That was my point. As a gymnast she was only 50ish in her XC state meet. Once she focused on running, like Rooker is doing now, she became the fastest American steeplechaser ever and a medalist.
Same with Wiley. Doing soccer in the fall and basketball in the winter. There is an interview where she stated her biggest mileage week during cross country season was only 12 miles. Once soccer season ended her senior year and she decided not to play basketball and focus on running instead, her results took off.
Are you really using Addy Wiley as a positive example of what focus and hard work can achieve? She is the MOST suspicious track athlete in the US right now given her progression, coaches, pending trials and lawsuits, IndyStar articles, etc.
What can I say? Every elite/pro trains incredibly hard and has talent. When someone her age appears out of nowhere with zero relevant background to justify it, then it will to be questioned in this sport (which is already known to be dirty at the top).
IMO, she was intimidated by the OT qualifying time when it got dropped several minutes, overcompensated, then proceeded to PR by 30 minutes in <18 months. She was glowing in Chicago. If you know, you know. Sorry sis.
I admit to posting anonymously (gasp!) so I can occasionally stir the pot on sensitive topics here. As I said before, this is permitted on the LRC message board, so like it or leave it.
So you can keep promoting your drug use, by constantly abusing and attacking innocent runners.
The larger angle of merit stems from being a competitive gymnast. She will be mechanically sound as a result and perhaps maintained life time of fitness. This means she would have had the ability to not only pole vault reasonably well but likely compete well at heptathlon footrace, hurdling and jumping events too.
With her athletic background literally a hop, skip and jump away from heptathlon events, is it so far fetched that a reasonably high level athlete with significant crossover to pure talent for running, catches the running bug in her post-competitive gymnast career, gains a second wind for competition and then finds success after years of dedication? I understand the skepticism but there are also outlier cases. She had the core athleticism.
Well said gabsis! These faceless and nameless forums allow inept individuals to hate on others, especially those with dedication and talent. Why not celebrate the commitment, talent, and drive of others?
She’s still at it. Another 2:24 at her age and experience level is just too unbelievable. Are we to believe she is at the same level of pros such as Emma Bates without chemical assistance? The most sus female runner outside of Kenya in this race…
She’s still at it. Another 2:24 at her age and experience level is just too unbelievable. Are we to believe she is at the same level of pros such as Emma Bates without chemical assistance? The most sus female runner outside of Kenya in this race…
More sus than Susanna Sullivan? Who works full time and just set a 3 minute PR, top American? Based on your post, you should be saying that about SS vs Gabi. Personally, I don't think either is doping but just pointing out your weird thought process against Gabi. And no - I don't know her, I'm not her, and I'm not a family member.
I’d put my sus money on the one who only did college gymnastics, didn’t start running seriously until the pandemic, and is 37 years old and had 20 minutes of sudden improvement leading up to the trials. At least SS had a normal running background and progression, i.e. actual qualifications.
Ex-gymnast (D3) who started running in 2018. Could barely finish a 5K according to husband. Got serious during COVID lockdown. 2:55 debut marathon in 2021. Coached by her husband. Not a pro and with a full-time career as PA until recently. 36 years old. 2:24 PR within 5 years.
We have women who are ex-collegiate superstars and full-time pros for the past 20 years that can’t run this fast.
Occam’s Razor and several other laws of nature suggest to me this is way too good to be true. There is talent, and then there is chemical talent. Here we have the latter.
This chick microdosed under the veil of COVID and amateurism with the help of her husband/coach all the way to the top of US women marathoning. I hope she gets popped at the Trials, or at least gets her clock cleaned because she is no longer able to dope in secrecy.
She’s kinda hot tho.
I think there are tens of thousands of young athletes who may be the "wrong" sport and would be great at track/running, but even gold medalist Keely Hodgkinson says she hates running. Way to sell the sport!
American swimmers and soccer players might make great runners, but they for sure can get gold medals at the Olympics.