The Canadian Running Thread

Could you please answer the questions instead of your usual evasion?What has USATF done for Solinsky that AC hasn't or won't do for Bairu? How much has he got from their equivalent of carding money? Who has been on more National teams?

Skuj wrote:

In a perverse kind of way, you ARE actually making my point. "Get out of the way, AC, you are meaningless when it comes to distance running. (You even said so yourself.) We'll do our own thing and succeed in spite of you." Unfortunately, AC still "governs" the sport.

Um, yeah wrote:

It's got nothing to do with the governing body, so maybe instead of bitching about being held back by 'the man', those coaches and athletes who truly care about the sport should do something productive.

So really, who is it that is surrendering and saying 'we can't do this if these are the AC/Sport Canada policies'?

Um, yeah wrote:

Could you please answer the questions instead of your usual evasion?

LOL, this made me laugh, in light of the fact that I'm not being an anonymous troll, changing handles every 10min. (I don't mean you.)

Could you please answer the questions instead of your usual evasion? It is rather telling for your supposed argument that you are unable or unwilling to address some rather simple points.What has USATF done for Solinsky that AC hasn't or won't do for Bairu? How much has he got from their equivalent of carding money? Who has been on more National teams?

Skuj wrote:

LOL, this made me laugh, in light of the fact that I'm not being an anonymous troll, changing handles every 10min. (I don't mean you.)

Wow Skuj, you figured it out. No one gives a rats ass how POPULAR distance running is. All that matters is result. If distance runners want funding then they need to start doing what Perdita, Priscilla, Dylan, Zelinka, James Stacey, the relay team are doing and start showing some progress towards competing with the best in the world. If you can't do that, find your own funding for distance runners. Start getting proactive about this instead of moaning on this and tnfnorth. If distance running is so popular, surely all those distance runners will band together to support each other.

Skuj wrote:

Seems to me that those two things go hand in hand though. And those things represent the raising of the white flag, in a rich country, where distance running really is quite popular when compared to those other events. And we have a deep history in this area, which some people care about. AC has obviously demonstrated that they don't care about history - only the trend of the month. This is short sighted thinking, and a guaranteed path to nowhereville.

1.) As I previously stated, with the exception of ONE athlete who is trains with and is funded by an American training group, we are awful at events longer than 1500. We are good at other events though, and AC puts money into what we're good. Makes sense to me.

2.) Distance running isn't popular. Sorry. I think the general population probably wants to see a fast 4x100 team or gold in the hurdles.

3.) Are you really saying that because we have a "deep history" in an event AC should put money into it? That is straight up ridiculous.

4.) Not sending senior teams to WXC was the smartest AC's ever done. No good comes from a runner coming 110th at worlds.

I'd also like to add, I am a middle distance runner and i do think it sucks that the AC is making it hard for runners to develop. But as much as i dislike it, I agree with it. Its called trying to have an unbiased point of view, you MAY wanna try it out.

oh and fyi,

Looks like season is officially over until fall. sometimes u need 2 take 1 step back in order to take 2 steps forward. time 4 relaxation!

-Simon Bariu via Twitter

Sooooo, should I quote every time you babbled on about how he was going to break 3 Canadian records this season?

So, what happens in the fall? A sub 2:10? A Half along the way? (And you guys ALL knew that this was going to happen, right?)

thewhiz wrote:

Wow Skuj, you figured it out. No one gives a rats ass how POPULAR distance running is.

Tens of thousands of people in Canada DO give a rats ass about distance running. Sprinting and throwing? Maybe not quite as much.

Um, yeah wrote:

Could you please answer the questions instead of your usual evasion? It is rather telling for your supposed argument that you are unable or unwilling to address some rather simple points.

What has USATF done for Solinsky that AC hasn't or won't do for Bairu? How much has he got from their equivalent of carding money? Who has been on more National teams?

Dude, honestly I don't know where you and I are going with this. We are misunderstanding each other. SB has succeeded this year IN SPITE OF AC, although he may vigorously argue that AC has helped him a whole lot. I dunno. AC will give more carding points if athletes relocate to imaginary "centers" now. Yeah, I can see SB packing up real soon.

Again, AC has stated that they are not focussed on distances above 1500m, and Gardiner said (misquoted?) that we are a sprint/throw nation. WHAT MESSAGES DO WE TAKE FROM THAT?

thewhiz wrote:

If you can't do that, find your own funding for distance runners. Start getting proactive about this instead of moaning on this and tnfnorth. If distance running is so popular, surely all those distance runners will band together to support each other.

PRECISELY!!! But AC still claims to govern the sport of long distance running in Canada, even though they are disowning it. They are still going to be the elephant in the room.

