Adam Goucher retires

I could care less. What does that have to do with Goucher's unbelievable career? The kids in Colorado look up to him. They should. He is a state record holder, was a Footlocker Champ, NCAA Champ in Cross and Track, US Champ in Cross and Track, OG and WC qualifier.

I fail to see anything that could lead to any amount of negativity regarding his athletic accomplishments.

All I can say is - respect. He had a great career despite injuries and helped carry the torch for serious distance running in the US between Bob Kennedy and Ritz/Hall/Webb and the current generation. He inspired lots of runners to get out and run hard and compete hard. That's a very solid career.

SomeGuyInLeftField wrote:

CO high school running just isn't that good. No matter what you read in Running with the Buffalos.

But who is talking exclusively about HS? Running with the Buffalos is about CU, a collegiate team (consistently one of the best in the country).

Goucher was a presence in any race he did and had an undeniably great career. Conto summed it up quite well.

If you only care about HS running I am guessing you are in HS which means that you were born around when Goucher won Footlocker. Do a little bit of research before you just start bashing somebody. It is like saying Ron Clarke wasn't a good runner because he never won a world title.

There seem to be people here who think Goucher's positive reputation is entirely based on "Running With the Buffaloes." Does anyone actually believe that? Celebrated as that book is on here, how many people do yo think have actually read it? Certainly not nearly as many as know that Goucher was a HS, NCAA, and professional national champion.

AG will be miss. Thanks for all the great race. I will never forget the 2000 OT in Sac-Town.

Great career at Colorado and as a pro. Are you coming back home soon ? or moving to the Bay Area, San Diego.

While all runners have their ups and downs..I remember Adam running a great race at the 2006 US Cross 4K in Van Cordlandt. It was so cold that day but he ran at his best and went on to have a strong showing at World Cross that year. Great memories!

Wish you and the family best and enjoy running once you get out of the repair shop with the knee injury.

There is no denying Adam Goucher was one of the toughest competitors out there. Like with a few other elite runners over the years, the thing I feel most badly about it that he never realized his full potential because of the seemingly constant string of injuries.

If his body could have handled the work he was able to perform, he could have broken many records before his career was over.

I'm glad to read that he'll continue to run (as his body will allow), and not abandon the sport entirely.

Adam, thanks for the memories and inspiration, and best of luck in all your future endeavors!

Good riddance. He should have been doing his 100-Ups! and running barefoot. Then it would be impossible for him to become injured.

Adam Goucher was THE man in the college ranks from 1994-1998. He was unafraid of the best Africans and went after them with a vengeance. Adam elevated US distance running from the doldrums and inspired today's elite runners including Ritz, Teg, Rupp, Solinsky, everyone. He led Colorado to glory time and again. Mark Wetmore built his reputation on Goucher and continued it with all of his other stars.

What, in 1999 he ran 13:11.25 / 7:34.94 the summer right out of college. Set the indoor 3000-meter record at NCAAs and beat Bernard Lagat striaght up there, kicked him down him at the wire too. How many guys kick down Lagat, maybe Matt Centrowicz? In fact, Goucher beat Lagat regularly in college. You will not find a sub-13:30 runner or sub-28:00 runner, or any runner who ever had to line up against him, who would ever disrespect Adam Goucher, unless perhaps they had a personal bone to pick with the guy.

Problem was, when Adam Goucher was at his best, Letsrun wasn't around. If you can't respect what Adam Goucher accomplished, or how he inspired people, do your homework on the guy and I don't mean Running with the Buffaloes, or some of you may need to find another sport to get involved in.

Legacy arguing aside, does anyone know how one damages the meniscus while running? Bad step somewhere? I am having trouble imagining how that happens. It sounds like a ball sport injury to me. Maybe an ElliptiGO injury?

My buddies and I were into driving to random places in college. One particular spring break we drove to Boulder.

One of my friends looked up Adam's number in the phone book...randomly called him, and asked him if he wanted to run with us. He met us at some trails in Boulder and did a 9 miler with us and told us not to hammer because he had done a workout the prior day. It was all we could do to keep up.

Great guy, great career, and all the best in the future.

Adam, you should not retire. Currently you just have too much going on. The mind is the builder, the body just follows. EveryONE will be washed up at some point. EveryONE likes to give their 2 cents, so I will be entitled to mine. The competition is not over, unless you choose it to be.

Take that trip to reflect once more, do not let a single person DRAIN you from your ambitions and source.

He may be retired, but the bigger question is how he will do when they let him in to the next US Olympic track trials?

SomeGuyInLeftField wrote:

There you have it. In the 17 years since Goucher won, Colorado has produced a total of 5 top 10 finishes, and 1 top 5 finish.

And only since FL expanded and NTN has drawn off another segment of the runners have they consistently qualified more than one runner.

CO high school running just isn't that good. No matter what you read in Running with the Buffalos.

MORON! You put out these numbers but with no comparison to any other state!

Colorado's population is 5 million, about 1/60th of the US population so CO HS students should get 1 out of every 60 top 5s and 1 out of every 60 top 10s.

In 17 years there have been 170 top 10s and 85 top 5s. Colorado should have 2-3 top 10s and 1-2 top 5s.

So Colorado is BETTER THAN THE AVERAGE STATE for top 10s and pretty typical for top 5s.

And let me just repeat that you are a MORON! You dismissed every HS kid running cross country in an entire state as a 'douche.' Please grow up! I know what's wrong with our sport and it's fans like you. Please leave and never come back. Please never be a 'fan' of running again. You'll feel much more at home with NASCAR, where the fans have about your IQ.

[quote]Conto wrote:

I could care less. What does that have to do with Goucher's unbelievable career? The kids in Colorado look up to him. They should. He is a state record holder, was a Footlocker Champ, NCAA Champ in Cross and Track, US Champ in Cross and Track, OG and WC qualifier.

I fail to see anything that could lead to any amount of negativity regarding his athletic accomplishments.[/quote

It's I COULDN'T care less. How the fvck does "I could care less" make any shred of sense?

One of his great races:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3153451955269676439

I thought he retired like 10 years ago

Thanks for sharing that link, that was really exciting to watch!