He just broke through to run 12:57 indoors less than a year ago. The logical step is to build on that and start contending for medals with another leap forward at BTC.
They’re the best group in the world, Scott is a great athlete, but his departure isn’t a big deal.
I bet he’ll be going primary to the roads anyway soon, and won’t need as much of the track specific work.
He’s spent a ton of time in the UK this year and maybe he’ll opt to move there rather than moving to Eugene.
BTC will be fine (obviously), and in terms of keeping their reputation as the premier group in the US, they really don’t have much to worry about as long as they don’t lose Grant, Mo, Elise, or Karissa. They’ve got some young new guys as well and it’s like one of them pops onto the world scene as well.
I get this sentiment if you give no context. BTC's issue isn't that Marc Scott has left, it's that in less than 2 years Marc Scott, Matt Centrowitz, Gabriela DeBues-Stafford, Lucia Stafford, Sinclaire Johnson, Kate Grace, and Emily Infeld (and more) have all left. Sure none of them are current world beaters, but there is enough talent leaving that you could create a BTC 2021-22 departures team and it would be a pretty solid team.
The reasons given (or not given) vary but speak to similar issues, generally an inflexibility and unwillingness to adapt or consult. Grace, Johnson, Infeld all spoke about how Jerry wouldn't adapt training to meet their specific needs and all rocketed after leaving. GDS spoke about wanting pretty basic separation between the group and Houlihan and being turned down. Ironically Houlihan mentioned on a podcast recently that BTC athletes were upset by the move to Eugene and not consulted.
Seems like BTC is about doing what Schumacher thinks is best without athlete input. If you don't like it then leave.
Scott doesn't say much, but to me it's pretty damning for an athlete to say "I thought I'd spend my whole career here" and then walk out in his prime after his two best years ever. Guy won a world indoor medal and broke one of Farah's records and he's leaving same year. You can chalk it up to being homesick if you like but that sounds like clutching at straws to me.
much ado about nothing. these are 28-35 year olds who aren't too interested in living in eugene, spending the other 3/4 of the year holed away at altitude and racing sparingly.
its very clear if you aren't a distance based runner, with no significant other, okay with having limited input in your racing and training schedule or willing to uproot your life to move to where ever Schumacher deems best then btc is not for you.
BTC will continue to be successful and attract the finest 20-23 year olds but expect many of them to leave after they have a significant other to consider and want more flexible training environment.
Such is life. People decide there are more important things than just running fast.
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