The 2021 RAK HALF Is LOADED. 2 World Record holders, Jakob Kiplimo, Kibiwott Kandie and Sara Hall are racing

have to say it..... wrote:

Sara Hall also will race. When is the last time an American entered a race like this?

Excellent comment. It IS noteworthy that she's doing this. This event has been predictably competitive with some of the top athletes in the world for the last decade. It's like London or something. Not the kind of race where an A-list American who is distinctly B-list on the world stage can count on being competitive for the podium. Not going to be watered down for Rupp to win. It's true that World Championships are like that also, and I include World Cross and World Half. Americans, however, seem to dodge all but Olympics and WC track. Even BTC feels they have to do those. All other events, especially one's they're certain to lose, are extraneous. This kind of bums me out since these Americans may be familiar to me and I would like to root for them.

You know, there was a time when the top Americans - and not just the very best one athlete at a particular moment but several of them in a given era - would attend the most competitive races in the world. Fukuoka and Boston were must-do for a while. Various meets on the Euro track circuit. Pro runners actually ran cross country. Now, Boston's still on the radar of most of us; even the very picky Rupp has been there, but general, those days are long gone. So many of our best dodge so many of the best races.

It's great to see someone like Sara go to both London and RAK. No guarantee to win these, unlike some random Turkey Trot. Literally mixing it up with the very best in the world. Doing this means you'll lose some races, sure. There have been races where Rupp would do well to finish top-10, and admittedly probably would have more often than not. Several editions of Dubai fall into this category, as do various events in Valencia, Prague, wherever, and literally every World Cross. But he ain't running races like these much, running for 7th place if everything breaks right, is he?

Houlihan's even less likely to go somewhere if getting on the podium is not realistic. Although many consider the above mentioned runners to be the best the US has to offer, I'll root for someone like Sara every time. She actually races. More than once every year. Why don't many other Americans? She literally went to a race this fall and will go to another this coming winter. Each features the WR holder in the event in question. Like I said, she races. Against other runners. More than (brace yourself!) twice every year. It's shocking that such a statement is remarkable these days!

Aussiestatman wrote:

have to say it..... wrote:

Sara Hall also will race. When is the last time an American entered a race like this?

Excellent comment. It IS noteworthy that she's doing this. This event has been predictably competitive with some of the top athletes in the world for the last decade. It's like London or something. Not the kind of race where an A-list American who is distinctly B-list on the world stage can count on being competitive for the podium. Not going to be watered down for Rupp to win. It's true that World Championships are like that also, and I include World Cross and World Half. Americans, however, seem to dodge all but Olympics and WC track. Even BTC feels they have to do those. All other events, especially one's they're certain to lose, are extraneous. This kind of bums me out since these Americans may be familiar to me and I would like to root for them.

You know, there was a time when the top Americans - and not just the very best one athlete at a particular moment but several of them in a given era - would attend the most competitive races in the world. Fukuoka and Boston were must-do for a while. Various meets on the Euro track circuit. Pro runners actually ran cross country. Now, Boston's still on the radar of most of us; even the very picky Rupp has been there, but general, those days are long gone. So many of our best dodge so many of the best races.

It's great to see someone like Sara go to both London and RAK. No guarantee to win these, unlike some random Turkey Trot. Literally mixing it up with the very best in the world. Doing this means you'll lose some races, sure. There have been races where Rupp would do well to finish top-10, and admittedly probably would have more often than not. Several editions of Dubai fall into this category, as do various events in Valencia, Prague, wherever, and literally every World Cross. But he ain't running races like these much, running for 7th place if everything breaks right, is he?

Houlihan's even less likely to go somewhere if getting on the podium is not realistic. Although many consider the above mentioned runners to be the best the US has to offer, I'll root for someone like Sara every time. She actually races. More than once every year. Why don't many other Americans? She literally went to a race this fall and will go to another this coming winter. Each features the WR holder in the event in question. Like I said, she races. Against other runners. More than (brace yourself!) twice every year. It's shocking that such a statement is remarkable these days!

A few extra added last week.