If Valby has a million fans, I am one of them. If Valby has ten fans, I am one of them. If Valby has only one fan then that is me. If Valby has no fans, that means I am no longer on earth. If the world is against Valby, I am against the world.
Tuohy made a huge mistake coming back this fall. She should have been at altitude in Flagstaff or Boulder. It is a no win situation. Even if she beats Valby, she is no closer to the Olympic team.
Not funny. I didn't laugh. Your joke is so bad I have preferred the joke went over my head and you gave up re-telling me the joke. To be honest this is a horrible attempt at trying to get a laugh out of me. Not a chuckle, not a hehe, not even a subtle burst of air out of my esophagus. Science says before you laugh your brain preps your face muscles but I didn't even feel the slightest twitch. 0/10 this joke is so bad I can't believe anyone legally allowed you to be creative at all. The amount of brain power you must have put into that joke has the potential to power every house on Earth. Get a personality and learn how to make jokes, read a book, I'm not saying this to be funny I genuinely mean it in how this is just bottom barrel embarrassment at comedy. You've single handedly killed humor and every comedic act on the planet. I'm so disappointed that society has failed as a whole in being able to teach you how to be funny. Honestly if I put in all my power and time to try and make your joke funny it would require Einstein himself to build a device to strap me into so I can be connected to the energy of a billion stars to do so.
That event makes the most sense for her. It rewards her front running style. The distance fits. The American roster is very weak right now, with Coburn aging, Frerichs injury ridden and Wayment not making any progress.
Off the top of my head Valby on the collegiate level would have to deal with Markezich and the Lithuanian girl. That would be intriguing with Valby and the Lithuanian battling for the front with Markezich stalking.
I've always believed that more middle distance types of that level should switch to steeplechase. Otherwise Valby is going to spend her entire career getting badly out kicked over the final lap, just like Monson.
Wayment ran 9:11 in June in a Florence DL meet. True, she has struggled since but IIRC, she had some injury issues. I would not write her off yet.
Who it the "Lithuanian" that you are speaking of? Krissy Gear? If it isn't Gear, you neglected to mention her. Gear is a 9:12ish steepler.
And why would you ever think that Markezich would be behind Valby in a steeplechase?Markezich is a 9:17-18 steepler. Valby isn't going to be competing with her right out of the box in an event that she has never competed in. I like Valby a great deal and she is a tremendous talent but I don't see her making a possible transition to the steeple while she is still at Florida. All of this talk started just because she posed in a few pictures while leaning on a hurdle that wan't even a steeplechase hurdle.
Not to derail the thread, but I could see any of the NC State runners, KT, Same Bush, or Kelsey Chmiel, possibly competing in the steeple. They don't have the height that steeplers are normally known for but not all steeplers are tall - ie, Ceili McCabe & Kayley DeLay, for instance. Also, the steeplechase does require a bit more athleticism than other distance events and KT in particular is a decent athlete.
The Lithuanian girl who has a tendency to run at the front in steeplechase. I looked up the name, Greta Karinauskaitė. No apologies for not remembering that name off the top of my head. She was really ticked when Markezich ran her down during the final lap of the steeplechase final. But then the same thing happened to Greta during a European event this summer. That was probably the U23 although I don't remember exactly.
I had specifically referred to "collegiate level." That's what prompted the reference to the Lithuanian. Greta and Markezich were miles clear of third place last year. That's why I don't think it's unreasonable that Valby could become quickly competitive at steeplechase. For example, she is vastly more talented than Emily Cole of Duke, who always makes the final and in fact I think she was the last one out of making the final at American trials this year.
It's a weak event domestically. Somebody with that sucker closer style like Krissy Gear should never be making American teams. That style is quickly laughed out the bottom of the barrel in international meets. That's why it would be great to have a devoted front runner like Valby switch to this event. Some steeplechase evolve toward late kick as paramount. Right now nobody has an answer for Yavi in that regard. But not every race unfolds that way and the event tends to change year to year, at least on the women's side.
I like Courtney Wayment. She has limited upside and was dreadful to finish the season. This event is heading toward sub 9 as regular occurrence. The American team can't be relying on women who can't come within 10 seconds of that, even at career best.