Is the 2017 Chicago Marathon being set up so Galen Rupp is almost guaranteed to win it?

Three logical reasons why the field at Chicago may not be very strong:

1) Athletes who live in N. Africa or E Africa, Berlin, Germany is either the same time zone or only one or two time zone difference. Makes Berlin Marathon more appealing.

2) The US currently is more ball busting for foreigners with Muslim sounding names than Germany to get into US. Makes Berlin Marathon more appealing.

3) October 8th in Chicago, IL historically can be too hot for a Marathon. Berlin, Germany is roughly on 52 latitude. Chicago is roughly on 41 latitude. Makes Berlin Marathon more appealing. NYC Marathon is in November. Makes NYC Marathon more appealing.

ironside wrote:

Three logical reasons why the field at Chicago may not be very strong:

1) Athletes who live in N. Africa or E Africa, Berlin, Germany is either the same time zone or only one or two time zone difference. Makes Berlin Marathon more appealing.

2) The US currently is more ball busting for foreigners with Muslim sounding names than Germany to get into US. Makes Berlin Marathon more appealing.

3) October 8th in Chicago, IL historically can be too hot for a Marathon. Berlin, Germany is roughly on 52 latitude. Chicago is roughly on 41 latitude. Makes Berlin Marathon more appealing. NYC Marathon is in November. Makes NYC Marathon more appealing.

I disagree with all 3 of these.

Athletes are going to care about $ and ability to run a good time.

#1. It doesn't take too many dollars to get a star athlete to run in NY vs Berlin because of time difference. Look at Paula Radcliffe. Race a lot in NY.

#2. Most Kenyan runner's don't have Muslim names. Sorry if you think all foreign names are Muslim sounding.

#3. Sure you can have a warm day in Chicago in October but it is far from the norm.

yesitsthecase wrote:

Athlete Rep here: I submitted an athlete who has run 2:07 for Chicago and they said no. Amazing.

I think you are a troll, but if you aren't then you should give yourself credibility by naming the athlete and describing the terms that you all were not able to agree upon. A washed up 2:07 runner might get passed over, just like a legit 2:07 runner might get passed over if you asked for too much money.

Shoebacca wrote:

yesitsthecase wrote:

Athlete Rep here: I submitted an athlete who has run 2:07 for Chicago and they said no. Amazing.

I think you are a troll, but if you aren't then you should give yourself credibility by naming the athlete and describing the terms that you all were not able to agree upon. A washed up 2:07 runner might get passed over, just like a legit 2:07 runner might get passed over if you asked for too much money.

Was going to call up this post to say the exact same thing.

Wejo: Do you disagree that racing in the same time zone or only changing one time zone in Berlin, GER is more convenient than changing eight time zones to come to US?

Interesting that you stated Kenyan runners regarding Muslim sounding names. According to Central Intelligence Agency World Fact Book, 33.9% of Ethiopians are Muslim. I can tell when a Ethiopian has a Muslim name. I will not bring unwanted attention to anyone specifically.

Do you disagree that Berlin, Germany in late September is usually cooler than Chicago, IL in the first week of October? New York City, NY is without question cooler in the first week of November than Chicago, IL in the first week of October.

ironside wrote:

Interesting that you stated Kenyan runners regarding Muslim sounding names. According to Central Intelligence Agency World Fact Book, 33.9% of Ethiopians are Muslim. I can tell when a Ethiopian has a Muslim name. I will not bring unwanted attention to anyone specifically.

But riddle me this - what percentage of Ethiopians are Kenyan?

fields usually are added to as things get closer when they get later confirmation and for continued publicity. all they need is a young kenyan who has served pace in berlin or london to blow up his chances, but lilesa should be sufficient.

ironside...wejo is right.

I really don't think any Ethiopian nor Kenyan athletes are worried about their safety or discrimination coming to the USA. Nor would they worry about time zones, as any 2:07 or better athlete has probably raced multiple times overseas in different time zones.

Weather can be bad anywhere in the world...anytime. And athletes come to win money, and if the weather sucks it doesn't change that.

