If you cold go back in time and change the outcome of one race, what would it be and why?

2003 NCAA XC Nationals

I’d change that race result from me finishing 100+ to winning.

theJeff wrote:

I would want Native Americans to be treated better. We were awful to that race.

this

Hsjsjbs wrote:

I’d make sure Ryan Shay never started the 2007 Olympic marathon trials in NYC:(

ok, and this

Other than the couple things above, I can't see where changing someone else's race would really make a difference in my life.

Of my past races I would run the 1995 NCAA Div II XC race in Spartansburg, SC different. Decided to go out way to fast, died just past 4 miles. Ran 90 sec slower than I had run 2 weeks before off of a much more conservative pace. 90 sec faster would have solidly landed me in All-American Status.

Wait, this is a thread about other people's races? I clicked on it figuring you were asking about our own races.

Okay, maybe next time.

For Some Reason wrote:

Wait, this is a thread about other people's races? I clicked on it figuring you were asking about our own races.

Okay, maybe next time.

For college

I'd change either the division 2 regional I ran with a fever or the Naia conference meet I ran with a fever to me not having a fever. After both races I was pulled from the top 7 and did not run at nationals :(.

for hs

Id change me getting 8th at state to 1st hahaha.

For other people than myself.

I'd change Lawi Lalang getting beat by cheserek to him winning.

Or Webb wit hteh crazy midrace surge.

Or Caster Semenya beating Wilson

Kentucky Derby, May 4, 1996

Grindstone won over second place Cavonnier by a nose.

I had a $10,000 exacta bet on Cavonnier first, Grindstone second. Would have been a sweet payday.

DQ Makh daddy in the 2012 Olympic 1500m after his stunt in the 800m. USA wins back to back golds in the event (Manzano, Centro).

my ex girlfriend destroyed me in a 5k by 45 seconds.

Michael Johnson vs. Mo Greene in the 200m at the 2000 Olympic Trials. I've never been more excited to see a race in person, and never more disappointed when they BOTH pulled up lame. What a waste!!

I wouldn't change the outcome of this race - there's no telling whether I would have won or not. I would change my attitude and belief.

High school cross country season. 2001. Canada.

I'm 16 years old, a senior and for the first time in my life, did some serious training over the summer.

I'd put in 8 miles a day, on average, for 6 weeks. September comes around and I'm in much better shape than most of my peers.

City finals cross country race. 1 week before this. Same course. Same competition. 5 kilometers. 50 or 60 runners.

I am fairly confident I will be in the top 5 or 6 because of my results the previous year. Gun goes off and after about half a kilometre, it's only me and one other runner. This guy was good and I'd never beaten him. He would also go on to run for a D1 school and hit 3:45 for 1500m, 8:40 something steeplechase.

500 meters to go. I'm still within contact. only 5 yards separate us. I'd pushed the pace for some of the race and wasn't content to allow him to lead. Final hill. Not a huge hill. Maybe 50 meters. I know the race is nearly over and realize if I'm going to make a move, I can do it now. I don't. Mentally, I am so used to losing to this guy. He's always won. That's just the way it is, I tell myself. And guess what, I didn't win. I gave up mentally the last half km. he would go on to win by 10 or 15 seconds. Placed 2nd to him again 1 week later by about 15 seconds at the city finals. Provincial finals, 10 seconds behind him and one other runner. 3rd in province, not bad. But always felt I could have won this one race. In fairness to him, he said he was dealing with anemia during the time. Lesson for me: have the mentality of a loser, you will be one. Think like a winner, you never know what you can do.

I ran 2:57 in Chicago. If I could go back in time and change the outcome I'd have won it...probably with a world record, because cash money.

How is this not every answer?

Precious Roy wrote:

Likewise, Mary Decker stays on her feet v. Zola Budd in the 1984 final.

Yes, would have liked to see the outcome of this. My money was on Zola Budd, but we will never know.

Not really changing the outcome of a race, but I would have liked to see Bekele run the Berlin marathon in 2016 under the then world record. Would have been cool to have him own the 5000, 10000 and marathon world records and strengthen his case for GOAT.

Since no one has mentioned this yet, w400m in Rio.

Shaunae Miller would not dive to the finish line and Felix would win gold.

Unapologetically proud MF Patriot wrote:

young master wrote:

Similarly, I would give Hendrick Ramaala the 2005 NYC marathon over Paul Tergat, for the same reasoning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Lf0m5j2OhY

Dam, threw in a 4:22 mile split. I wonder if he didn't do that if he would've had enough in the tank to out kick Tergat? What is that South African up to these days? And what happened to south African marathon scene?

From his Wikipedia page, it looks like that was his lat big race, and also that he won NYC 2004 the year before, over Meb in second. I somehow missed that. It looks like he was 33 for NYC 2015, 46 now.

Good question about South African marathoners. Some great ones seemed to be in good places at majors for a few years there, but you don't hear much lately. IAAF rankings show a 2:08 guy and a 2:09 guy in 2018, and not in big races, so there must still be something good going on.

young master wrote:

Unapologetically proud MF Patriot wrote:

Dam, threw in a 4:22 mile split. I wonder if he didn't do that if he would've had enough in the tank to out kick Tergat? What is that South African up to these days? And what happened to south African marathon scene?

From his Wikipedia page, it looks like that was his lat big race, and also that he won NYC 2004 the year before, over Meb in second. I somehow missed that. It looks like he was 33 for NYC 2015, 46 now.

Good question about South African marathoners. Some great ones seemed to be in good places at majors for a few years there, but you don't hear much lately. IAAF rankings show a 2:08 guy and a 2:09 guy in 2018, and not in big races, so there must still be something good going on.

South African marathoning is in the dumps mostly because of Athletics SA being run by a bunch of incompetent and probably corrupt people. ASA does nothing to support the sport, or to develop athletes, the head of ASA even said directly that road running is not on their priority list and they will do nothing to sponsor athletes. Any arrangements by South African athletes competing internationally at world championships, Olympics etc are chaos (visa problems, low cost travel with huge layovers and athletes having to sleep on the floor in airports, while ASA officials fly first class etc.).

There are a few clubs with corporate sponsors (which ASA is also trying to sabotage so they can get their own hands on the money) that does great work to help develop up and coming runners. Some examples would be Nedbank running (Nick Bester and team), Team Massmart (associated with Ann Ashworth who won Comrades in 2018), Born2Run , Endurocad (run by Elana Meyer who is an Olympic silver medalist, former half marathon world record holder) etc. Lately one of the large elite groups lost their sponsorship from KPMG, most probably due to the financial difficulties KPMG South Africa is going through after selling out the country through corrupt dealings with the previous president's friends. Luckily another corporate picked up a lot of the KPMG runners 2 days ago with the launch of a new elite team. There are also a few individual coaches and people passionate about the sport that also makes a huge difference.

Then, one also has to consider that SA has a huge ultra culture. Comrades marathon (89km) sold out 25 000 entries in 6 days this year. Two Oceans ultra (56km) sold out I think 12 000 entries in a couple of hours if I remember correctly. These ultras take away lot of talent from the marathon.

POTD