POOR RENEE METVIER

9:02.51 for Delilah at 2009 Nationals. Last time I checked that is under 9:03 or to put it another way Mr Puma it is better than 9:03

Well put. Another gift was that these two athletes live and train at altitude and their sea level competitors didn't have the gear to go with them.

I know math isn't a skill that improves while racing but Renee missed by 9 seconds. Did Sara really not worry until 200 meters were left? looked to me that she was racing Shannon with Renee as a rabbit to catch - perhaps that comment about Renee having a chance was just a tactful considerate gracious gesture.

Mammoth Insider wrote:

Congrats to Morgan and Renee for winning national titles. However, this was a gift of the system and had nothing to do with either of them being the best runners in their event. They were both the best athletes without the A standard and nothing more.

I do agree with a lot of this person's points. Having watched the races on tv and the interviews on the Internet, it seems that both Hall and Rowbury were hesitant to go out hard because they were concerned about the affects of racing at altitude. Rowbury actually made the move to catch Metivier and she admitted that she was a little bit too cautious and that cost her. Hall was running to qualify for worlds (or at least that's what she says) but I think Rowbury wanted to win because she earned a spot on the world team in both events but declined

Same thing happened in the 1500. Donohue clearly wanted to go to worlds and what a tough double she ran! She stated in her interview that she was well aware that Uceny did not have the standard and she purposefully slowed the pace knowing she had a good shot of making the team if the race was slow. Rowbury was running to win. She just timed her kick about 5 meters too late. She did look very impressive in the last 150 meters which is a good sign for the outdoor season

Altitude Adjustment wrote:

I went to pick up a credential today at one of the times/locations specified on the USATF website and after 10 minutes of waiting the site was still not up and running. The staff member I asked about the wait time said they would open the door when they were ready.

How rude! They should treat YOU better next time.

I've heard a lot of things, but that's the first time I heard somebody was running a race to actually slow down the results. I think what Donohue did was awful. The fact that she would admit it was amazing.

She went to qualify for the 800, didn't and then she runs the 1500 to try and slow the pace down. How is that a tough double? It sounds like very poor sportmanship to me. But if you are a big gal you can block well on a small track...

There's no rule that says "You have to stay behind Erin Donohue and run whatever pace she wants to run."

When you run an 800 semifinal one night, an 800 final the next afternoon, and a 1500 final half an hour later, it's a tough double.

Anyone know why Uceny ran the 1500 instead of the 800? Didn't she have the standard in the 800, and figure getting it in the 1500 at Albuquerque was unlikely? Perhaps she had no interest in going to Doha.

Well Joe, she wont get my vote for sportsperson of the year.

When your goal is to not place in a race or run a fast time, but to slow the field down, there is something wrong. Especially on a small track.

And you are right, when you have to run your race and then block for another, that is a tough double.