know/love Neely Spence. She was their white knight. She ran average times and got herself a big contract. Genius actually. And somehow she has kept it going.

Yes you're right. In fact this conspiracy started way before she went to shippensburg, it actually started with Steve's own father and mother, when he was young they said to him "Steve it's your destiny to coach at a small division 2 school so you can create an elaborate underdog story for your offspring so they can make more money on a shoe contract. But first to get the job you yourself have to become an Olympic marathoner"

"But I hate running"

"Steve it's your destiny to create an underdog story, your grandfather told me about it in a dream"

"Ok, I will sacrifice my whole life to this cause"

YOURE AN IDIOT

So Spence goes from 2:35 to 2:25-2:30 at 63-68 degrees?

Does that mean Rupp's 2:11 at the Olympic Trials where it was was in the 70's equates to a 2:01-2:06?

I think you're being too generous on the heat conversions, I'd say 2:07 for Rupp, 2:30-2:31 for Spence at most

D2Princess wrote:

Cool School wrote:

This is completely incorrect! She said sub 2:30 and it was only after the race she changed her stance on what would be respectable.

http://www.dailycamera.com/sports/ci_29775738/neely-spence-gracey-will-go-distance-her-fathers

Someone looks silly.

Yes indeed. I don't know if the weather was worth 5 minutes or not, but it was worth a lot better than 2:35, which was her goal. But I don't think 5 min is unreasonable given the heat, then the headwind after the hills. It can't be compared to the flat LA marathon where 2:11 was probably worth a 2:07-2:08.

ALL THAT HYPE FOR A CHICK WITH A GOAL OF 6MIN PACE. THIS SPORT IS REALLY STRUGGLING

fdgrwrg wrote:

ALL THAT HYPE FOR A CHICK WITH A GOAL OF 6MIN PACE. THIS SPORT IS REALLY STRUGGLING

If the weather was very cool with a nice tailwind as in some Boston years, Neely would've run 2:25 and people would be promoting her as the next great thing in the sport. You can't have it both ways.

Let's see what she does in the Fall.

Average by her standards wrote:

It'll be interesting to see how more accomplished women distance runners fare once they make their debut: Molly Huddle, Kim Conley, Emily Infeld, Katie Matthews, Rochelle Kanuho, Tara Welling, etc.

Can't forget Molly Seidel as well, half/full marathons are gonna be her bread and butter after graduating. I fully believe her breakout the past 12 months is only a sneak peak into what she can really do.

Hypocrites everywhere wrote:

If the weather was very cool with a nice tailwind as in some Boston years, Neely would've run 2:25 and people would be promoting her as the next great thing in the sport. You can't have it both ways.

Let's see what she does in the Fall.

I agree lets call it for what it is she ran 26.2 in 2:35. Lets stop calling it 2:25 or 2:30. It was a 2:35. It was fine. She puts herself in that second tier of American marathoners. Like I said in an earlier post, if she was in the trials she probably would be in that 15th-25th range. That's fine. But lets stop trying to read too much into it.

Time to crawl back into your angry little hole. Young lady had a respectable marathon debut on a challenging course. Good for her.

So much criticism for her performance, which I thought was fine.

If anything, we should be criticizing her parents for naming her Neely. Seriously, what kind of name is that, anyway? What could they possibly have been snortin', shootin', chewin', or boozin' when they decided that?

Psac wrote:

Spence doubter wrote:

[quote]History wrote:

She specifically went to Shippensburg to be with her dad

And that doesn't play into this underdog story?

Her claim to fame was a 15:35 5k but she got signed to a FAT contract because of her "story". The underdog training under her dad at a D2 school mixing it up with the D1 athletes. The future of American distance running. I heard it all. And it all worked. You ask any D2 college girl from that time and they know/love Neely Spence. She was their white knight. She ran average times and got herself a big contract. Genius actually. And somehow she has kept it going.

Yes you're right. In fact this conspiracy started way before she went to shippensburg, it actually started with Steve's own father and mother, when he was young they said to him "Steve it's your destiny to coach at a small division 2 school so you can create an elaborate underdog story for your offspring so they can make more money on a shoe contract. But first to get the job you yourself have to become an Olympic marathoner"

"But I hate running"

"Steve it's your destiny to create an underdog story, your grandfather told me about it in a dream"

"Ok, I will sacrifice my whole life to this cause"

And how many years has Steve Spence broken 5:00 for the mile now? I can't remember. How old is he now? He is amazing.

Congratulations to Neely Spence Gracey on her marathon debut at the Boston marathon. Her father Steve was running the Boston marathon in 1990 when she was born!

Neely has a clear advantage because she was born with real deal genes.

What happened to you in your life that you became bitter enough to spout hate like this on an anonymous message board?

Spence doubter wrote:

History wrote:

She specifically went to Shippensburg to be with her dad

And that doesn't play into this underdog story?

Her claim to fame was a 15:35 5k but she got signed to a FAT contract because of her "story". The underdog training under her dad at a D2 school mixing it up with the D1 athletes. The future of American distance running. I heard it all. And it all worked. You ask any D2 college girl from that time and they know/love Neely Spence. She was their white knight. She ran average times and got herself a big contract. Genius actually. And somehow she has kept it going.

Neely rocked it. You could tell she held back (afraid the wheels might fall off; after all it was her debut!). 5:41 pace for the last 5k of 26.2! Her form was perfect at end.

Can we get one of stat geeks on here to do a comparative anylasis of past races at Boston of tempatures and finishing times. The numbers are are there we just need somebody to do the work. How did the heat really impact times in comparison to past warm years?