Say what you want about Engels, but this was a great interview. We are always bashing the athletes for saying nothing of meaning and speaking in platitudes, and now when Engels tells us something real about his state of mind, we trash him too.
Exactly.
Nah, there’s a wide margin between opening up candidly and with class and pointing fingers of blame. Owning your choices and their consequences is all part of growing up.
LR commenters: So tired of these wooden interviews and reclusive training groups! Look alive and help grow the sport!
Engels: Shows a ton of personality and gives candid interviews, is very popular with fans.
LR commenters: Nooooo not like that 😡
#goodforthesport
Engels is the founder of modern-day personality in running. He's done more for this sport than any of us combined. It almost seems than since his clan at NOP got canned, he's lost a bit of his mojo. Hoping he can find it again. I'd like to see Craig on the world stage again.
Beyond whether or not you think Engels threw Julian under the bus, I’m amazed by the whole concept of a world class distance runner, or wannabe world class distance runner, training alone. I wasn’t a good runner, but when I did run competitively, I had lots of peer teammates around to push and sustain me during hard days. Are many pros beyond this? They just consistently hit their times with nobody pulling or pushing them? It would be interesting to learn among the top tier athletes who thinks it’s essential to have comparably talented and fit work out partners and who thinks it’s unnecessary or even a burden. Beyond the workout itself, it must be painfully boring to be alone. Nobody to chat with between reps.
Engels is EXACTLY what this sport needs. Someone that shows sincere passion and enthusiasm for running can only be a good thing. Leave him alone because my guess is that he is undaunted by how you feel about him.
Engels is EXACTLY what this sport needs. Someone that shows sincere passion and enthusiasm for running can only be a good thing. Leave him alone because my guess is that he is undaunted by how you feel about him.
He doesn't have sincere passion for the sport, he almost quit last year.
Sounds like the kid on the high school team who is talented but is only on the team to socialize and doesn't train hard
Say what you want about Engels, but this was a great interview. We are always bashing the athletes for saying nothing of meaning and speaking in platitudes, and now when Engels tells us something real about his state of mind, we trash him too.
Some extra context here. I didn't get the impression that Craig was throwing Pete under the bus at all. He likes Pete and has had some success with him since joining the group. But it's common for an athlete who feels they have stagnated to change things up once they hit their late-20s and if Engels was going to make a coaching change, now is as good a time as any to do it. The fact is, Engels wanted either a hands-on coach with him every day or a consistent training partner(s) and wasn't getting either at UAC so he decided to leave.
And some more context on that Flagstaff trip. Craig told me he could have gone back to Portland if he really wanted to and that he didn't blame Pete for keeping him out there 50 days -- Craig decided to stay at the end because Hunter was finally arriving (but they only did one workout together, I think). But what the trip did underscore for Craig (and this was the main point I was trying to make) was that his UAC setup wasn't working -- basically, what was the point of being on a "team" if he's just going to be on his own for most of a 7-week training camp without teammates or his coach?
Say what you want about Engels, but this was a great interview. We are always bashing the athletes for saying nothing of meaning and speaking in platitudes, and now when Engels tells us something real about his state of mind, we trash him too.
Some extra context here. I didn't get the impression that Craig was throwing Pete under the bus at all. He likes Pete and has had some success with him since joining the group. But it's common for an athlete who feels they have stagnated to change things up once they hit their late-20s and if Engels was going to make a coaching change, now is as good a time as any to do it. The fact is, Engels wanted either a hands-on coach with him every day or a consistent training partner(s) and wasn't getting either at UAC so he decided to leave.
And some more context on that Flagstaff trip. Craig told me he could have gone back to Portland if he really wanted to and that he didn't blame Pete for keeping him out there 50 days -- Craig decided to stay at the end because Hunter was finally arriving (but they only did one workout together, I think). But what the trip did underscore for Craig (and this was the main point I was trying to make) was that his UAC setup wasn't working -- basically, what was the point of being on a "team" if he's just going to be on his own for most of a 7-week training camp without teammates or his coach?
Why would you not blame the coach. This is stupid. You can point out the bad things that Pete did w/o being hateful. It's obvious that did a terrible job coaching him.
Remember that video of Craig wearing that fur coat and lifting weights. Pete said some amazing things about him in that rediculous video. Craig had a tremendous fall and he has not been able to get back up. In my opinion he stated with Pete too long and he is done.
Remember that video of Craig wearing that fur coat and lifting weights. Pete said some amazing things about him in that rediculous video. Craig had a tremendous fall and he has not been able to get back up. In my opinion he stated with Pete too long and he is done.
Engels was going to flame out regardless of who his coach was. He was more concerned about his image than his performance. His mullet and living out of a van is insane. Rupp lives in an altitude chamber.
Engels is just looking for any scapegoat, but his struggles are 100% his own fault.
Say what you want about Engels, but this was a great interview. We are always bashing the athletes for saying nothing of meaning and speaking in platitudes, and now when Engels tells us something real about his state of mind, we trash him too.
Some extra context here. I didn't get the impression that Craig was throwing Pete under the bus at all.
Jonathon, we would have a better understanding if you guys didn’t have this hidden behind a paywall.
Some extra context here. I didn't get the impression that Craig was throwing Pete under the bus at all.
Jonathon, we would have a better understanding if you guys didn’t have this hidden behind a paywall.
But your click bait header on the home page definitely implies that this was a hit piece on Julian. And then nobody can read it. At the very least you could have reached out to Julian to verify whether or not Engels was simply lying to you, but I'm suspecting that didn't happen and I'm not paying your Supporters Club fee for sub-rate journalism. From what I've observed, Julian is everywhere with his athletes. I've been fortunate enough to be at some pretty terrible and obscure meets on the planet and Julian was the only coach there. Shoot, I was watching Valencia Half online and I saw Julian on a bike. This board always dogs on Julian, but he's getting it done in a very real way and he never really says anything negative about athletes and in fact has done a lot to support the sport. I'm rooting for Osako in NYC. Engels bashed his coach and Letsrun hyped it. They both can suck it.
Jonathon, we would have a better understanding if you guys didn’t have this hidden behind a paywall.
But your click bait header on the home page definitely implies that this was a hit piece on Julian. And then nobody can read it. At the very least you could have reached out to Julian to verify whether or not Engels was simply lying to you, but I'm suspecting that didn't happen and I'm not paying your Supporters Club fee for sub-rate journalism. From what I've observed, Julian is everywhere with his athletes. I've been fortunate enough to be at some pretty terrible and obscure meets on the planet and Julian was the only coach there. Shoot, I was watching Valencia Half online and I saw Julian on a bike. This board always dogs on Julian, but he's getting it done in a very real way and he never really says anything negative about athletes and in fact has done a lot to support the sport. I'm rooting for Osako in NYC. Engels bashed his coach and Letsrun hyped it. They both can suck it.
please don't use the word journalism when referring to Gault.