Typical. You ignore everything I brought up in my post except for the one thing you can't put numbers behind, and then start talking about Bariu again.

Skuj wrote:

So, what happens in the fall? A sub 2:10? A Half along the way? (And you guys ALL knew that this was going to happen, right?)

Even if he somehow breaks the national half-marathon record en-route (what is the record even?) I somehow doubt he's gunna jump on the track for a 5k in the fall/early winter.

YOU WERE WRONG. Get over it.

Skuj wrote:

Dude, honestly I don't know where you and I are going with this. We are misunderstanding each other. SB has succeeded this year IN SPITE OF AC, although he may vigorously argue that AC has helped him a whole lot. I dunno. AC will give more carding points if athletes relocate to imaginary "centers" now. Yeah, I can see SB packing up real soon.

Again, AC has stated that they are not focussed on distances above 1500m, and Gardiner said (misquoted?) that we are a sprint/throw nation. WHAT MESSAGES DO WE TAKE FROM THAT?

1.) if SB "argues vigorously" that AC as supported him, who the f*** are you to say they are hindering him?

2.) The training centers are real...one's in Kamloops for throws (Dylan Armstrong, 4th at the Olympics trains there), the middle distance is located in Victoria (Gary Reed, 2007 World silver medalist trains there!)...

3.) As I've stated THREE TIMES now, we take from this statement, that AC has realizes we are soooo far behind the top countries in distance running that there is no point in putting big money into it.

Oh, I see......I think? And YOU also knew that he wouldn't do the Pre 5000 before that tweet right? (And even if he did, no way could he go sub 13:13.)

pre32 wrote:

Typical. You ignore everything I brought up in my post except for the one thing you can't put numbers behind, and then start talking about Bariu again.

Skuj wrote:

So, what happens in the fall? A sub 2:10? A Half along the way? (And you guys ALL knew that this was going to happen, right?)

Even if he somehow breaks the national half-marathon record en-route (what is the record even?) I somehow doubt he's gunna jump on the track for a 5k in the fall/early winter.

YOU WERE WRONG. Get over it.

pre32 wrote:

1.) if SB "argues vigorously" that AC as supported him, who the f*** are you to say they are hindering him?

2.) The training centers are real...one's in Kamloops for throws (Dylan Armstrong, 4th at the Olympics trains there), the middle distance is located in Victoria (Gary Reed, 2007 World silver medalist trains there!)...

3.) As I've stated THREE TIMES now, we take from this statement, that AC has realizes we are soooo far behind the top countries in distance running that there is no point in putting big money into it.

1. IF! I know he has been on National teams, recieved carding funds.....but what role did AC play in his 27:23, really?

2. Right.....let's all relocate to Vic then. Simon, Kevin, Reid....c'mon! (Do you get this point now?)

3. ie Surrender! Give up! That's the spirit. Don't try and problem solve, no more discussions like this, just forget about it - we aren't good enough right now, so fvck it. Rythmic Gymnastics, anyone?

I thought you said you were "outta this thread"??

Um, yeah wrote:

Could you please answer the questions instead of your usual evasion? It is rather telling for your supposed argument that you are unable or unwilling to address some rather simple points.

What has USATF done for Solinsky that AC hasn't or won't do for Bairu? How much has he got from their equivalent of carding money? Who has been on more National teams?

ANSWER HIM!

Gad you're like a two-year old.

1.) Nothing. But I think they might have helped with that 13th world xc run...

2.) Actually the Victoria is mainly for 800 runners, so it wouldn't make much sense for marathoners to move there. As for Sully, him and Brannen seem to be taking the Bariu route and training in the states.

3.) I'm not saying, rather that money could be spent elsewhere. What would you rather do?

Skuj wrote:

Oh, I see......I think? And YOU also knew that he wouldn't do the Pre 5000 before that tweet right? (And even if he did, no way could he go sub 13:13.)

...and you knew he would? We can do this all day.

Skuj wrote:

Dude, honestly I don't know where you and I are going with this.

I want you to answer the questions.

You and others seem to think there is this massive conspiracy on the part of AC to hold back Canadian distance running and that if only they would acknowledge our existence, everything would be rosy.

But the reality is the success or lack of success has nothing to do with AC. Solinsky and Bairu have succeeded doing exactly what people have been advocating. USATF and AC had little, if anything to do with them (although I'd bet Bairu has received a lot more support from AC than Solinsky has from USATF).

That shows it is not AC's fault Canada is not a distance running powerhouse. It is up to the athletes and those who claim to support Canadian distance running (know anyone who fits that bill?) to make it happen.

Stop looking to blame all problems at AC. It just makes you look even sillier than you already do.