it was a little bit warm and a few gusts in the last mile or two. Obviously it would have been nice to have low 50F weather but still good conditions today.
Teshome Mekonen is not the next great hope for the USA men's 'Thon.
I think Teshome Mekonen is someone to watch. Can you say categorically that he's NOT the next great hope? I don't think so. There was talk that he is capable of running a 2:07:30, but I think anybody the knows anything about running would not expect a marathon beginner would go off on his own and put 3 minutes on the lead pack. Instead, Mekonen ran with the lead pack in order to win and fell short by 30 seconds. That's a good effort. As for the future? - I think we need to wit and see. Come the next trials, I think he could be among the favorites.
He is the wrong color in TMADDDHASFNE hater world.
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Promoting Excellence in Running, Integrity of Character, Clarity of Mind, Sublime Humor.
Not ideal for marathon running -- high 50s/low 60s with humidity. I'm actually encouraged by Mekonen's 2:11-low. Worth something a bit faster. If you want to give him 60-90s it's a 2:09-type effort. That's the caliber of athlete who is a threat to make our Olympic marathon team. I think the 2:12s were solid today. Pennel has run some good marathons & it's good to see Stinson get on track.
I know LRC loves to bash 2:12 American men but this wasn't Berlin on a perfect weather day. The race was won in 2:10-mid by a 1:01/2:08-flat guy.
It amazes me that people are ready to write off Mantz because he didn’t break 61 today. The guy has guts and wheels. I won’t be surprised if and when breaks the AR half record.
First of all, replying to your own post? Second, why can't Nike give it a rest? This charade of posing as a random fan to plug your brand is annoying. A 'real sponsor'? As opposed to Nike, right? Apparently he lives on income from his imaginary sponsor. The checks or deposits apparently clear.
By the way, hasn't Haas has coached more marathon winners than Shumacher? You can take a single team - let's say a widely disrespected (on this Board, anyway) group like NAZ - and score the last OT marathon XC style against any Nike club. I'll even let you score NOP, BTC, and OTCE together as one team. NAZ, despite lack of 'real sponsor', 'real shoes', or respect from you and many here, embarrased that group. Yes, their 3 top groups (I'll let you consider Rupp a scorer for the disbanded NOP) - all together - couldn't beat Rosario's gang. And you wished what, exactly, on Ches?
Even more offensive is the notion that this guy, or anyone, doesn't exist in any meaningful sense without US citizenship. Who says he's supposed to be a citizen of a particular country? Oh, that's right, you do. You even suggest Uncle Phil and his minions would have secured his acceptance by the only country that matters. I suppose bribing US officials and threatening Ed (with pulling his sponsorship, not letting him race, or whatever) could, in theory, have made it happen. This is what you assumed and hoped he would have done?
Pretty much, yeah.
So you imagine things would have been better for Ches if he either:
Joined a group that Nike has disbanded in the aftermath of it's leader being banned for drug offenses. One which has left a trail of underformance and irrelevance in it's wake. These include an 800 runner who doesn't seem to be able to finish his specialty event now (Brazier) and a marathoner who can't finish hers either (Hasay).
Or, joined a group that has dissolved after it's star (the one member of the team who was capable of setting ARs - with the caveat that USATF's rule banning intrasquad or intramural events for record purposes was ignored) tested positive for a banned substance and was suspended. The leader of this group has taken another job and left the Portland area.
It amazes me that people are ready to write off Mantz because he didn’t break 61 today. The guy has guts and wheels. I won’t be surprised if and when breaks the AR half record.
No one is actually writing him off; it's just fan speak overreactions like every other sport. The pressure is on his shoulders as we don't have anyone that can finish within a mile of Kipchoge right now. It's also the unfair comparison to Hall and Rupp who were locked in right away and had exceptional races their first few years at the longer distances. The shoe technology, the college resume, and the hype (Mantz has even brought up records in interviews) made it seem like he was immediately going to roll over the half record and debut faster at Chicago.
First of all, replying to your own post? Second, why can't Nike give it a rest? This charade of posing as a random fan to plug your brand is annoying. A 'real sponsor'? As opposed to Nike, right? Apparently he lives on income from his imaginary sponsor. The checks or deposits apparently clear.
By the way, hasn't Haas has coached more marathon winners than Shumacher? You can take a single team - let's say a widely disrespected (on this Board, anyway) group like NAZ - and score the last OT marathon XC style against any Nike club. I'll even let you score NOP, BTC, and OTCE together as one team. NAZ, despite lack of 'real sponsor', 'real shoes', or respect from you and many here, embarrased that group. Yes, their 3 top groups (I'll let you consider Rupp a scorer for the disbanded NOP) - all together - couldn't beat Rosario's gang. And you wished what, exactly, on Ches?
Even more offensive is the notion that this guy, or anyone, doesn't exist in any meaningful sense without US citizenship. Who says he's supposed to be a citizen of a particular country? Oh, that's right, you do. You even suggest Uncle Phil and his minions would have secured his acceptance by the only country that matters. I suppose bribing US officials and threatening Ed (with pulling his sponsorship, not letting him race, or whatever) could, in theory, have made it happen. This is what you assumed and hoped he would have done?
The problem with your hypothetical is the team stuff absolutely does not matter.
Top 3 does- which was Nike, Nike, Nike for men.
I get they have a bunch of 2:10 guys, the depth is solid, but (and I am sorry to say) they just do not matter.
