If gas prices are going up, jet fuel will increase too. So unless you have a deep pocketed sponsor it will cost a boatload to fly to Boulder for the meet. It will be cold, possibly snowy, and the air will be thin and that will destroy just about any chance a flatlander has of making the team. So why bother?
That said, I do sincerely wish the CU Buffs and Alumni XC squad good look at Worlds.
Boulder's always, always (at least since the 60s and probably decades before that!) been snob city.
First off, you have to be a jaded moron...or perhaps just a moron to bash Boulder. It does a lot for runners, and sure a lot of people come here to train, and don\'t meet their own expectations, much less the expectations of some computer geek in the midwest who loves large women and corn...but it\'s a supportive community for runners, elite and sub-elite.
And ladies and gentleman...the money for our sport, while it will never compare to Nascar or even professional beach volleyball (Anybody see the AVP Boulder Open?)--THE MONEY comes from the sub-elite-recreational-triathlete-Nordstrom-shopping runner anyway. So if Boulder attracts those too, so be it. The sport needs them.
Why bash the 15 minute 5K runner...how many of those are in your town? Honestly? I\'m betting a hand full at most, and probably less than that. More than likely, you are alpha-male of your respective local 5K, and the year the course was short ran about 16:17, not that this ever comes up when you mention your P.R...but as soon as Papa John\'s turns out short, you spend approximately 17 hours on your computer, posting, refreshing, and breathing fire at the true lack of talent that Dan Browne would have if he ever truly ran a \"legitimate\" 10-miler, etc. etc.
So here\'s the short list...an easy one compiled from this years XC in Vancouver. It\'s basically just Colorado men and women. But if you look even deeper you could pick out a lot of other altitude-benefited runners who might train in a little place called Mammoth, or perhaps you can make the connection between the BYU women in Provo...and think to yourself...\'hmmm...they did pretty good too.\'
You might also find a lot of \"flatlanders\"...guys who won\'t come near altitude...and have success all the same. But you know what...these men/women, guys like Tim Broe, guys who get written off like Goucher, are going to show up in Boulder in Feburary, 2007, and they aren\'t going to whine. They\'re going to race. They\'ll leave the whining to guys like \"OVER-RATED.\"...which is awesome.
Kudos to Julian for being psyched. I am too.
Men\'s 12K
1 Dathan Ritzenhein, 22, Boulder, CO 36:59.9 Nike
2 Jorge Torres, 24, Boulder, CO 37:14.2 Reebok
16 Justin Young, 25, Boulder, CO 38:45.6 Nike
17 Austin Vigil, 23, Ft Collins, CO 38:47.4
37 Mark Stenbeck, 26, Littleton, CO 40:06.4
39 William Michel, 24, Ft. Collins, CO 40:09.8
45 Ryan Kirkpatrick, 26, Boulder, CO 40:46.0 U.S. Army
52 Chris Siemers, 24, Chicago, IL 41:04.7 UniversalSole-Reebok
54 Scott Goff, 28, Boulder, CO 41:19.5 U.S. Army
Women\'s 4K
2 Shayne Culpepper, 31, Lafayette, CO 13:27.0 Nike
18 Carrie Messner, 27, Carbondale, CO 14:27.0 Asics
Junior Men\'s 8K
7 Bradley Harkrader, 18, Boulder, CO 25:46.6 Univ of Colorado
11 Christopher Pannone, 18, Boulder, CO 26:07.8 Univ of Colorado
38 Darin Hasley, 16, Boulder, CO 28:06.5
42 Karch Hickman, 18, Longmont, CO 28:15.5
Women\'s 8K
1 Colleen De Reuck, 40, Boulder, CO 27:24.0 Nike
7 Renee Metivier, 23, Boulder, CO 28:32.0 Univ of Colorado
19 Jeanne Hennessy, 27, Boulder, CO 29:58.3 Nike
24 Molly Austin, 25, Boulder, CO 30:25.7 Nike
27 AnnMarie Brooks-Schwabe, 26, Fort Carson, CO 30:39.2
29 Colleen Stroud, 31, Denver, CO 30:42.0 Boulder Road Runners
31 Catherine Guiney, 24, Boulder, CO 30:51.0 Running RepublicBldr
