Olympic Trials Marathon Champ Aliphine Tuliamuk is Pregnant

Fox News Went Liberal wrote:

Trainers, PTs, and massage therapists don't really help that much.

No, of course they don't??? LOL. If you don't understand the difference in support for an Olympian than a non-professional runner, then I am not sure what to tell you , Recovery will be much quicker with the support they have, no question about it.

I don't know why this is even a discussion this far out. I don't even know why it should be debated. Like I should have a voice in when or if she becomes pregnant?!? Makes no sense.

hull n oats wrote:

Such a fluke team we’re sending to Sapporo. Should probly have a new trials race in 2021 or just send Sara Hall, Sisson, and I guess Seidel

#TruthHurts

The truth does hurt, but that ain't the truth

track chick wrote:

The Olympics will likely be in 2022 not 2021.

That's silly to say at this point. It would be vastly expensive to delay again, the vaccine should be widely enough available to any potential Tokyo visitors by that time. The Tokyo OC gladly kicked people out of their homes to make this project happen, they'll find a way to pay for everyone in a 20-mile radius of Games venues to be vaccinated if they have to.

a mom weighs in wrote:

I am not an Olympian or even close, but I was not even close to good racing shape 6 months postpartum. Around the 1 year Mark I was close. 18 months was probably when I was 100%.

I had c sections though, so maybe my recovery took longer.

Yeah you aren't Aliphine Tuliamuk

Our very own Sally Kipyego I believe spoke pretty frankly about how difficult it was returning to running from having a child not too long ago. So an Olympic medalist didn't have the easiest time getting back into the swing of things. There is a whole Runner World article and probably others out there documenting her difficult experience.

I don't think it's out of bounds to ask the question re. how wise this. Every woman is different, of course. Aliphine could end up being fine and even do very well this summer. But it's not some kind of crazy question to ask, if only because the sample size for this kind of situation is still pretty small.

Ingrid Kristiansen had a baby in the Summer of 1983 and set a then PR of 2:27:51 in January 1984.

Astro posts here wrote:

Tuliamuk, born in a tiny Kenyan village near the Ugandan border, is one of 32 children on her dad’s side and eight on her mom’s side. 

What does this mean?

Simply put, the corner drug store not only sells EPO, it also is fully stocked with Viagra.

Maximus wrote:

Fox News Went Liberal wrote:

Trainers, PTs, and massage therapists don't really help that much.

No, of course they don't??? LOL. If you don't understand the difference in support for an Olympian than a non-professional runner, then I am not sure what to tell you , Recovery will be much quicker with the support they have, no question about it.

Nope. They don't. Olympian's bodies are made from the same skin and bones as you and I; they may be faster and have access to more gimmicks but you cannot cheat biology or physics.

Point in this thread though that we can all agree upon: she did not increase her chances to do well in the Olympics by having a baby now. Of course this rubs people the wrong way who would give absolutely everything to stand on that stage.

How it turns out for her is uncertain but I’m happy she’s happy. But I get that some people are disgruntled.

What should happen: they should order a rerun of the Olympic trials. This is why a race run 19 months before the Olympics you are qualifying for shouldn't count. That won't happen now because every ne would scream "USATF is discriminating against mothers, black etc."

What will happen: she will run in the Olympics and go about 2:39 and pick up plenty of endorsements from sponsors who sell mom goods and the TV networks will turn her in to the feel good story of the Olympics "NEW MOM FINISHES 95th IN MARATHON AT OLYMPICS!"

We have no certainty that Tokyo will not be delayed again. She may have decided that her pregnancy had already been deferred until after Tokyo 2020 and it was best to have children when she could. It is true that women often have children until 40, but the fact is that it becomes magnitudes more difficult as women move through their 30s, causing a lot of people to have to resort to IVF, and the chances of birth defects and spontaneous abortion rise geometrically. She may not be at full strength in July but many have returned swiftly with added hormones, and she may also have plans for more children.

Whistling past the graveyard wrote:

What should happen: they should order a rerun of the Olympic trials. This is why a race run 19 months before the Olympics you are qualifying for shouldn't count. That won't happen now because every ne would scream "USATF is discriminating against mothers, black etc."

You're completely wrong, but then you're probably brainwashed. It's not a perfect world outside of mom's basement. It won't happen because USATF had six people (possibly eight, if you include alternates) sign contracts after the OT to be on the Olympic team. USATF not only takes on the expense of re-running the OT (which already basically broke ATC so I don't see any bidders stepping up to invite the field of qualifiers with all those expenses for another selection race) but also takes on the expense of multiple lawsuits for breach of contract. Bad look AND bad fiscal move.

track chick wrote:

The Olympics will likely be in 2022 not 2021.

Incorrect. The IOC says that if the Olympics are not held in 2021 the games originally scheduled for 2020 will not be held.

There are risks that could have occurred during pregnancy and her docs could have shut all her physical activity down.

There are risks still to come during childbirth and recovery from that.

There are many decisions to be made during child rearing that can risk optimal training and performance.

Her coach, agent and sponsors supported her plans, but I doubt that any of them would prescribe/recommend starting a family at this time as the best way to optimize the ability to run as well and place as high as possible in the 2021 Olympic marathon.

Butperhaps it is wrong to assume that the primary goal of everyone running in the Olympic marathon is to run as well and place as high as possible.

To be an elite runner you must have an extremely high level of self confidence, and the ability to take risks. She has those traits. I wish her the best and hope her dreams become reality.

Des took advantage of the system in 2012. If she is cheated by the same set of rules then good on her. She deserves it. Her comments in the article about bonuses are set up for Olympians and not someone who dns at the Olympics is typical Des. This is why I can’t stand this women. She is the most disrespectful athlete I have ever met. These comments are either directed at her agent for not negotiating a better contract or her sponsor for not providing a bonus for a dns. ZERO PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. Hey Des, you were the one that showed up hurt and knew you couldn’t race. That was your decision. Not your sponsor or your agent.

Good for her. Otherwise she was probably looking at either putting off starting a family until her athletic career was over or pausing her athletic career (or possibly just ending it early) for a year, give or take, in what is probably close the her peak as far as earning potential and accolades are concerned. She had a window where she could start a family and not have to give up a year of races and paydays to do so and she took it. I don't blame her and look forward to rooting for her at the olympics.

It's also kind of funny that most of the commenters here who are upset about her choice are almost certainly men and will never have to choose between furthering their careers (whether in running or otherwise) and starting families.

thrfer wrote:

Point in this thread though that we can all agree upon: she did not increase her chances to do well in the Olympics by having a baby now. Of course this rubs people the wrong way who would give absolutely everything to stand on that stage.

How it turns out for her is uncertain but I’m happy she’s happy. But I get that some people are disgruntled.

Well there's some hypothesis that you get short term performance gains post-pregnancy

It took Allyson Felix well over a year to return to form also. One of the greatest track runners of all time. She actually planned it in between Olympics as most people do.

This was an oops baby and she decided to roll with it. That’s fine. Most babies are made that way.