Ryan hall - I don't get it.

Interesting point and I generally agree with you... However, I bet that if you look at each of guys (Rodgers, Shorter, Salazar, and Hall) in their top 5 years, Rodgers and Shorter raced way more than Hall. Especially Rodgers who race almost every weekend it seemed and numerous 'thons per year.

Salazar didn't have 5 strong years post-collegiate, but had stellar collegiate and preps careers, so that goes for something.

Rodgers and Shorter were not spectacular in college or prep. Although Shorter was very good, but Rodgers stunk in college and prep.

Another thing about Rodgers and Shorter, guys in those days didn't have the fancy shoe contracts and made out good bit on appearance fees, so they almost had to race alot to keep the dream alive.

Final point, Rodgers', Shorter's, and Salazar's careers were all pre-Grunge, the subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in Seattle.

Father Time is undefeated.

I don't get it at all. wrote:

Why would he start at a pace that he couldn't hold for more than a few miles? .

Because he's a twat?

People are actually surprised he DNF'd? Why?

Since the Olympic trials he has quit or withdrew from every marathon before running a 2:17:50 at Boston. He's just a guy who has for many years no longer been close to internationally competitive, especially not as compared to current top marathon runners. If this were the very early 1950's, he may be your man... it is not.

Why anyone believes in some miraculous turn around after so many years of not performing anywhere near the top makes no sense. If he would have met the Olympic B standard, I would have been surprised. Him dropping out, no surprise.

On that note - full marks to Max King for getting in under 2:18!

This is a really good read from Toni Reavis about Hall and the L.A. Marathon.:

http://tonireavis.com/2015/03/17/big-3-down-to-1/#more-12835

“What would make you happy on Sunday?” I asked Ryan during our pre-race interview.

“I understand your question, but I’m already happy,” he replied. “I can’t gain more than I have.”

Reading it, I wonder if Hall has entered a mental zone the few of us can understand.

runnerdave wrote:

This is a really good read from Toni Reavis about Hall and the L.A. Marathon.:

http://tonireavis.com/2015/03/17/big-3-down-to-1/#more-12835

“What would make you happy on Sunday?” I asked Ryan during our pre-race interview.

“I understand your question, but I’m already happy,” he replied. “I can’t gain more than I have.”

Reading it, I wonder if Hall has entered a mental zone the few of us can understand.

Wow. great read.

I agree with the theme.... dont want to be a hater. I think its just jealousy - to be that talented, there is some genetic lucky draw as well as a lot of hard training... I don't have it. Its frustrating to watch someone who does appear to throw it away.

I do think it odd/interesting that although Sara has tweeted post race, Ryan hasn't posted anything yet.

Its because he is a certified LOOSER!!!!

has all the qualities that you hope and pray your athletes and your kids never acquire !

All talk

No show

No toughness

Has no guts

Will never be in the fight , in the hunt when it counts !

He is the living opposite of MEB!!!!

Thinks he is Gods gift to running , blowing kisses left and right while finishing dismally in races (boulder last year was 10th as an example of many)

Claims to be a great person , but is as stuck-up as the day is long!

Won't give you or anyone the time of day unless there is something in it for him

(that is not living the values he claims to hold so dearly!)

(I manage athletes from Kenya met him many times at races and expo's Elite athlete meetings etc )

He has learned as long as he has a couple good marks under his belt , that races pay for rhetoric (honestly who can blame him for that , but all real fans are tired of hearing it , hence this thread!)

Big talk sells in his case better than performances!!!

SAD!!!!!!!

Ryan Hall is an embarrassment to our wonderful sport ! I like many can't wait until he hangs it up , I hope it is very soon !

RYAN , TODAY WOULD BE A GREAT DAY TO RETIRE !!!!

Having read the New Yorker article, I’m not quite certain what we might call Ryan Hall’s “philosophy.”

Panglossian optimism? “We can experience a joy that’s even deeper than that—like, every single person, every moment of every day.”

Bi-Pedal Mysticism? “The level of joy I’m capable of experiencing now is not dependent on me winning the Olympic Games or me running 2:02 in the marathon. All it’s dependent on is how connected I am with God.”

SoCal Casualism? “I don’t take it personally. So if I blow up, I’m bummed for sure, but it’s like, life goes on.”

Postmodern fatalism? “I like to go into a race not expecting anything. Not expecting to feel like a million bucks. Not expecting to hit certain splits or the race to unfold a certain way.”

Ryan Hall, the Enigma and/or Void.

I started reading some of his statements, as you describe, and got a bit down. I do think the guns are onboard, still, for Ryan. Think its all a mental war now.

Wow, your arrogance is breathtaking. My breath is taken.

