She ran the race just like most of us predicted. It was her only shot. Whatever that was at the start cost her a little bit, but it wouldn’t have mattered. Not a bad showing for her either way.
Whoever sponsors her will always get the most screen time since she’s always in front, which also means her name gets mentioned at least 100x per race.
No way ESP was beat. Cranny just did her usual thing and rode off someone else almost the whole race, hoping to pass them at the end. If she is serious about winning and especially an Olympic medal, she needs to actually go for it, not just follow the leader. I find myself frustrated and annoyed by her racing for this reason, always making others do the work.
How Mu responds to this will be fascinating? I was a huge fan of hers when she exploded into the senior ranks, but since then it has seemed to me, and from her comments, she has taken her gift for granted. Will this motivate her to actually get serious about track? Or will she as others have suggested fade into the background and retire.
I have not been a big Kersee fan since he was giving drugs to college kids back in the 80s and have felt over his tenure coaching Mu he has brought unnecessary drama to the situation. Curiously I would say this has been less the case with him and SML.
It could be an interesting few months, maybe Mu goes on a Komenesque run.
feel bad for Parker Valby she ran a brave race but she led the race for too long and the other gals fed off her pace end result is she missed the team. Bad mistake. She should have laid off the pace let someone else lead for a bit, it is a mistake that cost here the Olympics. Feel bad for her. There may never be a next time for her, life happens. So sad for her.
Nope. Very smart race for Valby. She needed the standard and now she has it. She never was going to beat those three. Now all Valby has to do is wait for one of them to drop the 5k and choose another event and Valby goes to the Olympics.
The cojones on this chick are just fantastic. Nobody else wants to take it, so she says F*** it, I'll do it, and then goes out and runs metronomic 71.5s.
You knew she'd probably finish 4th from the get-go, but Jesus what a magnificent effort.
I bow in your direction, Parker.
And OMG, what a magnificent effort from Elise. No way did I think she could get that close. (And neither did Elle, from the look of it.)
Looks like she's getting back to pretty near top form, after a tough year. (Like she might be in 14:30 shape already.)
feel bad for Parker Valby she ran a brave race but she led the race for too long and the other gals fed off her pace end result is she missed the team. Bad mistake. She should have laid off the pace let someone else lead for a bit, it is a mistake that cost here the Olympics. Feel bad for her. There may never be a next time for her, life happens. So sad for her.
Nope. Very smart race for Valby. She needed the standard and now she has it. She never was going to beat those three. Now all Valby has to do is wait for one of them to drop the 5k and choose another event and Valby goes to the Olympics.
Parker wisely picking the pace up, she needs it to be fast the most of anyone, regardless of standards. Thought we were gonna get another jog for a hot sec
How many of our top distance folks would have the guts to do that.
Parker and Mantz are the only ones who come to mind right away.
“Defending olympic champion who clearly doesn’t have enough racing experience, have you considered that if you raced more you wouldn’t have been tripped? 🤓🤓☝️”
I don't think anyone here is saying she doesn't have enough racing experience (I certainly am not). I think what people are saying is that there is difference between having experience and being in good racing form - and that Mu/Kersee were hanging their laurels on the former a bit too much. Getting tripped isn't always something you can do anything about but Mu was in the middle of a dense pack and, with her stride, that's not where you want to be. I think it's fair to say that with a few more races under her belt this season she might have had the wherewithal / instincts to avoid that sort of positioning.
I don’t see how that would happen unless one of these hypothetical races featured a similar mishap. If she ran in crowds all season and came away cleanly she wouldn’t be likely to do something drastically different in the olympic trials. It was such a small maneuver that led to the trip, I don’t see how she could possibly “instinctively” know not to do that with more races under her belt this season, but at the same time all of her previous racing experience wouldn’t inform such a decision.
I think there are two clear options for Athing Mu after tonight, either of which could be a good one:
First, this serves as the excuse she's looking for leave running behind and fade into obscurity. Which is fine. She can live a nice, quiet life, and periodically give an inspirational talk or do a lowkey photo shoot to bring it a bit of quick cash. She'd lose any future Nike money, and I don't think she'd make it as a professional model, but she probably already has "enough" anyway, if she lives prudently.
Second, this lights a fire under her ass and makes her realize how much she misses running (and winning). She ditches Kersee, goes back to her old college coach, and returns brighter than ever for 2028.
Obviously, I prefer Option 2. But Option 1 may be the right one for Mu, and if it is, she should take it, with all of our best wishes and thanks for a fantastic 2021. I just don't want to see another year like this one, injured or not, where it's clear that she's anxious, under-trained, and doesn't want to be there.
It blows mhy mind that Kara doens't understand Road to Paris. Valby doenst care about the standard. She doens't need it. She has the ranking.
My God. How uninformed can she be? I'm serious. You're paid to understand this for NBC. My god, hire a statistician who understands it to talk to you in your ear.
feel bad for Parker Valby she ran a brave race but she led the race for too long and the other gals fed off her pace end result is she missed the team. Bad mistake. She should have laid off the pace let someone else lead for a bit, it is a mistake that cost here the Olympics. Feel bad for her. There may never be a next time for her, life happens. So sad for her.
Nope. Very smart race for Valby. She needed the standard and now she has it. She never was going to beat those three. Now all Valby has to do is wait for one of them to drop the 5k and choose another event and Valby goes to the Olympics.
She had no chance at beating those three tonight. They are all proven 4.00 1500m runners or faster. She has yet to prove that capability. 10000m probably her better event unless (or until) she develops a better sprint finish. But good for her for going for it and getting the standard in case one of those three drops the event (more likely ESP).
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