Is this the end of US running @ World XC? It's futile to continue.

ThinkAboutIt wrote:

If we took our very best from any time in our running history - Pre, Teg, Solinsky, Lagat, etc. - at peak form, then could we win? No...

The quote from Lawi Lalang on the front page is the best reply to this...

Definitely not the end. Only gotta wait about 18 years until we have our XC champion in Nate Seleshi.

ThinkAboutIt wrote:

If we took our very best from any time in our running history - Pre, Teg, Solinsky, Lagat, etc. - at peak form, then could we win? No...

For one thing those you listed are not among the best all time USA cross country runners, let alone international cross country. Pre was a great XC runner but never placed in the top 10 (and did he even run the WCs 73-75?).

Anyway, the US men have never won but had a string of 2nds and 3rds from 1978-86, and then got the surprise 2nd in 2013.

Don't waste time making up an all-time dream USA team. That's a waste of time. Go back and look at what they did in the past, and recently. Likewise, forget about Rupp anymore or any NOPers. It's cliche' but international XC is not Salazar/Rupp certified. There was a recent article about that. They don't like the timing and are afraid that their precious athletes will get injured.

The margin of standing out and being an also ran in the team competition is probably pretty thin and US took a hit this year when True (6th at WCs in 2013) pushed hard to keep up with Derrick in Boulder last month, but faded over the last 2-3K and did not make the team. Then Ritz who ran a strong 3rd at USAs opted out to be ready for Boston. But even if they ran this year, it would have been hard for the US to have broken into the top 4 (a little look at the numbers, and they might have bumped up 20 points or so, but not enough to bump Uganda or Eriteria.

Likewise, the women didn't quite have their best team, and a couple of the runners were off at the championships. Nevertheless, the did have a shot at a medal this time.

US has potential to medal at WCs, but things have to line up and the best runners have to be committed. That doesn't happen often and don't expect any miracles in Uganda.

There are three options that would help the USA podium or even win World XC:

1) True to the meaning of "Cross Country" make it a 100 mile trail race.

2) Throw colored powder on the runners at various intervals. Points are awarded for the most color one obtains during the run with bonus points for selfies taken. Selfies will be judged and scored based on certain criteria. Points for color and selfies will have greater weight than actual finishing time and place.

3) Charge $100 for entry fee and hold in a big American city on a Sunday morning. The day before will consist of huge expo where bonus points are awarded for visiting booths and purchasing the latest in running gear. The race will be scored based on how many citizens of a given country finish the race regardless of time. Selfies and other photos with finishers medals proudly worn can garner extra points.

I was hoping to see Derrick make a jump in improvement. He's overdue for a truly great race, but alas, not last weekend. While what Derrick said about runners above his pay grade is reasonable given his past performances, he may be too intellectual about his goals sometimes. I think an athlete has to be a little crazy and unreasonable now and then to consider themselves worthy of winning. At the end of April it'll be three years since he's run his 27:31 10K PR while in college. He's way overdue for a big PR, not less than sub-27. I hope that's what he goes for. Take a bite out of the ass of life!

High school and collegiate cross country is pretty excellent in the U.S., particularly the NCAA Championships. The IAAF could certainly stand to put more sponsorship money behind XC and market it better. The U.S. should host the dang thing at some point. Make it more financially worthwhile, and the better runners will come. Of course Ethiopia and Kenya will be all that more invincible, but a U.S. A-team would certainly have a shot at beating Bahrain and Eritrea for now.

But as someone mentioned before, all those great NCAA XC runners should absolutely get some pro level sponsorship, XC-specific training and experience in the Euro XC circuit. Since indoor track on the world stage focuses on 3000m and under, there should be plenty of distance specialists who would be better represented in XC. Chris Derrick should be just one of many who do this. And Ritz really should have run, dammit.

Strugglez wrote:

We'll likely never win the team title, but no we shouldn't get up. CD was the only truly elite runner we sent, not to short the other guys. BUT, imagine this team:

Rupp

CD

True

Cheserek (once he gets citizenship)

Bumbi

Hill

Let's go to war with Africa and destroy them

If XC gets put in the Olympics and Worlds(at the same time as track) you would see things change.

You could make it in the Winter Olympics. But, it would get more PR in Summer.

Also, this race was over at the first turn.

Watch the replay that keeps running on this site. Where was the US team? They were way in the back right from the start.

Never gonna win that way.

I think the thing that killed the US Team this year was the altitude. Yeah, most American runners do stints at altitude, but the vast majority still live and train at sea-level. Edinburgh is a great example of a tough XC Course where Americans have historically done well, in both the wet and dry, against good competition.

1,100 meters is not altitude. Weak excuse for anyone in that race. I am STILL trying to understand the women's times. We qualified a bunch of people who went and ran a tempo run. I don't get it.

It will take money- lots of money to get the best runners in the world to commit to the training and two races (if they have to run a qualifying race).

The money would have to go very deep- face it, if "everyone" were there top 20 would be a major accomplishment.

Team money would have to be worthwhile and deep.

It could be a major international event again (I was around in the 70's when it meant something).

But, these guys make their living at it.

Make it so that the money is worth pro runners giving up a money making opportunity on the roads or track to be there.