Precious Roy wrote:

Ryan Hall dropped out of the marathon because he could. He has such strong sponsorship support that he has nothing to prove to anyone. He gets paid very well to run half marathons as workouts. Asics will never drop him. He thinks that he is in the cat bird seat. He can run whatever race he wants and will go for it if things feel great and bag it if things are not happening. He crossed the finish line in Boston just because it would have been bad publicity to quit. He only has to be ready to perform at the US trials and 2016 Olympics. Every other race is just a toy for him to play with. Go out hard, see what happens. Train less, train more, see what happens. He is just banking on everything coming together at the US trials.

Interesting post. It made me think something that I haven't thought before, or wanted to think: that Hall's attitude toward the marathon is incredibly entitled and whitebread--incredibly far from Wesley Korir's attitude, for example, or the attitude of the great majority of East Africans. For them, everything depends on throwing it all down, ALL of it, and making the leap into big $$$ and a transformed life in a poor part of the world.

Hall can afford to sustain his "All that matters is allowing God to unfold in my life" trip, in other words, because he's our. He's America. He's entitled; he's living in one of the richest countries in the world. His sponsorships are solid. HE'S NOT HUNGRY. In all sense of that word.

I'm not criticizing him. There are indeed many reasons to race. But when he talks in the New York article about running in Ethiopia at 9,000 feet and suddenly being surrounded by Ethiopian runners, he wants us in some way to see us as one of Them. And he's not. Not in the way that he imagines. The economic grounds on which he runs could not be more different.

I don't want to use the word "spoiled." But I won't argue with people who try to make that case.

Speaking personally, I'd like to see him a little edgier, a little hungrier, and little more determined--like Pre--to inflict his will on the world and his competitors.

Pre was like that in part because he was a working-class guy. He believed in hurting himself more than the next guy was capable of hurting himself.

At a certain point, LR's have to take sides: Pre or Hall? I'll go with the working man--the guy determined to craft himself, rather than the guy determined to let God craft him. I'll go with Wesley Korir, who worked and worked and worked and finally had his day--and then kept working and also thought about how to use the fruits of his own hard work to help his nation.

But that's just me.

I need to proofread before I upload. Please excuse the half-dozen misspellings.

Here's my post, with spelling corrected. Hope I caught 'em all:

___________________________________________________________________

Interesting post. It made me think something that I haven't thought before, or wanted to think: that Hall's attitude toward the marathon is incredibly entitled and whitebread--incredibly far from Wesley Korir's attitude, for example, or the attitude of the great majority of East Africans. For them, everything depends on throwing it all down, ALL of it, and making the leap into big $$$ and a transformed life in a poor part of the world.

Hall can afford to sustain his "All that matters is allowing God to unfold in my life" trip, in other words, because he's ours. He's America. He's entitled; he's living in one of the richest countries in the world. His sponsorships are solid. HE'S NOT HUNGRY. In all senses of that word.

I'm not criticizing him. There are indeed many reasons to race. But when he talks in the New Yorker article about running in Ethiopia at 9,000 feet and suddenly being surrounded by Ethiopian runners, he wants us in some way to see him as one of Them. And he's not. Not in the way that he imagines. The economic grounds on which he runs could not be more different.

I don't want to use the word "spoiled." But I won't argue with people who try to make that case.

Speaking personally, I'd like to see him a little edgier, a little hungrier, and little more determined--like Pre--to inflict his will on the world and his competitors.

Pre was like that in part because he was a working-class guy. He believed in hurting himself more than the next guy was capable of hurting himself.

At a certain point, LR's have to take sides: Pre or Hall? I'll go with the working man--the guy determined to craft himself, rather than the guy determined to let God craft him. I'll go with Wesley Korir, who worked and worked and worked and finally had his day--and then kept working and also thought about how to use the fruits of his own hard work to help his nation.

But that's just me.

Read more:

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=6377805&page=3#ixzz3UhfMsa1T

His adrenals are probably cooked.

He should talk with Salazar, though I don't think there is anything that can bring him back.

LOOSER wrote:

Its because he is a certified LOOSER!!!!

Lol. Seriously, lol.

runnerdave wrote:

This is a really good read from Toni Reavis about Hall and the L.A. Marathon.:

http://tonireavis.com/2015/03/17/big-3-down-to-1/#more-12835

Toni nails it.

Was wondering if HRE posted his thoughts on this thread? Wondering what he thought about Ryan's interviews.

Oh sorry, found he did post already on this thread.

It is not arrogance. The thesis of my argument can be found here, "Halfway Up the Mountain: The Error of Premature Claims to Enlightenment" by Mariana Caplan, PhD