Yanqui wrote:
There will be Dibabas around for the rest of Kara's competitive career. Billy Mills didn't race against anyone the calivber of Dibaba in 1964.... and please don't say "Ron Clarke."
Ron Clarke and Mohammed Gammoudi you dumb shite.
Yanqui wrote:
There will be Dibabas around for the rest of Kara's competitive career. Billy Mills didn't race against anyone the calivber of Dibaba in 1964.... and please don't say "Ron Clarke."
Ron Clarke and Mohammed Gammoudi you dumb shite.
delusions of grandeur wrote:
guygonemad wrote:Women's 5,000m final
Kara Goucher:
"I know this sounds crazy, but I think I could have won that on the right night."
You´re absolutely right. It sounds very crazy.
I think the "right night" would have to include Adam Goucher in the stands with a sniper rifle.
I completely agree with Run47 here. If their best chances were for 4/6 (or thereabouts, anyone who thinks they could medal in any situation is crazy) then I don't see how 9/10 is a disaster... sure, they didn't run as they should have, but do you think they were really prepared for such a slow pace? I certainly didn't expect it.
War Furball wrote:
And exactly how often in recent memory have US distance runners medalled by hanging back in a slow race? If you're going to piss away your shot at getting on the podium then you may as well go out on your own terms rather than just letting someone else dictate the race.
Lagat, Goucher, almost Tegenkamp...
Did you really think that G/F could make it go so fast that they would burn off the big three? You guys keep saying things about how stupid the strategy is, but either the experienced coaches know better or you do, and I am not betting on you.
the letter why wrote:
I completely agree with Run47 here. If their best chances were for 4/6 (or thereabouts, anyone who thinks they could medal in any situation is crazy) then I don't see how 9/10 is a disaster... sure, they didn't run as they should have, but do you think they were really prepared for such a slow pace? I certainly didn't expect it.
That's what I think, too. I mean it was probabaly the fastest Olympic 5k field ever (with 5 sub 14:25 ladies). Considering how the race developed, who can be seriously surprised that 14:11/12 runners are able to outsprint ~14:40 runners? 3rd place was about 3 seonds behind Dibaba, 5th 5 seconds. So, 9 seconds behind Dibaba, but not out of reach place 5,6, or 7. In my opinion, 5 th place would have been the optimum for Flanagan and Goucher.
No one have the foot speed of the africans. They will blow everyone off the track. It was triple ethiopia and then some kenyan dudettes. Come on, closing in 2.03...
There's no point sweating over what the Americans should have done, they had no chance in any circumstance. What's more surprising is that the Kenyans and Russians didn't have a go. The Dibaba and Abeylegesse had run the second and third fastest 10ks in history less than a week before, but the opposition didn't even try to test them. The Russian that won the steeple looked tired, but I've no idea why Shobukhova and Cheruiyot, both sub 14:30 runners, didn't take it out.
chromedome wrote:
Try 600's going 33, 29, 33.
That's too easy, you're staying primarily anaerobic in that workout and won't be working off the same energy system during a 5k... Extend it 800 - 2000m and it will work better.
600 @ 5k DP / 400 @ 3k DP / 400 @ 5k DP / 200 @ Mile DP
Kudos to Shalene Flanagan. She represented USA throughout the olympics with maturity and class. She is the American role model for women distance running. She is the whole package.
i agree, shalane showed real class, no B.S. about what she could have done, she did it, and unlike some other members of the USA team, she knew what to say, and when to say it. it was great to have her represent the USA!!!
26mi235 wrote:
Did you really think that G/F could make it go so fast that they would burn off the big three? You guys keep saying things about how stupid the strategy is, but either the experienced coaches know better or you do, and I am not betting on you.
Um, that's NOT what I said. Their odds of finishing higher up in that field than they did would have improved if they had gone to the front and established a quicker tempo after the race opened up so slowly. Maybe they still would've been 9th & 10th, but by sitting back for so long at that pedestrian pace they sealed their own fate. They both had to know that they couldn't switch gears like the Africans or even like the Russians, their handlers had to know that, too. If they went into the race without a plan in place for that kind of scenario then their handlers failed them. Just because their coaches are "experienced" doesn't mean they necessarily did a great job helping their runners with useful strategy for a not unusual championship race situation. I think the coaches probably did set these two up with strategy for a slow race and the runners just choked and failed to execute. The runners have to take ownership of how they race, if they would rather run timidly than take control of the race with a pace that is better suited to their strengths then any and all criticism is deserved.
This thread is another reason why I rarely can look at letsrun anymore. No matter what Goucher says, someone on here will tear her to pieces. You guys have nothing better to do with your lives?
Why would an athlete bother even competing at that level, or showing up to the olympics, if they didn't let themselves believe that on the right day - their dream could come true? There is no point toeing the line if you don't allow yourself to try!
Calm down and look at the big picture - the US is getting more competitive on the world scene - that is a good thing. Having 2 women 8 seconds back from the win isn't a bad thing - it is progress. And lay off the one that admits she thought on the right day, she could get lucky. Give me a break!
Then just take your complacent @ss back to RWOL, nobody here will miss your input.
Kara needs to add a press agent to her posse in Salazar land. This person should tell her word-for-word what to say to the press, because she made a complete fool out of herself every time she opened her mouth in Beijing - starting with the ridiculous blog in her Duluth paper, bragging about everyone who wanted to bag her. She should take lessons from Shalane: a smart, classy, no-nonsense athlete.
guygonemad wrote:
Women's 5,000m final
Kara Goucher (Portland, Ore.): "I have a lot of work to do. The pace was slow, but they're amazing athletes. I maintained my composure. I know this sounds crazy, but I think I could have won that on the right night. I still have so much improvement left."
Shalane Flanagan (Pittsboro, N.C.): "The Ethiopians and Kenyans like to play around with the pace. I just had to deal with it, but my legs were tired and it was hard to change gears and just drop it like that. I tried to ease into every move because I knew that lactic acid was going to kick in if I went too hard. So when they made a move with three laps to go, I couldn't get there fast enough and I think it cost me two or three spots."
Jen Rhines (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.):
"There was nothing I could do out there. I hurt my foot on Tuesday. I've been getting treatment and our medical staff has been taking great care of me. I couldn't run normally. From the first move, I saw it, but I couldn't go. It's been my goal since the last Olympics to come in and run in a final. I accomplished that. Everything was perfect except for hurting my foot."
what a bunch of lousy excuse-makers. pathetic.
allthattoo wrote:
Kara needs to add a press agent to her posse in Salazar land. This person should tell her word-for-word what to say to the press, because she made a complete fool out of herself every time she opened her mouth in Beijing - starting with the ridiculous blog in her Duluth paper, bragging about everyone who wanted to bag her. She should take lessons from Shalane: a smart, classy, no-nonsense athlete.
That wouldn't be a bad idea. She was just an embarassment over there. Hopefully the rest of the team won't be judged because of her.
Oh please! How rediculous!
So many of you are such band wagon humpers/jumpers when it comes to loving and hating people on here. Keep banging out the miles on your keyboards while the talented, real runners are in Beijing!
off the wagon wrote:
How rediculous!
"ridiculous!"
fair enough, thanks!
tell it to the hand... wrote:
what a bunch of lousy excuse-makers. pathetic.
Olympic Tourists