Official Julia Lucas Appreciation Thread!!!

I'm just saying that if they don't accept excuses, they change their mindset. If they blow up, they blow up. Instead of blaming the defeat on an external force, realize that they just have to get better at what they do. Go back, figure it out, and change your approach. When you make excuses, you tend to think "I've got it right. I didn't mess up. I lost because of _________ factor." And then they don't change their approach and they keep waiting for the perfect race where it all comes together. Make it happen don't wait for it to happen. That's what Julia tried to do. She tried to make it happen.

Maybe this could be conceived as defeatist or negative. Maybe it's being honest and real.

For anyone who hasn't watched the interview, she says that she didn't feel great throughout the race so, rather than leave it to a kick (and potentially have all the A standards still with her with 400 to go when she wasn't feeling it) she decided to make it a grind.

And, yes, she totally owns up to blowing it. But, again, I think it was an issue of execution, not a poor plan; getting to the front and getting a bit of a gap is good, but getting excited and running a couple sub-70s when you move to the front a few laps from the finish isn't.

I honestly thought she looked like she was prairie doggin it in. She looked all tight like she needed to use the bathroom. I'm not joking either, although I doubt she'd ever admit to it in an interview.

On the move she made, as the girl that's run the top US time this year, it seemed like maybe she was the class of the field, so why not run away with it? hindsight is 20 20, and the move looks bad now, but if she won, it would've looked bad a**.

By the way, what happened to lauren fleshman?

JMartin wrote:

Make it happen don't wait for it to happen. That's what Julia tried to do. She tried to make it happen.

Maybe this could be conceived as defeatist or negative. Maybe it's being honest and real.

Maybe it's being stupid. One can certainly make that case in this instance.

I agree. To me it was a gutsy move. I think she is a class act. If it was a 4,999 meter race, she would be an Olympian. Races have become so much more tactical...the usual sit and kick crap. As a spectator, I want to see a race from the start to finish and I think she stepped up and provided that. As a former competitor, I always tried to take the race from start to finish. It turned out foolish on somedays and others it worked. like others have stated, she reminded them of PRE's running and making it hurt. I respect her.

that wasn't a tactical race. the pace was decent but, most importantly, slower than the A standard. the fact that you are trying to compare your former random races with an OTs final with only 4 As that matter shows that you completely don't get it. which part of the fact that the only thing that mattered in that race was making the team (not winning versus 2nd or 3rd)?

Does she always run with such a stilted gait?

Unreal. This thread, perhaps more than any other I've seen over the years, shows the mentality of most Lets Run posters. What a bunch of @%$#&. A gaggle of sophmoric, macho wannabees. Most none of you would have had the guts to go FTW like Lucas did. I will NEVER forget the drama of that finish - EVER! - Julia, You Da Man!!

It was dumb.

It was a bad move that made the race really exciting. I definitely feel for her, but let's not pretend it was in any way a smart surge.

Pre's move made sense in the context of trying to win the Olympics and beat Viren. Lucas's move would've been fine if this was JUST USAs or the Olympic final, but it wasn't. It was a mistake in the Trials.

Yes, she made a bold move, and if she hadn't she'd have made the team. Nevertheless, that was one of the best races I've ever seen, and it was a heck of a lot more fun to watch than the usual shenanigans.

Am I the only one that was reminded of Pre? She made a bold move too early and died to fourth in the last 50 meters. Munich Olympic-esque.

She ran to win. Whether or not that was a bad idea, she earned my respect.

Look, I think we can agree that wasn't smart racing, but c'mon people, be human. It's tragic, and we should have some sympathy for the pain she's going through. That race will live in her mind pretty much forever. Back in HS, I missed a chance to go to the State meet under the same circumstances. I didn't rig-up but another guy from way back unleashed a stunning kick and clipped me at the line to grab the last spot. 25 years later, that race periodically goes through my mind. That was for smaller marbles....man to miss the Olympics..THE OLYMPICs!...the culmination of all that hard work and sacrifice lost in under .04 seconds. Hurts me just to think about that for her.

Who is her coach?

That was a great effort by Julia Lucas. Lots of guts. Broke my f*cking heart to see her miss out on the Games like that.

Sure I feel bad for her, but she was arrogant. She clearly thought she was the best in the field by far and could drop them easily. It absolutely sucks for her that she was wrong.

It was so SO SO obvious that she went too soon, though. I didn't think it would end up costing her a spot, but I knew right away that she wouldn't win or come in second. As soon as she took off I thought, "3rd place for Lucas".

Regardless, as much as I feel bad for Lucas, I feel great for Conley. Unbelievable racing by her.

Love her to death. A great, bold move, McChesneyesque. Just 200-400m too early. My heart goes out to her. Pre gets nothing but props for the way he ran at Munich, not running conservatively for bronze. Julia went with 1200m to go, and began running out of steam after 1000m. Simple as that. If she'd gone a little later and pulled it off, as she well might have, there would be no second-guessing.

Meh. The womens 100 was a closer finish for 3rd place.

mitchellmac wrote:

Am I the only one that was reminded of Pre?

Maybe you should read the thread before responding.

WhatYo wrote:

Sure I feel bad for her, but she was arrogant. She clearly thought she was the best in the field by far and could drop them easily. It absolutely sucks for her that she was wrong.

That wasn't it. If you listen to her interview, she wasn't feeling strong and was worried she wouldn't have enough of a kick in the final 200 against the other 6 women who already had the Olympic A standard so she started a long grind instead.

As it turned out, her strategy didn't work out by .04 of a second, which she acknowledges and takes responsibility for in her interview. How you handle disappointment - and that was a crushing disappointment - shows a lot about your character. You really have to respect the way she handled herself afterwards.