Not a hypothetical, but rather, an actual historic event. The race took place and results were recorded. Does the team a runner is on matter? You believe it does and moreover think Ches should have been on NOP or BTC. You seem to think his career would have benefitted somehow from such affiliation.
For men, 2 of the top 3 were sponsored by Nike. (The next Nike-sponsored runner was Lagat at 18th.) One was a member of a disgraced and disbanded group. The other team that you suggest Ches should have joined....well, their squad came in at 55 and 140.
For the women Nike had a runner in 3rd. The rest of their sponsored finishers were at 20, 22, both BTC, and 26 (Hasay). So, if you combine BTC and ex-NOP, and combine M&W, we're looking at 6 finishers. Given the blockbuster results they consistently put up, it sure seems like the King should have joined one of these after all! Pretty much a guarantee of success!
So you imagine things would have been better for Ches if he either:
Joined a group that Nike has disbanded in the aftermath of it's leader being banned for drug offenses. One which has left a trail of underformance and irrelevance in it's wake. These include an 800 runner who doesn't seem to be able to finish his specialty event now (Brazier) and a marathoner who can't finish hers either (Hasay).
Or, joined a group that has dissolved after it's star (the one member of the team who was capable of setting ARs - with the caveat that USATF's rule banning intrasquad or intramural events for record purposes was ignored) tested positive for a banned substance and was suspended. The leader of this group has taken another job and left the Portland area.
Yeah, Sisson ran 66:52, Simpson ran 70:35, and Mantz ran 61:12. Only bad prediction was King Ches who ran 61:51
Yeah, pretty funny. I nailed the hell out of those 3, but those 3 seemed pretty easy to get pretty close.
Ches, I had no idea of his actual current fitness. Just thought, based on his last few results, that maybe he'd finally gotten into an unbroken training groove that might let him finally show some times in line with his ability. And that the motivation for running Houston was to really bust a hot one. Oh well. I'm assuming he must have had some more injury probs in the last couple months. Maybe it'll still happen one day.
Teshome Mekonen is not the next great hope for the USA men's 'Thon.
2:12 for a USA men's 'Thon is not what is needed to compete on the global stage.
Wesley Kiptoo can run fast without gloves.
Wearing the LRC singlet doesn't guarantee special enhanced magical speed powers.
Conner Mantz is not the next Ryan Hall or Galen Rupp.
King Ches needs better shoes.
I think Teshome Mekonen is someone to watch. Can you say categorically that he's NOT the next great hope? I don't think so. There was talk that he is capable of running a 2:07:30, but I think anybody the knows anything about running would not expect a marathon beginner would go off on his own and put 3 minutes on the lead pack. Instead, Mekonen ran with the lead pack in order to win and fell short by 30 seconds. That's a good effort. As for the future? - I think we need to wit and see. Come the next trials, I think he could be among the favorites.
I'm going to say what many of you are thinking. The term "great hope" is mainly used for those who do not become American citizens as adults. If Jakob Ingebrigtsen were to become an American citizen, would we really think of him as the American hope for a world record in the mile? I'm glad that Mekonen and others have the freedom to become a U.S. citizens, but they will not generate the same interest as those who spent their formative years in the U.S.
That's Connor Mantz - you can't do better than a 2x NCAA XC Champ
I was hoping for better from him today, but I think we shouldn’t panic yet. 61:12 is a decent enough showing given the mediocre weather, and he’s probably not training specifically for the half. If these results were indicative of potential in the marathon, then he’s ‘better’ than Shura Kitata, who finished 4 seconds slower than him. That would be the 2:04 Kitata who was the last guy to beat Kipchoge in London.
Clearly, none of you guys bothered to listen to Eyestone's comments from the other day. If you had, you'd know that 61-ish would be an excellent result for where he is right now, and a lot better is probably on the way.
I think Teshome Mekonen is someone to watch. Can you say categorically that he's NOT the next great hope? I don't think so. There was talk that he is capable of running a 2:07:30, but I think anybody the knows anything about running would not expect a marathon beginner would go off on his own and put 3 minutes on the lead pack. Instead, Mekonen ran with the lead pack in order to win and fell short by 30 seconds. That's a good effort. As for the future? - I think we need to wit and see. Come the next trials, I think he could be among the favorites.
I'm going to say what many of you are thinking. The term "great hope" is mainly used for those who do not become American citizens as adults. If Jakob Ingebrigtsen were to become an American citizen, would we really think of him as the American hope for a world record in the mile? I'm glad that Mekonen and others have the freedom to become a U.S. citizens, but they will not generate the same interest as those who spent their formative years in the U.S.
I don't think anybody is thinking what you say, actually, - let alone "many". And that's not what you clearly said in your original post. If you want to back off and change your story, that's up to you.
For myself, I have a "great hope" that someone like Athing Mu will break a World Record as an American citizen.
I'm going to say what many of you are thinking. The term "great hope" is mainly used for those who do not become American citizens as adults. If Jakob Ingebrigtsen were to become an American citizen, would we really think of him as the American hope for a world record in the mile? I'm glad that Mekonen and others have the freedom to become a U.S. citizens, but they will not generate the same interest as those who spent their formative years in the U.S.
I don't think anybody is thinking what you say, actually, - let alone "many". And that's not what you clearly said in your original post. If you want to back off and change your story, that's up to you.
For myself, I have a "great hope" that someone like Athing Mu will break a World Record as an American citizen.