There was no evidence at the marathon distance to promote or discount Seidel's chances. At least she had won at every level prior. Not so for Bates.
If we compared Bates’s accomplishments prior to this year with Seidel’s accomplishments prior to the 2020/2021 Olympics, there would have been far more reason to be optimistic about Bates’s medal chances in Paris than Seidel’s chances in Tokyo.
Seidel ran the 2020 London Marathon prior to the 2020/2021 Olympics and finished more than 6 minutes behind the winner (Brigid Kosgei) and more than 3 minutes behind Sara Hall. At the 2023 Boston Marathon, Bates finished only 32 seconds behind the winner (Hellen Obiri). Plus Bates has far more experience in the marathon now than Seidel did going into Tokyo.
As far as pedigree, Bates didn’t win at every level but she wasn’t a slouch either. She was NCAA champion in the 10,000, and she finished second and third in consecutive years in NCAA cross country.
So many pages for people to pile on a woman that many of us wanted to see at the Trials race. I thought that Emma was a solid top 6 at the trials, and her and the other 5 women were going to have a very interesting race to make that top 3. I'm sad for her to be injured and not there to race.
That's kinda it. Runners get injured, we have all have been at one time or the other, and Emma is a likeable athlete to want to see do well. As is typical on Letsrun, the piling on here just sucks to see. Its ugly and it shows our sport in a terrible light.
Looking at the football forums now that the Playoffs are set, the level of hatred and acrimony that is being levelled at some teams by opposing fan bases is less that what we see here. I loves me some running, but this sort of thing always really makes me hate some runners.
Looking at the football forums now that the Playoffs are set, the level of hatred and acrimony that is being levelled at some teams by opposing fan bases is less that what we see here. I loves me some running, but this sort of thing always really makes me hate some runners.
If you think the “hate” (or “vitriol” as people sometimes put it) toward runners on here is worse than what football fans fling around, you must be looking at the wrong teams’ fans. Hang out around mid-season with mixed groups of fans from the NFC East or AFC North and you’ll be set straight.
So many pages for people to pile on a woman that many of us wanted to see at the Trials race. I thought that Emma was a solid top 6 at the trials, and her and the other 5 women were going to have a very interesting race to make that top 3. I'm sad for her to be injured and not there to race.
That's kinda it. Runners get injured, we have all have been at one time or the other, and Emma is a likeable athlete to want to see do well. As is typical on Letsrun, the piling on here just sucks to see. Its ugly and it shows our sport in a terrible light.
Looking at the football forums now that the Playoffs are set, the level of hatred and acrimony that is being levelled at some teams by opposing fan bases is less that what we see here. I loves me some running, but this sort of thing always really makes me hate some runners.
Emma is fine, but her sponsor-driven 18-post race recaps have alienated a lot of people who were following and cheering for her. She's not the first person to decide to blatantly monetize her audience (that was Kevin Smith), but it took her from scrappy underdog to just another athlete who's looking to strike while the iron's hot and comes acrosss as less than authentic with their fans.
When those athletes fail, it's completely normal that a significant portion of the general audience are going to be less than sympathetic. It's why everyone laughed at Aaron Rodgers this year and was heartbroken for Joe Burrow.
Emma is fine, but her sponsor-driven 18-post race recaps have alienated a lot of people who were following and cheering for her. She's not the first person to decide to blatantly monetize her audience (that was Kevin Smith), but it took her from scrappy underdog to just another athlete who's looking to strike while the iron's hot and comes acrosss as less than authentic with their fans.
I hope those responding with such strong critique are not coaches of women.
Gal just said “goodbye” to what has likely been a long-term, attainable (if not likely) dream - one held in high esteem by athletes around the world. Let her be a little emotional and convey her message as she chooses.
Yes, injuries happen. Yes, tough decisions, that we don’t see the full background/context of, occur. Sure, we can criticize and critique decisions made in the moment and heat of a high stakes, high vis race. And absolutely, there is an exciting element of someone else now having a better opportunity of earning a spot.
But GEEEEEZUS so many of you are genuinely awful people who only love this forum because you can share your ugliest selves with impunity.
So many pages for people to pile on a woman that many of us wanted to see at the Trials race. I thought that Emma was a solid top 6 at the trials, and her and the other 5 women were going to have a very interesting race to make that top 3. I'm sad for her to be injured and not there to race.
That's kinda it. Runners get injured, we have all have been at one time or the other, and Emma is a likeable athlete to want to see do well. As is typical on Letsrun, the piling on here just sucks to see. Its ugly and it shows our sport in a terrible light.
Looking at the football forums now that the Playoffs are set, the level of hatred and acrimony that is being levelled at some teams by opposing fan bases is less that what we see here. I loves me some running, but this sort of thing always really makes me hate some runners.
Emma is fine, but her sponsor-driven 18-post race recaps have alienated a lot of people who were following and cheering for her. She's not the first person to decide to blatantly monetize her audience (that was Kevin Smith), but it took her from scrappy underdog to just another athlete who's looking to strike while the iron's hot and comes acrosss as less than authentic with their fans.
When those athletes fail, it's completely normal that a significant portion of the general audience are going to be less than sympathetic. It's why everyone laughed at Aaron Rodgers this year and was heartbroken for Joe Burrow.
I think the 18 post recaps are great! Fun and interesting to hear her perspective as it changes throughout the marathon. I'm not sure why people complain so much about content, it's what the app is there for.
I think the 18 post recaps are great! Fun and interesting to hear her perspective as it changes throughout the marathon. I'm not sure why people complain so much about content, it's what the app is there for.
Yeah, it's definitely an accurate note-by-note retelling of her experience. Everyone who runs a marathon remembers every minute detail of the run. It's definitely not an engagement farm capitalizing on the popularity of a particular race to boost her engagement and satify sponsor commitments.