Breaking: Galen Rupp WILL defend his Chicago Marathon title in 2018

Scorpion_runner wrote:

macdaddy wrote:

LOL! Hall couldn't carry Rupp's gym bag.

Hilarious but true

But Hall has a go for it legacy, and he wasn't afraid to go up against the east africans.

And wtf are you on lol, Rupp afrsid to go up vs the East Africans? Lmao

Samuel DeChamplain wrote:

...

And wtf are you on lol, Rupp afrsid to go up vs the East Africans? Lmao

Scorpion_Runner and Banana Bread are the current crop of top trolls. You cannot actually debate them with logic, so don't try!

Any chance Chicago would reintroduce rabbits ? Good times in 2013 and 2015 when they had them ! Getting Rupp to beat the US PR should be a good incentive to do that no ?

LetsRun.com wrote:

Press release came out a few minutes ago.

http://newsroom.bankofamerica.com/press-releases/chicago-marathon-and-shamrock-shuffle/defending-champion-and-three-time-olympian-gale

zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Was hoping he would run NYC.

Rupp will race Chicago due to sans rabbit(s). Rabbits would expose Rupp.

Honest question - how many major marathon champs in the last 2-3 years did not go back to defend their title? Instances where they chose another race instead - not when they skipped the marathon season altogether because of injury/resting/Nike sub 2 attempt.

LetsRun.com wrote:

Press release came out a few minutes ago.

http://newsroom.bankofamerica.com/press-releases/chicago-marathon-and-shamrock-shuffle/defending-champion-and-three-time-olympian-gale

who cares? ryan hall ran 2:04

You're missing the point wrote:

Rupp will race Chicago due to sans rabbit(s). Rabbits would expose Rupp.

Like they did in Prague right? It's pretty clear that Rupp is a top 3 or 4 marathoner in the world. After Kipchoge, who would you take over him? G Kirui? M Farah? That's the end of the list (Kamworer is a Half guy, Bekele and Kipsang are washed up) - and I'd likely take Rupp over Farah at this point.

No one should be surprised here, Chicago is a Nike race and they will pay Rupp by far the largest appearance fee. It's also obvious that he doesn't care too much about the American record - it's all about Gold in Tokyo at the 2020 Olympics. This is the race that Rupp/Salazar have been eyeing for close to 20 years now. Berlin, London, etc will be 2021 or beyond - if he even runs those races at all.

You have me convinced. Rupp is a secret sub-2:04 Marathoner. Bring the rabbits and tell them to take it through half Marathon in sub-62!

A post from a Rupp family member wrote:

You have me convinced. Rupp is a secret sub-2:04 Marathoner. Bring the rabbits and tell them to take it through half Marathon in sub-62!

Ha, sub-2:04 could be pushing it - but could he eventually get there? Maybe. Look at Lemma, Desisa, etc and all these "2:04 guys." They're not in the same league as Galen.....

I won a JV race once in HS. After moving up to varsity that win lost a lot of luster.

i seriously wonder if there would be more than a handful of marathoners who would "2:04 guys" if there were no pacers in the race. I think Rupp is one of them. Prague was not an easy course, lots of turns, bridges, and remember he broke a 2:04 guy on an uphill section. The pacers did the 1st 1/2 in ~1:30:30 and dropped out a soon after. Tough to go 2:06:07 with that 1/2 and still racing (not time trialing). I consider him and Farah along with Kirui good bets for a silver metal in 2020. But Kirui might not have the 10K speed to compete with them near the end of a marathon (Kipchoge might not either). Age wise Farah is the oldest, Rupp several years younger than Kipchoge with far fewer marathons in his legs). I would like to see Farah reconnect with Rupp under Salazar (in spite of this site I consider him a great coach who has challenged athletes who grew up at 9000' by paying attention to every detail possible (cut the drug nonsense , rumors without proof have been there for far too long to be true).

HahaRiiiiiiight wrote:

Ha, sub-2:04 could be pushing it - but could he eventually get there? Maybe. Look at Lemma, Desisa, etc and all these "2:04 guys." They're not in the same league as Galen.....

Desisa when he ran his 2:04 most certainly was in the same league as Galen currently is, if not above. That was 2013, when he won Boston and got silver in the World Champs. 2018 Desisa isn't in the same league as 2013 Desisa, though.

Probably wants the American record on American soil. But they do need to have pacers.

ronkitaus@yahoo.com

wrote:

consider him and Farah along with Kirui good bets for a silver metal in 2020.

I agree, they may get some metal in 2020, just a different kind of metal........they will be behind metal bars if they are done for doping(this is me been witty).

I for one can't wait to see Bekele get gold in 2020.

reed wrote:

macdaddy wrote:

LOL! Hall couldn't carry Rupp's gym bag.

Rupp wouldn't let ANYBODY carry his gym bag. They might sneak in some androgel into it

Sssshh! That's Alberto's secret.

Ducking real competition when you know you can't win is one thing. That's just good strategy.

But ducking competition you have a chance to beat, particularly when it's the only way you are likely to reach the next level of performance, is chicken. Obviously Rupp is chicken to be anything better than a national elite with an outlier world-elite PB. He is retreating to his 2:09 plateau, doesn't want to be the best. Or maybe AS doesn't want him to be.

Banana Bread wrote:

ronkitaus@yahoo.com

wrote:

consider him and Farah along with Kirui good bets for a silver metal in 2020.

I agree, they may get some metal in 2020, just a different kind of metal........they will be behind metal bars if they are done for doping(this is me been witty).

I for one can't wait to see Bekele get gold in 2020.

Banana Bread, what will you do when Bekele retires?