Al Sal making excuses for Rupp's 5k beating- pollen count was higher than in 2011 when he pulled out of 10k

Pollen count or biological passport?

This is a reason, not an excuse. It is reasonable to provide an explanation for why an athlete who is fit underperforms. He was clearly not right. Compare those athletes to the guys in the Olympic final and USATF last year in the 5000m where Rupp closed down in 51.5. The pollen count was obviously a factor, as I mentioned before the race.

Dennis Reynolds wrote:

That makes you pathetic. Same for Rupp. Do you ever hear about football players or basketball players whining about allergies? Runners can be such wimps sometimes.

That comment makes you pathetic. Football and basketball rely on tricks and short bursts requiring no endurance and, comparatively, very, very, very little mental toughness. Running successfully is entirely about how much pain you can put your body through. Pain is just an incidental in every other sport except for cycling and swimming. In running if you are looking to run your best, the maximum amount of suffering is really your goal. It is a fact of life that allergies, illness, etc will hamper your body's ability to do soemthing extreme to its fullest degree. Other sports like football and basketball simply do not demand that of the body.

Let's see Alberto Salazaar: twice winner of the New York City Marathon.

Galen Rupp: Olympic Silver Medalist.

Anonymous dude on Let's Run message board critzing them: zip, zed, zero.

Closed in 52.5 NOT 51.5. Fanboys caught lying once again.

Immunotherapy wrote:

Why don't you, Rupp and the other allergy sufferers simply get the shots that build up your immunity to whatever allergens ail you?

Why do people who get shots get worse?