2.) I distinctly remember the 2013 "Miracle in the Dirt" team - they all seemed super pumped when they learned they got silver. And the letsrun forums certainly exploded over it. And also, how many people remember the results from any actual track event, including medalists?
Aside from True and Derrick, I don't remember who else was on that team.
Our women's team won medals in 2010 and 2011. Flanagan is the only team member I remember.
I just looked up in wiki to find that the 2010 and 2011 USA teams have a few other runners who are very well known for other things. I just didn't remember them as World XC team medalists.
"What the morons on this page fail to grasp is the fact that the XC format is the only time where runners from a range of distances go head to head..."
That's just the point, they don't anymore, which makes the rest of your post pointless.
And you refer to "dimwitted morons" failing to grasp, FFS you couldn't make it up lol.
Exhibit A, a moron in the wild. Thanks for posting!!!
The question that anyone with a shred of IQ would be asking is, "how could we possibly get back to those days/encourage superstars from a range of distances to compete which will boost not only their own profiles, but the sport's"
To use cycling as an example, every pro race sees some/if not all big hitters go head to head, fans know names and the sport goes from strength to strength, despite suffering similar doping scandals to running. Sponsors and athletes see the benefits of putting their names out there, despite the risk of losing. XC has the ingredients for this as an XC course is the closest thing we have to an unpredictable course, sprinkle in a couple of track stars and you have something tasty brewing.
To give your royal denseness a second example, how much more interest would the World XC have held in the US community if Rupp had been pushed into competing post Oly Silver. Fans want to see names, which in turn makes the event bigger...
No wonder competitive running is dead, you oyster.
"BuT No ONe EvEN DoEz Croz COUntRY anYmorE sO uR WronG HaHA"
Lastly, a poster mentioned location. A prime example of WA having a loser attitude. No disrespect to Aarhus, and Bathurst, but they are hardly glitzy locations. What about using a central park in one of the global centres???
Last Friday on our Friday 15 podcast, we were talking about World XC. I am starting to get excited as a) it's always an amazing event and b) this year it's in Australia and c) the date has been moved up to mid-February (Feb 18). World Athletics has probably moved the date way up from last time (March 30 in 2019) so it won't interfere with outdoor track preparations.
Who wouldn't want to go? In my book, no one.
So here's the statement I made, "Any and all US long-distance pros that skip the event should have their pro card stripped."
I don't want to hear " But we need to get our 10,000 qualifiers so we can go to Worlds." THIS IS WORLDS. IT"S WORLD XC where you are actually relevant. On the men's side, all US pros not named Grant Fisher have no shot at a medal on the track anyway so let's go to the 1 Worlds we know you can make and then worry about that 27:10 standard/world ranking later.
On the women's side, a US team of Elise Cranny, Karissa Schweizer, Alicia Monson and somoene else has a great shot at a medal.
Let's do this.
Hey go easy on Rojo. He was never a pro runner! Give him a break!!
"What the morons on this page fail to grasp is the fact that the XC format is the only time where runners from a range of distances go head to head..."
That's just the point, they don't anymore, which makes the rest of your post pointless.
And you refer to "dimwitted morons" failing to grasp, FFS you couldn't make it up lol.
Exhibit A, a moron in the wild. Thanks for posting!!!
The question that anyone with a shred of IQ would be asking is, "how could we possibly get back to those days/encourage superstars from a range of distances to compete which will boost not only their own profiles, but the sport's"
To use cycling as an example, every pro race sees some/if not all big hitters go head to head, fans know names and the sport goes from strength to strength, despite suffering similar doping scandals to running. Sponsors and athletes see the benefits of putting their names out there, despite the risk of losing. XC has the ingredients for this as an XC course is the closest thing we have to an unpredictable course, sprinkle in a couple of track stars and you have something tasty brewing.
To give your royal denseness a second example, how much more interest would the World XC have held in the US community if Rupp had been pushed into competing post Oly Silver. Fans want to see names, which in turn makes the event bigger...
No wonder competitive running is dead, you oyster.
"BuT No ONe EvEN DoEz Croz COUntRY anYmorE sO uR WronG HaHA"
Lastly, a poster mentioned location. A prime example of WA having a loser attitude. No disrespect to Aarhus, and Bathurst, but they are hardly glitzy locations. What about using a central park in one of the global centres???
Honestly, Seb, give me a call mate.
If Seb gives you a call it'll be to give you another reason why XC is virtually dead in the water, it's because of stuff like the following to attract sponsors, spectators and athletes:
"Coe didn't share full details about the new event but said a focus will be on prize money and keeping the spotlight on the stars..."
Then he'll probably tell you about all the other alternative events there are around the world with more interest and money for sponsors, spectators and athletes.
Then he'll probably tell you that because there's big money involved for the athletes they tend to specialise in a particular event or similar.
Then he'll probably tell you that apart from being a distance event XC isn't similar to their money making favoured events, not even any worthwhile prize money in it.
Then he'll probably tell you the athletes don't want to jeopardise their upcoming season, be it road, track or marathon, by risking injury and loss of build-up training to that upcoming season.
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Further to the above, I gave Seb an early morning ring, he said he'd read your post and took on board the bit where you wrote:
"XC course is the closest thing we have to an unpredictable course, sprinkle in a couple of track stars and you have something tasty brewing."
He said he'd already spoken to the track stars and they agree and all are in favour. He also said his quote about "Coe didn't share full details about the new event but said a focus will be on prize money and keeping the spotlight on the stars...", actually refers to a XC series with a focus on prize money and stars, could even start in 2023. You heard it here first.
So, relax and bring on 2023, the future of XC and saviour of athletics.
Those that have a chance to medal at this years WC have their sights set on Budapest.
I am a big fan of XC but it is not logical to disrupt training periods (especially altitude camps at critical times) to travel to Australia. That would disrupt at minimum two weeks (if not more) of training (travel, acclimation to and from). Perhaps athletes and coaches attitudes would be different if this event were held in the northern hemisphere. Nevertheless, there are several other aspects that goes into racing this event or not.
Cross Country running is a tough sport and that is what makes it great to run and watch. However, it carries a risk of injury/tweaking something that could easily set one back a few weeks. Far too risky during a WC year and when incentives (contractual, financial, etc.) just aren’t there, the majority of top guys and gals that have a chance to medal on the track will not go.
If XC running became an Olympic or Diamond League event, focus and incentives would change and we would see a resurgence in XC. It can be a very fan centric event and dynamic to watch due to terrain/weather and so forth. Euro XC Championships was a great event but it was held in December and therefore not disruptive time wise during a lead up to outdoor season.
Yes, back in the day 70’s and 80’s it seemed most of the top names competed at World XC, that was then, competition is now far more fierce and East African dominant in distance events, training now is far more specialized, competing for medals is far more difficult now then it was back then.
"If XC running became an Olympic...event"
Not much chance of that:
"When the International Olympic Committee (IOC) sits down in a few years to pick what sports will feature at the Brisbane 2032 Games, they’ll have this criteria front of mind – affordability, youth, urban and women."
UPDATE: ... In the 10,000 meters World Athletics said the top eight athletes in the World Cross Country Ranking who don’t already have the standard will be considered qualified.
** Yet another reason why the top american athletes should run world XC!
