2020 Dubai Marathon Discussion Thread - Race is Thursday night at 9 pm ET

thoroughrice wrote:

Eggs Aktlee wrote:

This^^^X1000.

While wnning a medal in the Olympics is the ultimate prize, it is not, however the contest with the best entrants.

If that were the case the US, including Galen Rupp at Rio would be way, way out of the medals.

If you have to enter 10+ athletes to get more than 1 into the medals, your athletes clearly have performance issues. The US athletes show up, we sent the same number of athletes as Kenya and Ethiopia and placed more in the top 10.

The Olympics do have the best athletes, not all of them, but they have the top from each country so if these east Africans are truly the best, they should sweep the top 6 with their 6 entries. Which they can't do.

There actually are like 10+ Kenyans and Ethiopians in the Olympics, they just wear different jerseys.

Put 10 from Japan, 10 from Ethiopia, 10 from Kenya, and 10 from the US at Dubai, London, Berlin.

Now what?

FFF wrote:

thoroughrice wrote:

Ethiopia and Kenya sent what they considered to be their 3 best athletes and they each were only able to put 1 athlete in front of Ward. What does that say about Ethiopia and Kenya? They're deep sure, but they can't perform at all without pacers. Meanwhile, the US was able to put 2 in the top 6.

You can give all the "ifs" in the world, the two countries together put the same number of athletes in the top 6 as the US. These guys can't race, they can run a time trial, and that's why the US did better in Rio.

Put 10 from Japan, 10 from Ethiopia, 10 from Kenya, and 10 from the US at Dubai, London, Berlin.

Now what?

Based on how their best 3 have performed without pacers, I would guess things would go pretty similarly to how they already are. Why should we think these countries putting their JV squad in will change anything?

That race was a waste of time and money. A marathon on a track. After 20 minutes we turned it off and watched the last kilo on LetsRun. That crap is killing the sport.

Wesley Korir was one of Kenya's best?

thoroughrice wrote:

FFF wrote:

Put 10 from Japan, 10 from Ethiopia, 10 from Kenya, and 10 from the US at Dubai, London, Berlin.

Now what?

Based on how their best 3 have performed without pacers, I would guess things would go pretty similarly to how they already are. Why should we think these countries putting their JV squad in will change anything?

Meanwhile, a dozen or so East Africans ran faster yesterday at Dubai than all but 3 Americans EVER have. And somehow you think you have an argument. The Olympic Marathon is a watered-down hobbyjogger show.

Yes ... perfect; nailed it; well stated..!

Anyone know the last k split?