When is the last time a male American born athlete won a big international long distance event that wasn't tactical?

mjr wrote:

Great run wrote:

Also Shorter in the '72 Marathon

Born: October 31, 1947 (age 68), Munich, Germany

He was "American born" even if he wasn't born in the country. He was born to American parents who were both American citizens who just happened to be outside the country when he was born.

Try your hardest ... wrote:

for what it's not worth wrote:

Was Rupp's victory in the 10,000 at PreClassic in 2014 a tactical race? I don't remember. He beat the 2nd place guy by 5 seconds.

Does this qualify as a "big international long distance event"?

Do you think it was small, was not international, or was not a long distance event?

Try your hardest ... wrote:

mjr wrote:

Craig Virgin's 1981 World 12k XC win in 35:05

Was this not a tactical event? It looks like there were 10 guys within 20 seconds of him.

Sure, all races are tactical.

joedirt wrote:

That era actually had quite a few impressive runs by Americans Bob Schul (Olympic 5000 meters champ) and Jim Beatty (multiple world and American records from 1500 to 5000.

During this era, it would be hard to find something that qualifies as a "big international long distance event" outside the Olympics. If he was meaning a European Circuit track event, then they may have been an example of that.

Ashton Eaton. I mean, technically it's more than 1500 meters.

joedirt wrote:

Billy Mills - then Olympic record 1964

This event was tactical. It was at a fast pace, but he did not run away from the field.

question for you wrote:

Try your hardest ... wrote:

Does this qualify as a "big international long distance event"?

Do you think it was small, was not international, or was not a long distance event?

I don't know what the OP intended when he asked the question? An event that was open to many nations? An event with many nationalities represented? A global Champs race?

I think it DOES qualify, I just don't know what he considered it to be.

All races are "tactical." Whether you sit and kick or run hard from the gun, you are employing tactics.

rojo wrote:

So Rupp did it in 2014 but that race was lacking Farah

He followed all the way and then kicked, which made it tactical on his part.

Ackley wrote:

mjr wrote:

Born: October 31, 1947 (age 68), Munich, Germany

Shorter was a natural born citizen. Bill Rodgers won Boston in 1979 beating Seko.

But, the answer may be Mark Nenow's AR 10,000 in Brussels in 1986:

1, Mark Nenow, U.S., 27:20.56;

2, John Treacy, Ireland, 28:04.39;

3, Arturo Barrios, Mexico, 28:09.74;

4, Alex Hagelsteens, Belgium, 28:33.27;

5, Wilson Waigwa, Kenya, 28:44.75.

Have you guys missed this post on page 1?

If it's not Rupp, it's Nenow.

If it's not Nenow, it's Frank Shorter -- he ran away from EVERYONE!!!!!!!!! in the Olympics!!!! Shorter is as American as you can get ... His father was in the Army in Post WWII Germany.

Mills out kicked better runners because he was forced into a dry area of the track. Maybe the best TACTICAL win ever but not a dominant international win like Shorter.

EOT.

Mills' win was only a few ticks from the world record, and a positive split. It was not a sit and kick race, it was go hard and kick.

All races are tactical jack a$$

Not so fast! wrote:

Bob Schul won the 5K four days later

The time was only 13:48.6

Of course the World record at the time was only 13:35.0 so I guess that's not that tactical. But again we are back in the 1960s.

Jfkshjsha wrote:

Rupps win in 26:44 at pre. The top 4 ran under 26:55! That's a legit field. Farah didn't need to be there. Rupp is 2 seconds FASTER the Farah at 10,000.

Next on the list is Manzano's Elmsley Carr Mile win.

Then Alan Webbs killer season.

I asked about distance races so miles don't count. The thing about Rupp's race is that it didn't include the World #1. I didn't have space to ask in the question, "When in the last time that a naturalized (at birth) male American citizen beat the top 4 distance runners in his event in a non-tactical distance race?"

Or maybe the question would have been better as, "When is the last time that an American at birth was able to outrun every single person in his event if the race was run all out from the gun?"

That's the question I want to know. With Farah's absence, Rupp doesn't count. I don't know about Neno in 1983. He won by 43 seconds. The World record at the time was just 27:13 so that's pretty close. But it's hard to say as I don't know who was great in that era.

Said Aouita wasn't a 10k guy but likely maybe could have beaten him. Paul Kipkoech won Worlds in 1987. Who else was missing from that 1986 race?

Nenow was drafting for 70% of the race and did not fully challenge himself.

Frank Shorter , is a caucasian , so the non born in America does not apply to him. So , it is Shorter, Olympics.

When is the last time in any distance race on the track ANYONE ran "all out from the gun"?Even in Paris 2012, they moseyed a while, and had a big kick on the last lap.The answer to your question, regardless how much you'd like for it not to be, is Galen Rupp, 2014.Evan Jager fell over and got beaten.

Actually, we'll probably never be able to answer this question for sure, because in any given big international race is the possibility everyone ahead of the first non-doped American was doped (ex. Shorter in '76 oly marathon).

Rupp's race was staged for him. Sambu set the pace and Rupp followed.

For 5000m, maybe Marty Liquori, Weltklasse 1977. That race gave him the #1 world ranking for that year.

Malmo -- were you at that meet, by chance?

Galen Rupp in 2014 with a 26:44 WL.

Thank you.