Foot locker nationals saturday. Who's gonna win?

Truth.

And why no talk of Rocha as the best in the country? I suspect that will change after Saturday. She did shatter a Shalane Flanagan course record at her conference meet. MA runners already know how good she is but the rest of the country is about to find out...

HAHAHAHAYeah that was a sweet race.

runn wrote:

We already know who the national champions are, this is just another race. Too bad Footlocker let themselves fall.

Ha- Yeah I agree. My dad, who has a huge beer gut and is not a runner- yeah, he liked the NXN race. But myself, a runner who in high school and college was moderately competitive, knows that this weekend is the real championship.

Nike = Epic Fail wrote:

mr. dr. professor patrick wrote:

did you actually watch the race? that wasn't real XC.

Nike is a bunch of clowns. Their novelty mud bath was a failure, pure and simple.

The really stand out failure though is nike, and their continued inability to hear what people keep saying to them.

Sean McGorty my money's on.

MA Guy wrote:

Truth.

And why no talk of Rocha as the best in the country? I suspect that will change after Saturday. She did shatter a Shalane Flanagan course record at her conference meet. MA runners already know how good she is but the rest of the country is about to find out...

We know how good she is now. But, she never qualified for Footlocker as a high school kid. Rocha would not touch either Baxter or Cain. Remember Cain ran 17:29 at VanCortland this season, Rocha was slower than that by a good amount. Also, the only Flanagan record she broke was at her conference meet, you have no idea how hard Flanagan ever raced on that course, pretty sure she never had any comp back then.

I could be wrong but I don't believe Rocha has been defeated this year, which would mean that we have no idea how hard Rocha has had to race either.

Masser wrote:

I could be wrong but I don't believe Rocha has been defeated this year, which would mean that we have no idea how hard Rocha has had to race either.

agree, i was responding to the person who claimed that breaking some meaningless course record was an indication of greatness.

She could very well win saturday, but without Baxter and cain in the race it will mean little.

Doesn't Solomon Haile have HS eligibiblity left? I heard he's only 18.

Nike = Epic Fail wrote:

mr. dr. professor patrick wrote:

did you actually watch the race? that wasn't real XC.

Nike is a bunch of clowns. Their novelty mud bath was a failure, pure and simple.

The really stand out failure though is nike, and their continued inability to hear what people keep saying to them.

Baby...

Nike = Epic Fail wrote:

Nike is a bunch of clowns. Their novelty mud bath was a failure, pure and simple.

The really stand out failure though is nike, and their continued inability to hear what people keep saying to them.

Yes, it's too bad mother nature didn't cooperate last week in Portland, but to think that NXN isn't successful is just a sign of your bias and/or ignorance. Regional participation is at an all-time high, while many top individuals, some can't do both NXN and FL, continue to choose mud over warm, sunny California.

Whiners keep whining, but kids keep choosing NXN.

I'll take a longshot and go with Margaret Drazba!!

Who is Sam Wharton and why are you swinging from a teenage boy's nuts?

surface doesn't matter wrote:

metawampi wrote:

Let me know when your HS State Meet hoses down the course to get it to the "real" cross country condition, anything prior wasnt "real", just faux x-c??

Sam Wharton will unify the OHS, NXN, and FL titles.

He won the OHS on a DRAGSTRIP, the NXN on a mudpit, and he will complete the triple in San Diego!!

I know Cheserek will be at thr front, but I'll be damned if McGorty doesn't go right with him. There isn't a doubt in my mind that Sean won't follow. The kid ran 14:28 at the Regional meet and is one hell of a racer. He ran 14:43 on the same course earlier in the year, with good competition too. So to say he isn't at his peak is absurd. The kid is in the best form he's ever been in, loves to race and is basically the essence of All-American. I honestly feel like everyone should be rooting for Sean. I'd say he truly has a good shot at winning.

You may seen it on TV or perhaps even "run" it as you say, but I doubt you've raced it and I'd bet more than a nominal sum that you never ran it as a national qualifier. It is not "all around the pool." I also do not rank it as the toughest course out there, so you can stop with the east coast posturing. I am simply saying it is a legit test of a harrier's strength, stamina and mental fortitude and a fine way to determine a national HS champion.

Gotta Say It wrote:

. There isn't a doubt in my mind that Sean won't follow. The kid ran 14:28 at the Regional meet and is one hell of a racer.

Every year some kid runs a fast time at McAlpine and people start overestimating him. Sean is very good, but let's please admit that McAlpine is a lightening fast dirt track and his time there is irrelevant.

Take a look at REAL Cross County, IMHO

Varying terrain, trails, and a long flat finish to decide close races Side note:1st 800-100m is uphill

Course Record: was 15:49 by FL Finalist Ryan Collins Foxboro (UVA/WISC AA)

After the race: Jon Green St John's Shrewsbury 15:29

Click on D1 Boys

For "Cat" Rocha D1 Girls She was 2nd fastest to Shalane Flanagan 17:58 with her 18:06

http://ma.milesplit.com/articles/96442-milesplitmass-all-state-videos

Thoughts??

Footlocker is the well established National Championships. Of course it is better than that wannabe fiasco in Portland. There is no comparison.

The nike people are crazy. It's like if I took a bunch of kids, ran them around the block, declared them national champions and, hey, IF they ran at San Diego they'd crush everyone hahaha. What a joke.

Baxter is a very good runner, was better than anyone else in California in the season, but not in the Footlocker meets.

Aye, there's the rub.

To say anyone's a National Champ, without actually being there and competing, does not count for anything, except could'a, would'a, should'a. If they thought they could, than they would but they didn't. Besides that, Baxter barely beat Cain, who at her best is about the 6th fastest runner in the east.

I think Baxter and Cain could be in the top 15 to 20 at the Footlocker finals, if they ran, and might reverse positions as the course has better footing. But they're not going to run it.

^^ Ok good now we at least know you're trolling.

Baxter and Cain could be in the top 15-20 at FL nationals hahahahahah try 1-2 with a 30 second gap over the rest of the field.

That fact that you're trying to diminish the talent and accomplishments of Baxter and Cain because of your strange obsession with Footlocker is funny yet pathetic.

Who are you trying to convince? Yourself? Sorry old timer, FL is no longer what is used to be.... and both Sarah Baxter and Mary Cain would destroy you in a race.

metawampi wrote:

Take a look at REAL Cross County, IMHO

Varying terrain, trails, and a long flat finish to decide close races Side note:1st 800-100m is uphill

Course Record: was 15:49 by FL Finalist Ryan Collins Foxboro (UVA/WISC AA)

After the race: Jon Green St John's Shrewsbury 15:29

Click on D1 Boys

For "Cat" Rocha D1 Girls She was 2nd fastest to Shalane Flanagan 17:58 with her 18:06

http://ma.milesplit.com/articles/96442-milesplitmass-all-state-videos

Thoughts??

This year Northfield Mtn. was faster than ever, very dry course, perfect weather. When Shalane won back in 99 it was very cold and she won easily, no effort.

The times were fast across the board this year, McNulty ran 18:20 and did not make it to NXN, don't go overboard.