Next you'll say people don't like the Chicago marathon because their Garmin GPS watches get messed up downtown

Barabbas wrote:

casche

rojo wrote:

Cachet

Cache?

Cash?

Crochet?

2:10+ wrote:

Chicago = YAWNfest.

.

why would anyone bother fixing a B-level marathon?

more proof that NOP is off for good.

Feyisa Lilesa will pull out a couple of weeks before the race (with a fat paycheck in his hand).

Reed: You will speak for the mindset of African, SW Asian and S Asian Muslims regarding their view of current political climate in US?

Are stating for a fact that changing one or two time zones is the same as changing eight or nine time zones for an athlete? Berlin v. Chicago

Are you stating a 24 C/ 76 F plus day is equally likely for all three fall Marathons (Berlin/Chicago/NYC)?

Marathon temperature is not comparable to a watch.

ironside wrote:

Reed: You will speak for the mindset of African, SW Asian and S Asian Muslims regarding their view of current political climate in US?

Asian Muslims aren't running 2:05 marathons.

ironside wrote:

Are stating for a fact that changing one or two time zones is the same as changing eight or nine time zones for an athlete? Berlin v. Chicago

They're going east to west, so it's easy.

ironside wrote:

Are you stating a 24 C/ 76 F plus day is equally likely for all three fall Marathons (Berlin/Chicago/NYC)?

The average high in Berlin in September is 66F.

The average high in Chicago in October is 62F.

1) Are you speaking for Muslim Marathoners now?

2) Traveling 1/3 of the way around the world is not easy, west to east or east to west. Please tell me you have been to Europe or Africa. If you have not traveled to Europe or Africa, how can you state the travel is easy? We have thousands of pro sport results for east coast pro teams traveling to west coast and doing poorly. Let others give you the exact results.

3) Stating the average temperature in Berlin in September is not stating the average temperature of Berlin the last eight days of September. Stating the average temperature of Chicago in October is not stating the average temperature of Chicago the first week of October.

Brojo and friends of Brojo are not actually poking holes in my statements. Friends of Brojo prefer Rojo's conspiracy theories based on no facts.

I must say it appears that the Top elite women prefer London and Chicago, and the top elite men prefer London and Berlin.

But for some reason the top elite women don't care about Berlin like the men do.

Dibaba is not running berlin, and has never run it. She is running Chicago. Mary K seems to prefer New York for some reason, because she basically runs it every year, and has never run Berlin. That appearance fee must be insane.

Edna has never run berlin, but she has run chicago Jeptoo has never run Berlin, but has run chicago. Jemima has never run berlin, but has run chicago.

The majority of them have run chicago, and all of them have run London.

So London is a must in the spring, and chicago is pretty much a must in the fall for the women.

It can't just be about the appearance. And one would think for WR reasons, women would be lined up for Berlin.

why is that?

Yes, though there's not very many of them.

Yes, of course I have, many times. Going west to east is hard (if you were to run a morning race). Going east to west is much easier. It's not like you're arriving the day before the race.

Well, sorry I can't find more granular climate data for you, like it makes much difference.

rojo wrote:

The average person thinks a win in Chicago, New York, hell even the Marine Corps marathon is prestigious. When my brother won the Marine Corps marathon, his co-workers were asking him if he'd win New York or Boston.

And the average runner (as compared to person) cares a lot more about a Chicago Marathon win than they do a 2:05 loss in some marathon they've never heard of. I do as well.

Rojo is 100% right.

A WIN means much more than a 2:06, 2:05 or even 2:04 to the general public ($$$).

And since Rupp has never WON a major international race in his career, he must want one bad at this point.

Even if he wins Chicago he won't be the best US marathoner of the 201X era, though.

Rojo is ridiculous. I would say, "Rojo, you've finally jumped the shark with this one," but the truth is that people stopped taking Rojo seriously years ago. Maybe the new folks around here don't know that he spends his free time concocting conspiracy theories involving Galen Rupp, but the people who have been around awhile know that his primary goal is to troll NOP.

yesitsthecase wrote:

Athlete Rep here: I submitted an athlete who has run 2:07 for Chicago and they said no. Amazing.

0/10