Might Galen Rupp have his own rabbit in Chicago? A Ricky Simms' athlete is a last-minute addition to Chicago

Brilliant move with diabolical timing.

I believe this to be true also.

The temp and humidity is slightly too high and will prevent fast times.

If Galen got a 2:06 or faster it would be shocking.

It would be great though as speculation will begin on how fast he can go if the weather conditions are close to perfect.

"personal rabbit"

Oh, so no other racer can run behind him? What is he going to do if someone else joins the train, brake check them? Use your brains folks, it's not possible to have your own rabbit.

rojo wrote:

Is it grey line? Yes it is, says the man who had a personal rabbit for his own marathon pb (Weldon ran the entire race - ran with me for 25 miles and then went ahead for the 26th).

I've got less of an issue if the dude is there just to make sure they don't go out in 67. If the guy wants to make sure they go out in 64 so it's at least a 207 race, I don't have too much of an issue of it but am angry about the lack of transparency and it's still shady.

But if the dude is there to run directly front of Rupp to break the wind, then I've got a huge issue with it.

Once a race starts, everyone is supposed to have an equal opportunity for victory. If one person has a personal pacer, they should be DQd.

In the 2014 and 2016 US indoor championship 3k, Bowerman Track Club used pacers in those races to try and get their athletes through and that barely got any criticism. Mater a fact, last year USATF on twitter praised BTC for their teamwork at the meet. What's the difference in this?

26.3 wrote:

"personal rabbit"

Oh, so no other racer can run behind him? What is he going to do if someone else joins the train, brake check them? Use your brains folks, it's not possible to have your own rabbit.

Maybe you should watch Rupp's 10k AR.

This may be true but would anyone else want to make sure it’s fast? It’s not like we haven’t seen Kenyans help each other and defer in races. I think it’s happened in Berlin and in some big half’s.

Maybe a few guys don’t want a 2:11race.

Its not really possible, in this situation, for him to have his own personal pacer. All he can do is make sure the pace is honest and its not a 2:12 race

26.3 wrote:

"personal rabbit"

Oh, so no other racer can run behind him? What is he going to do if someone else joins the train, brake check them? Use your brains folks, it's not possible to have your own rabbit.

It's a personal rabbit if you know what pace he's planning to run, how far he's going to go, that he's actually a rabbit and not a true competitor, but no one else does because it wasn't announced and the race has stated that there are no pacemakers.

It almost forces the others to adjust their race plan to tuck in, unless they are confident enough that they are at least 90 seconds fitter than everyone else and can afford to go it alone.

Why only Rupp? wrote:

This may be true but would anyone else want to make sure it’s fast? It’s not like we haven’t seen Kenyans help each other and defer in races. I think it’s happened in Berlin and in some big half’s.

Maybe a few guys don’t want a 2:11race.

Kenyans always help each other. I mean they all train together 20 - 30 deep in running camps. However, my understanding is that once they get down to the last 6miles, then it is every man for himself.

But yeah they pace hard to drop all the other athletes and to go for WR times.

Not a big deal. Kenyans and Ethiopians have use teamwork to win races, where there are sacrificial lambs being asked to push the pace for the big names.

But rojo never complains about that.

Bayer

Why only Rupp? wrote:

NOP Skeptic wrote:

So true. I don’t rememeber Rojo demanding DQs when Bauer took out the indoor champs way faster than he was ready to race.

Plus, Solinsky followed the pacer brought by Rupp and Rupp to the famous 2659 race.

I don’t like rabbits but it’s up to the Chicago race director.

In the 2014 and 2016 US indoor championship 3k, Bowerman Track Club used pacers in those races to try and get their athletes through and that barely got any criticism. Mater a fact, last year USATF on twitter praised BTC for their teamwork at the meet. What's the difference in this?

I don't think you get it wrote:

26.3 wrote:

"personal rabbit"

Oh, so no other racer can run behind him? What is he going to do if someone else joins the train, brake check them? Use your brains folks, it's not possible to have your own rabbit.

It's a personal rabbit if you know what pace he's planning to run, how far he's going to go, that he's actually a rabbit and not a true competitor, but no one else does because it wasn't announced and the race has stated that there are no pacemakers.

And the rabbit sticks like glue to a single runner. That "technique" is how Rupp set the 10k AR.

I don't think you get it wrote:

26.3 wrote:

"personal rabbit"

Oh, so no other racer can run behind him? What is he going to do if someone else joins the train, brake check them? Use your brains folks, it's not possible to have your own rabbit.

It's a personal rabbit if you know what pace he's planning to run, how far he's going to go, that he's actually a rabbit and not a true competitor, but no one else does because it wasn't announced and the race has stated that there are no pacemakers.

Anyone in the elite field could hire their own pacesetter. This is known to all entrants well in advance, but only Rupp is taking advantage this year. It breaks no rules whatsoever.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is all a ploy.

Quite a phagocytic situation.

Which time? The time he trailed Bekele and Rotich or the time in Eugene where the whole field benefitted from a rabbit (Sambu?) who finished the race.

Sticks like glue wrote:

I don't think you get it wrote:

It's a personal rabbit if you know what pace he's planning to run, how far he's going to go, that he's actually a rabbit and not a true competitor, but no one else does because it wasn't announced and the race has stated that there are no pacemakers.

And the rabbit sticks like glue to a single runner. That "technique" is how Rupp set the 10k AR.

rojo wrote:

If one person has a personal pacer, they should be DQd.

First thought:

What IAAF or USATF rule apply?

Second thought:

What about the guy running his wife to keep her on BQ pace? or training partners/ friends running together? they get kicked out too right?

Third thought:

I don't think its a grey area but just a guy that was allowed into the race. If he drops out, (or falls way back) it will be questionable tactics by the RD/ race management team

Fourth thought:

If Ricky Simms was not his agent would anyone have noticed?

Fifth thought:

this is funny!

"...the dude is there to run directly front of Rupp to break the wind... "