The Return of Valbymania this Saturday

I think Valby will definitely have an advantage in the heat. Did not bother her at all during XC. And, running from the front won't hurt her because it is in her interest to prevent the race from getting tactical.

If she is fit she will probably be Tuohy's biggest competition, especially if Tuohy is doubling the 1500m. Plourde, Kemboi and the Alabama runners will be in the mix too, Roe.

I get that she was injured, but it does get old hearing her talk about how little she does workouts in interviews every time. A lot of runners get injured but they don't make a big deal about how many workouts they do or don't do.

I gotta give parker a ton of credit for not being close to 100% keeping that pace for the win, truly a gutsy performance, definitely a concern for valbynation going forward though with that leg!

She looked strained. That was not an easy race.

It is not like North Carolina is not hot in Summer. So I don't think heats an issue. I think for Valby her fitness is not there and her stride is screwed up by her injury. It looked like she was laboring. I don't think Valby is top three, but it depends on how much others wear out late in the season.

PS-Tuohy is not doubling the 1500 given how close the finals are with the 5000m. At least I don't think she is. She could conceivably double the 10000m. That would throw the 5000m more up in the air.

That looked painful. Tough lady, but can she hold on for NCAAs?

Mercy herself left it too late. Don't think she'll do that again.

Parker runs with determination and heart and wants to Just Win Baby!!! Just hope she can get 100% healthy for an unstoppable Summer of Valbymania!!!

Great athlete - but it bothered me that she has an injury. She likely knows best - and being a conference champ is a great thing, but running a 5k with a hitch in your stride seems risky. Again a great and tough athlete but it pained me to watch.

I haven't followed Valby much but if she wasn't lying in her interview then she's more talented than Tuohy. Huge negative split, leading the whole race, 15:25 in extremely hot conditions. She has only run 1 track workout since February!

If she can find a real coach and if she can stay healthy, she's more likely to break 14:40 than Tuohy.

It says a lot about the incredible talent Valby is, that with such hampered training and injury, she was able to run 15:25. That’s truly amazing.
It worries me tho that her team of coaches may be pushing her a bit too much on this injury. That was not the same stride she normally has.

The hitch in the stride really starts showing up starting at the 12min mark in the race, after fatigue has set in. She then stumbled on the backstretch when passing a runner, and the hitch subsequently got a little worse.

Later, with great effort using upper body, the hitch smoothed out a bit for the last final lap.

Wire to wire. The people’s champion finishes to a standing ovation! Simply the best.

Do you still think she's doping?

Congrats KT again.... even if both didn't have ideal races its 15:03 to 15:25 and a better kick for KT

I’m just grasping at straws, but the nature of the injury you’re describing could be a nerve entrapment and/or compartment syndrome. If the latter, I would suggest trying to stretch the fascia, over time, with weight training (before considering something drastic, like surgery, aka Mary Slaney, if that were to come up in the conversations).

Alabama led the beginning laps. Do you not know what wire to wire means?? smh

A healthy KT beats an injured Valby. I feel like letting V run under the circumstances is borderline abuse.

She didn't look different to me than her race at BU or Arkansas during indoors. I doubt Coach Palmer would have let her race if her injury was still a big issue; she just ran 15:31 5k at north Florida a few weeks ago so this is her second race if the season.

Sounds like the same injury Marlee starliper has!

She should NOT have run in that state, yikes! A conference championship isn’t worth risking a long lasting injury

It is the SEC. Lauren Gregory would like a word...

Well, I’m just grasping at straws with limited information. The experts and the athlete themselves, after some weight training sessions, would know better whether high volume/low-weight or high-weight/low-volume works best, but probably both should be done. And of course, either should be accompanied with a lot of massage and stretching, I.e., the conventional therapy for this condition.