34 Michelle Kelly, 26, Ft. Curson, CO 31:02.2 U.S. Army
Men\'s 4K
5 Jorge Torres, 24, Boulder, CO 11:44.1 Reebok
16 Sandu Rebencivc, 35, Lafayette, CO 12:11.9 U.S. Army
32 Steve Slattery, 24, Boulder, CO 12:26.6 Nike
40 Mohamud Ige, 16, Littleton, CO 12:41.8 Team XC
48 Aden Ahmed, 17, Littleton, CO 12:52.8 Team XC
** 2 Adam Goucher, 29, Portland, OR 11:39.1 Nike (Recent Transplant)**
Junior Women\'s
1 Elizabeth Pasciuto, 18, Boulder, CO 21:50.1 Univ of Colorado
Boulder is "the running mecca" in the same way Chigago is "the windy city"... I'm sure other really windy cities exist, and there is an "Overrated" out there getting steamed about it. As Chicago has wind, Boulder has runners!
I live here, and in the past few months the following have gone by my particular house when I happened to be looking: Ritz, Torres, Torres, Culpepper, Metevier, Shorter, Dita, Kennedy, also Tyler Hamilton. And at the track, Culpepper (the other one), Slattery (both of em), an endless sea of Japanese women, most of the list from above, etc. Anyday, everyday, they are out and about. How many cities of 100000 have that kind of presence? Maybe 2 or 3. And it was even more like that in the '80s.
I think overrated is either living here and not running as well as hoped, or living somewhere else and jealous!
it's from the show Happy Days... The Fonz jumped a shark in one of the last shows... it was a horrible show and idea that is where the phrase "jumped the shark" came frome
tracklover wrote:
I'm sure other really windy cities exist, and there is an "Overrated" out there getting steamed about it. As Chicago has wind, Boulder has runners!
Maybe not the example that you were searching for. Windy City has nothing to do with the weather, it is a political term.
GBTC wrote:
tracklover wrote:I'm sure other really windy cities exist, and there is an "Overrated" out there getting steamed about it. As Chicago has wind, Boulder has runners!
Maybe not the example that you were searching for. Windy City has nothing to do with the weather, it is a political term.
Ok, wrong context, hopefully the idea came through. Here are some more:
Bandon,OR Storm Capital of the World
Boston,MA The Hub of the Universe
Buffalo,NY The City of Good Neighbors
Granby,CO Snowmobile Capital of Colorado
Greenfield,CA Broccoli Capital of the World
Las Vegas,NV Entertainment Capital of the World
Louisville,KY City of Beautiful Churches
Nashville, TN Music City, USA
Portland, OR City of Roses
I hope that they use a different course than the one used by CU. If they use the same course, maybe the athletes won't even show up.
The article said they were running on the Flatirons Golf Course.
Gallagher wrote:
I hope that they use a different course than the one used by CU. If they use the same course, maybe the athletes won't even show up.
Why don't you read the article? The race will not take place on CU's home course.
From what I know about Mecca, it is the most holy city in Islam. It is the "center of the compulsory pilgrimage, and a focal point for all Muslims."
I think that pretty well describes Boulder, but an argument can be made for Eugene. I'm not sure what Boulder's Ka'ba is, but Eugene's is Hayward Field. In Boulder, many great runners may not live there year round, but every great runner has gone there for at least one training stint, just like every devout Muslim has made a pilgrimage to Mecca.
Why don't people focus on all the positive elements that can come from this race. The article states there will be $40,000 in prize money. That seems like a lot for a U.S. XC Championship and that will bring in the best runners in the country. It will also be one of the best crowds to ever see a cross country race on U.S. soil.
