Khalid Khannouchi Retires

All Americans can take a lesson and note that he actually raced often.

Slow Bob wrote:

Another great of the EPO era retires.

LOL. And I'm sure that CERA has nothing to do with these current 2:03/2:04 performances.

asdfasa;dfaisud wrote:

how weird...I thought he was already retired...

How do you retire from running? Just run...if you end up fast then so be it. If you really enjoy running you'll do it for fun.

Last week on BBC Sport website Steve Cram discussed how athletes decide when to retire:

“I didn't announce my retirement at all.

I just woke up one day after two or three years of injuries and not being particularly fit, and admitted to myself that I was not even trying to get back.

I didn't ring the newspapers or do a press conference - officially I am still not retired!

It was a strange feeling"

Barakus'Obama wrote:

Very good career. But "incredible"? he didn't medal.

Moreover. He isn't an Olympian.

Isn't that like saying that Kobe Bryant is not incredible because he did not win an NCAA Championship?

The Olympic marathon field limits the number of entrants per country. London and Chicago probably have more competitive fields with more incintive to run fast.

not Phil wrote:

MAPIV wrote:

Well, a different take:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/globetrotting/chi-khannouchi-calls-it-quits-which-is-nothing-new-20120327,0,5157044.column

Lol. I used to think Phil Hersch simply had a psychotic, obsessive hatred of Ryan Hall. But now to see him hate on KK is laughable, except that he bashed on KK publicly to a mostly unsuspecting readership. Phil really has some serious issues.

BTW, what sacrifices has Phil ever made for the US? Military service? Lost a limb in 'Nam? Taken a bullet for a president? Any bake sales for a local school?

Agree Hersch's article was obsessed and illconceived. He has a bug up his ass that he will need ot learn to live with.

Okay, here's my problem with the whole thing. Frist, the brojos clearly have a soft spot of KK ... so they give him the benefit of the doubt on all of Hersh claims. It' is clear that KK did run for the $$ a lot of the time.

The Brojos never address the claim by a 3rd party - the attorney who was working to expedite KK case - that he didn't tell him about London. But since it doesn't fit their truth it's easy to just pretend it's not there.

Secondly, this idea about his "greatness" I would say KK had greatness potential. You simply cannot be great when you are continually hurt/injured all the time. Ritz gets hammered for it all the time.

KK was finished years ago, the announcement means nothing.

tam tam tam tam wrote:

Secondly, this idea about his "greatness" I would say KK had greatness potential. You simply cannot be great when you are continually hurt/injured all the time. Ritz gets hammered for it all the time.

KK was finished years ago, the announcement means nothing.

What has Reitzenhein done that is even remotely comparable to Khannouchi? Medaling at Junior XC doesn't count.

Captain Spalding wrote:

tam tam tam tam wrote:

Secondly, this idea about his "greatness" I would say KK had greatness potential. You simply cannot be great when you are continually hurt/injured all the time. Ritz gets hammered for it all the time.

KK was finished years ago, the announcement means nothing.

What has Reitzenhein done that is even remotely comparable to Khannouchi? Medaling at Junior XC doesn't count.

You sir are no Captain.

I did not compare he two at all.

KK was also the first to ever run three marathons in the 2:05's. Everyone expected Geb and Tergat to do that, but KK did it first.

KK was a great runner and his numbers speak for themselves.

If KK was really injured, it's not fair to criticize him for not running more for the US. For some sports, like baseball or basketball, an injured player - depending on the injury and the player - can still pull himself together for a big game and contribute, like Michael Jordan playing with the flu or something like that. An injured marathoner contributes nothing to the "team". Gutting out a 2:40 despite injury or taking the place of a healthy runner in the Olympics or the WC isn't helping anyone and it's probably keeping you from getting healthy and running well in the future.

malmo wrote:

The MonBRO Doctrine wrote:

Heh, I'm guessing this little tidbit is why it got this thread: "I got an email Tuesday from Weldon Johnson, editor of the invaluable track & field / running website letsrun.com, alerting me to its exclusive story reporting four-Chicago Marathon winner Khalid Khannouchi has retired from competitive running."

Again, a little bit slower if you have to: I don't understand why wejo gave that 3rd rate journalist the time of day?

So you mean why he emailed him in the first place? That is a good question. I didn't mind the Ryan Hall stuff so much, but that article about Khannouchi was pretty bad.

There is a comment section for that article, how about if letsrun moves the discussion so other readers of the little turd can see it?

I emailed Phil Hersh because Khannouchi is associated with Chicago more than any other runner.

I figured if any paper would write an article on Khannouchi's retirement it might be the Chicago Tribune. Phil Hersh is one fo the few Olympic writers in the country.

His retirement is newsworthy and deserve mention.

I totally forgot Hersh hated Khannouchi.

wejo wrote:

I totally forgot Hersh hated Khannouchi.

Why is that? He acts like a scorned little girl.

wejo wrote:

I emailed Phil Hersh because Khannouchi is associated with Chicago more than any other runner.

I figured if any paper would write an article on Khannouchi's retirement it might be the Chicago Tribune. Phil Hersh is one fo the few Olympic writers in the country.

His retirement is newsworthy and deserve mention.

I totally forgot Hersh hated Khannouchi.

Hey, man, it's not your fault Hersch is a jerk. The LRC article on him was good.

Wejo, I think you had the right thought process. It did lead to more "journalism" about the topic.

I think Hersh insulted you, though. He called LRC "invaluable," which I think was a carefully chosen word. He then insulted KK and undermined your scoop.

I don't know how this guy stays employed by writing such bitter trash routinely.

tam tam tam tam wrote: Okay, here's my problem with the whole thing. Frist, the brojos clearly have a soft spot of KK ... KK was finished years ago, the announcement means nothing.

Strange, dude.

KK and Sammy W are all marathon heroes, in my opinion. Each of pushed their limits to the maximum. They both had a take no prisoners approach. Others should learn from them.

Although his times are not as impressive, another marathon hero is real working-man Yuki Kawauchi.

Make Take on the World wrote:

KK was a great runner and his numbers speak for themselves.

If KK was really injured, it's not fair to criticize him for not running more for the US. For some sports, like baseball or basketball, an injured player - depending on the injury and the player - can still pull himself together for a big game and contribute, like Michael Jordan playing with the flu or something like that. An injured marathoner contributes nothing to the "team". Gutting out a 2:40 despite injury or taking the place of a healthy runner in the Olympics or the WC isn't helping anyone and it's probably keeping you from getting healthy and running well in the future.

I was at the 2008 Olympic Marathon Trials race in NYC and every time KK went by I couldn't help but notice how gimpy his running form was by that time. Personally I was impressed that he was able to hobble at 2:12 marathon pace looking a messed up as he did.

To whoever wrote the article on the home page, my compliments.

Take someone like Geneti from the all time list, toss him in the London race--do you really think he would beat Geb, Tergat, and KK?