Lets get serious for a minute: Cam Levins at the Olympics

I remember this well. It was also said that nobody would break the Canadian 10,000 record of Jeff Shiebler of 27:44 (?)

Now Bairu, Ahmed and Levins are all under 27:34.

What the heck? wrote:

So far this year they've got 3 marathoners under 2:11 who are all going to the Olympics.

If by that you mean that we've got 2 marathoners under 2:11, one of whom has done it this year and one last year, then yes, you would be correct.

Those two, plus a third who has not yet gone under 2:11, have been named to the Olympic team.

marathoner Canadian wrote:

It was also said that nobody would break the Canadian 10,000 record of Jeff Shiebler of 27:44 (?)

27:36. Close enough.

(And who said 'nobody would break the Canadian 10,000 record of Jeff Schiebler'? It's been several years since most fans recognized the potential to do it by Bairu or Coolsaet, so to imply Schiebler's time was unbreakable would not have been made by any real Canadian fan.)

Um, yeah wrote:

marathoner Canadian wrote:

It was also said that nobody would break the Canadian 10,000 record of Jeff Shiebler of 27:44 (?)

27:36. Close enough.

(And who said 'nobody would break the Canadian 10,000 record of Jeff Schiebler'? It's been several years since most fans recognized the potential to do it by Bairu or Coolsaet, so to imply Schiebler's time was unbreakable would not have been made by any real Canadian fan.)

Canadian national coach

What the heck? wrote:

A top Canadian coach (A Gardiner) said 2 years ago that Canada was a nation of throwers and sprinters. This enraged the Canadian distance runners. So far this year they've got 3 marathoners under 2:11 who are all going to the Olympics. After Payton Jordan, it is obvious Canada's got some great distance runners with Bairu, Ahmed and Levins all running well..

How about the women?

Sheila Reid

Megan Wright

Hillary Stellingworth

Malindi Elmore

Siphentes

And

Taylor Milne

Matt Brennan

Matt Hughs

Genest

Why don't they fire this guy?

Gardiner was right - two years ago!! Dylan A. medalled at Worlds last year - no distance runner is even close to doing that. The female hurdlers make finals (Perdita did not last year, and she was a previous champion) or medal (Priscilla). Who is making finals from the distance group? Even Sullivan struggled with that after 2000! Gary Reed was a star (medal at Worlds), so he should have been mentioned (although you could also argue that he was a sprinter moving up as well).

As to the list presented:

Sheila Reid is a developing talent, but (while NCAA Champion) has no world-class times to her credit yet (no A standards). Megan Wright hasn't yet made A standard either, as neither have the 1500m runners (Elmore, Stellingwerf or Sifuentes).

Who is Matt Brennan? (if you mean Nate Brannen then maybe you need to learn who these people are!!) Neither Brannen or Milne have made A standard (although both ran in 2008 - certainly Milne did). Hughes and Genest are both comers in the Steeple (at Worlds last year), but don't have A standard either.

The marathon guys are 2h10-11 guys (currently), which while impressive for Canadians isn't exactly fantastic these days - look at RRW and see the multitude of sub-2h10 performances these days.

The point (from an "Own the Podium" perspective) is that none of these people are anyone that knowledgable people would predict to be "players" at the world level. Nice that they can make it to the show, but when you are struggling to even make the standard to participate, you can't be considered a threat to medal. Should that be important? It is is you want to be considered something more than throwers or sprinters (female Hurdlers to be specific). Just being there - look at the disappointment of Webb for not medalling at WC/OG - isn't really enough to change any outsider's perspective on top level performance. Is it fair to compare to Winter sport successes (medals)? Probably not, but who said life is fair? This attitude (Boyd)that distance is tougher than other events is a crock, nothing stopping people from taking up the RW (G. LeBlanc in 1992) in order to be a top player (medalist), but if you choose to be distance runners, then facing the same standard of excellence shouldn't be any different.

Great runs from Levins and Ahmed, hopefully they can take the distance troops to another level in future where they are more than just participants, they are there trying to win or least make to finals to be in a position to win. That is what is expected of the other events (see disappointment of Felicien not making the final last year), why should distances be any different? Just because there are African runners involved? The sprinters have to contend with Caribean nations, why is that any different? There is a french guy (white even) who medalled last year in the 200m - he is as big an exception as you can find, presumably he didn't buy into the mindset that it can't be done. Levins (from almost nowhere) is running pretty fast right now, (presumably basically solo in Utah - no great SR group)showing that training can get done at a high level and volume if sufficiently motivated. Hopefully HE doesn't think that he can't compete at the highest level in a few years, at least until proven otherwise.

marathoner Canadian wrote:

Canadian national coach

As he said, the comment would not have been made by any real Canadian fan.

marathoner Canadian wrote:

Canadian national coach

Did he explicitly say nobody would break the record? Or are you just making a leap of logic based on the 'nation of sprinters and throwers' quote without any context?

marathoner Canadian wrote:

Canadian national coach

Are you sure it wasn't a fairly calculated piece of psychology - a kick in the pants? Because if so, it sure as hell worked.

Speaking of Canadians, what's Kendra Schaaf been up to?

Yes, that's what the Canadian National coaches are trying to do - tough love.

I guess the previous poster suggests everyone should be a thrower or sprinter so to have a better chance at medaling. That is "loser" thinking.

I guess we should all be trampoliners or hurdlers. Most of the world cannot compete in technical events because they don't have the money. That is why distance running trumps everything else (except soccer) for how hard it is to be the best. Nearly every country in the world has distance runner training groups.

But that only makes me respect the people trying to be great distance runners from developed countries.

Cam's 10000m time equates to a 13:0x, according to the IAAF. But we all know he was jogging until the last 200m at Payton Jordan. I genuinely think 27:1x would have been no problem whatsoever for Levins had he been dragged along to it. Maybe even 27:0x. That can't put him too far out of "contention" at the Games. Finals in the 5000m would seem pretty certain and top 7 could be possible.

Tides wrote:

Cam's 10000m time equates to a 13:0x, according to the IAAF. But we all know he was jogging until the last 200m at Payton Jordan. I genuinely think 27:1x would have been no problem whatsoever for Levins had he been dragged along to it. Maybe even 27:0x. That can't put him too far out of "contention" at the Games. Finals in the 5000m would seem pretty certain and top 7 could be possible.

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Can't really argue that, but he is still extremely inexperienced. I'm not holding my breath this summer, but hope it will help him get some experience.

On the other hand, a lot of the great performances were accomplished by runners who were near Levin's age or younger, so you never know.

He'll have to pass a drug test at the Olympics. I'm not saying he's taking any, but when you look at the way his times are dropping overnight, that he's able to maintain 150 miles weeks without any health damage, and that he's relatively buff for an elite runner, it makes you wonder...

While Cam does average 150 miles per week he does experience "health damage". He's just incredibly smart about handling any little hint of an injury. He's not afraid to cut his 30 mile day to 10 or 0 if it means he can spend the day nursing an injury or skip a speed workout because he's feeling off and just go get some mileage.

I think Cam is just a very intelligent runner. The way he structures his mileage and the way he is in tune with his body leads to success. As far as "his times dropping overnight" its an effect of the above. It's obvious that the longer you can maintain healthy decent mileage and mixing it with great workouts you will ultimately lead to faster and faster times.

Sounds like someone who knows him. Good to here. If he continues this way, he can be a real inspiration to a lot of people.

eventual canadian record in the marathon

I am just worried he will be burnt out by then.