"the windy city" was coined by carl sandburg, commenting on a hotly contested political race or races between, ahem, a slew of windbags.
one might ask, then, if boulder is the running mecca, what are boulderites running from? i like boulder, though.
You guys are right. Boulder running has nothing going for it except for Frank Shorter, Arturo Barrios, Mark Plaatjes, Dathan Ritzenhein, Alan Culpepper, Shayne Culpepper, Jorge Torres, Jason Lunn, Colleen De Reuck, countless international athletes, altitude, great mountain trails, multiple NCAA XC titles, a road race that attracts 45,000 runners annually, a vibrant road-racing scene the rest of the year and a local media that actually covers distance running. Why would anyone want cross country nationals in a place like that?
You guys are right. Boulder running has nothing going for it except Frank Shorter, Arturo Barrios, Mark Plaatjes, Dathan Ritzenhein, Jorge Torres, Alan Culpepper, Shayne Culpepper, Colleen De Reuck, Jason Lunn, multiple NCAA XC titles, altitude, great mountain trails, a road race that attracts 45,000 and a great international field annually, a vibrant road racing scene the rest of the year and a local media that actually understands and covers running. Why would anyone want to put XC nationals in a place like that?
hey ovverrated I was about to agree with you until you started going off like a little baby.. grow up man.. little sissy 18 minute 5k runner
Ghost of Ashenfelter wrote:
Actually, it goes back to when the Fonz tried to water ski jump over a shark during one of the program's later seasons (mid-eighties)... you know, when it wasn't any good anymore.
Also, I think, right now, that more Oly medalists train in St. Moritz than anywhere else.
Ghost of Ashenfelter wrote:
Actually, it goes back to when the Fonz tried to water ski jump over a shark during one of the program's later seasons (mid-eighties)... you know, when it wasn't any good anymore.
You're wrong, Fonzie jumped his MOTORCYCLE over a SHARK TANK in the show. Sweet Jesus, stop spreading mistruths!
Poppycock, gas prices have gone up since the 60s and 70s and 80s but people still continue to travel as much as ever. Most people coming to Boulder will actually fly to Denver (DIA.) Also, those who train closer to sea level can indeed prepare for altitude if they want to. Besides, the runners that count (those that have a shot at making the team) will be there, partly because they get a sponsor bonus just for participating, and pretty much all of them will be altitude-trained. Military runners will be there if their superiors still use the meet as their championship/selection race. Masters runners who travel to these meets will still be there for their championship races. The open club runners have their own meet in the fall, it doesn't really matter if they show up.
Reality Czech wrote:
If gas prices are going up, jet fuel will increase too. So unless you have a deep pocketed sponsor it will cost a boatload to fly to Boulder for the meet. It will be cold, possibly snowy, and the air will be thin and that will destroy just about any chance a flatlander has of making the team. So why bother?
That said, I do sincerely wish the CU Buffs and Alumni XC squad good look at Worlds.
I'll agree that it's pathetic that with all the good and great runners around there that there aren't one or more competitive clubs on the open level. Basically just masters has-beens or scattered small pockets of mediocre to really good runners with one svengali 'name'/reputation coach or another as the group's dictator. You'd think that with so many good open runners around that town that there'd be at least a couple powerhouse teams coming to challenge Hansons and the Farm Team and the Invaders and Team XO at club xc nationals every year. What's up with that?
Negative, negative, negative! Unbelievable, the number of negative losers that are attracted to this message board so desparate for attention.
My grandmother once said(as many do), "If you have nothing nice to say... SHUT THE HELL UP!"
Or,"If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem."
Good luck to the host committee. I hope the event is a major success and well attended by elites, former elites, media, and spectators."
another native wrote:
Boulder's always, always (at least since the 60s and probably decades before that!) been snob city.
I visited Boulder for a week in 1983 during the summer before I started college. I ran about 10 miles a day. Probably saw 20-30 other runners. When I would say hello, they would just give me a dirty look and run by. It was the most unfriendly city I have ever been to.