We merged two threads on the same topic and combined the thread titles although the first thread wasn't posed as a question. It was posted as statement: "Put a fork in Joe Klecker"
I believe that OAC employees are also paid in company stock. Look at how ONON has done- it's not unreasonable to believe that athlete net worth could have doubled or tripled from initial contract signing dates.
I will never understand the hate for the OAC some on this board have. Yeah Klecker looks kinda silly for declaring he wanted to the AR, but he honestly hasn't looked the same since he got injured last year. Not sure if its just that he isn't good on the roads or something more. We'll get a better idea based on how he does at The Ten.
Agreed. I think we need to see more results from Klecker before we declare his career to be over.
But even if this is a Chris Solinsky type of situation where Klecker never regains his peak form after suffering a severe injury, I think he can hold his head up high for having a successful career and making the most (or at least nearly the most) of his ability. Consider that Klecker's high school PBs were 1:56 in the 800, 4:04 in the mile, and 8:50 in the 3200. Excellent marks, but nothing Earth-shattering; others in his class were better.
Then in college, Klecker never won an NCAA title; he didn't even win a conference title in track. Yet he went on to make three U.S. global championship teams, including the Olympic team. He was the U.S. champ in the 10,000m in 2022, and he finished top 10 in that event at the world championships that year. He also ran sub-13 in the 5,000m. He's currently the 6th-fastest American in history in the 5,000m, and he's 8th fastest in the 10,000m. He can be proud of his accomplishments.
Joe's time has passed on the track. Too many younger, faster runners at the 5k/10k.
The half marathon time is not promising and with his larger frame it doesn't predict well for the marathon.
Joe should stick to the roads full time but even the roads are a different level now.
It's hilarious that his parents bought him a $600k house too. I mean...good lord talk about privileged.
Fun fact - most if not all the Boulder based athletes have rich parents who finance their life style. Average pro runner salary is like $60k but keep flexing your lifestyle and Tesla guys.
Right. He is not our fastest or most consistent, but overall he has been doing a damn good job despite never showing world-beater talent like some of his competitors domestically (like Grant, Nico, other young guns). That's ok. Beating Grant Fisher in a kick, as well as making an Olympic team are not small feats. He may not be a 12:45-12:50 or 26:40-26:50 kind of guy, but I'm glad to see talented people trying to complete slightly outside of that caliber as well.
Finally, I just don't buy the "this was the first one, I need to figure out the distance". It's running. You just find a pace you can hold and run as fast as you can. You are either fit enough or you aren't.
Name one runner whose PR comes from their first time running a race. In any distance.
Finally, I just don't buy the "this was the first one, I need to figure out the distance". It's running. You just find a pace you can hold and run as fast as you can. You are either fit enough or you aren't.
Name one runner whose PR comes from their first time running a race. In any distance.
Finally, I just don't buy the "this was the first one, I need to figure out the distance". It's running. You just find a pace you can hold and run as fast as you can. You are either fit enough or you aren't.
Name one runner whose PR comes from their first time running a race. In any distance.
I'm not saying someone can't improve.
Let me flip it back on you: Name one runner who had a massive improvement after multiple consistently mediocre attempts at a distance who was not accused of doping?
People improve, but after a 6 month training block centered only on a time trial at your new event when you are in the prime age of your career...it is hard to make a huge breakthrough afterwards. Not impossible, hard.
Kiptum ran 2:01 his first time out there. Did he get better afterwards? Sure. But it isn't like he needed to somehow figure out how to put one foot in front of the other. And that was the marathon, which you could make more of an argument for him needing time to figure out.
When people debut in their primes, they can run fast. And if they don't, they may not ever. Do I know how Joe will progress going forward? No, I have no idea.
Name one runner whose PR comes from their first time running a race. In any distance.
I'm not saying someone can't improve.
Let me flip it back on you: Name one runner who had a massive improvement after multiple consistently mediocre attempts at a distance who was not accused of doping?
People improve, but after a 6 month training block centered only on a time trial at your new event when you are in the prime age of your career...it is hard to make a huge breakthrough afterwards. Not impossible, hard.
Kiptum ran 2:01 his first time out there. Did he get better afterwards? Sure. But it isn't like he needed to somehow figure out how to put one foot in front of the other. And that was the marathon, which you could make more of an argument for him needing time to figure out.
When people debut in their primes, they can run fast. And if they don't, they may not ever. Do I know how Joe will progress going forward? No, I have no idea.
Klecker’s first half marathon was after recovering from a very bad injury.
second half marathon, he ran about the same time on a much more difficult course after almost bailing from the race due to hamstring issues
Let me flip it back on you: Name one runner who had a massive improvement after multiple consistently mediocre attempts at a distance who was not accused of doping?
People improve, but after a 6 month training block centered only on a time trial at your new event when you are in the prime age of your career...it is hard to make a huge breakthrough afterwards. Not impossible, hard.
Kiptum ran 2:01 his first time out there. Did he get better afterwards? Sure. But it isn't like he needed to somehow figure out how to put one foot in front of the other. And that was the marathon, which you could make more of an argument for him needing time to figure out.
When people debut in their primes, they can run fast. And if they don't, they may not ever. Do I know how Joe will progress going forward? No, I have no idea.
Klecker’s first half marathon was after recovering from a very bad injury.
second half marathon, he ran about the same time on a much more difficult course after almost bailing from the race due to hamstring issues
hes fine
A hamstring injury sustained by running 200s for HM training. Clearly, CU does not offer courses in Common Knowledge in the Workforce or I am mistaken and he went to a Baptist school where he was brainwashed into following all orders to a T.
Klecker is not "Fine". He has flopped at an off-distance with no real option to drop down in distance and maybe not the strength or durability to step to the full any time soon. He is quite literally at a career inflection point
Klecker’s first half marathon was after recovering from a very bad injury.
second half marathon, he ran about the same time on a much more difficult course after almost bailing from the race due to hamstring issues
hes fine
A hamstring injury sustained by running 200s for HM training. Clearly, CU does not offer courses in Common Knowledge in the Workforce or I am mistaken and he went to a Baptist school where he was brainwashed into following all orders to a T.
Klecker is not "Fine". He has flopped at an off-distance with no real option to drop down in distance and maybe not the strength or durability to step to the full any time soon. He is quite literally at a career inflection point
He’s fine. And I agree about the 200s. He should be doing more long repeat workbooks at half marathon to 10k pace
He’s going to be fine, not an ideal start to the half but he has a few more years left in the tank.
I would love to see some more 10ks from our guy but I’m not going to root against him.
He turns 29 this fall, probably too old to do the 10k the next Olympic cycle.
I will say this though. He trained very hard in HS, hard at CU, been grinding for a while as a pro. Probably won’t see any massive leaps in performance