Kyle Merber makes official retirement announcement

TrackCoach wrote:

Runner10287 wrote:

Yeah and the football puts too much emphasis on winning the Super Bowl.

Golf puts too much emphasis on winning a Major.

I never said achieving the highest honor is not the goal, I said "perhaps" and "putting too much emphasis" on it. Perhaps winning a global championship medal is an A+ career, that would make making an Olympic/WC team or medaling in a national championship an A. Perhaps winning an NCAA medal, getting a pro contract and competing around the world is a B+. Most people would settle for a B+ in anything including a career. People achieve a lot less than Kyle and walk away with a lot of nice stories to tell the kids.

Ok. So Kyle had a solid career, ran fast, met cool people, had amazing travels and experiences. Awesome and nothing he should look back on with regret. Why you getting upset over a few internet trolls acting like anything less than a gold or WR is a waste of time?

Thanks for miles of fun memories, Kyle. This sport needs just a few more Kyle Merbers to counter the mountains of negativity which are so obvious at every turn. Your often twisted sense of humor was just what we needed, and still need! I've always found it natural to cheer you on, and that cheering won't stop now that the megabucks (yeah, right!) of your pro running career have dried up (or will soon dry up).

Bonkers wrote:

Merber is one of those guys who could have made a team with the right combination of luck and health, and he never quite got there.

However, he did a ton of cool stuff within the running community. The Real Maine, An Alaskan Mile, creating the Long Island Mile invite. Chances are if something grassroots and cool was happening in the sport over the last 10 years, Merber was involved.

To anyone saying he's screwed now that he has to join the "real world", don't make me laugh. Merber is probably the most universally well-liked runner within the elite running world. If he wants to stay in track and field, he'll have plenty of options. He'd walk into a dozen assistant coaching positions tomorrow if he wanted.

I think someone should team with Merber in order to get more fan-friendly meets available in the US. His success with the LI Mile shows he knows how to pull together a community-friendly/athlete-friendly meet.

I enjoyed reading all the reminices of Kyle. Glad to see the consensus is that he was a talented runner and such an enthusiast for our sport. I can't imagine he won't be successful in whatever endeavor he pursues.

Runner10287 wrote:

Like the over top critics are annoying but the fan boy simps that can't handle any bit of honest opinions about someones performance are the real buzz kill.

NERunner on here disgracing Merbers solid career with the snowflake attitude. Come one man.

C'mon dude? What'd I just say about labels? We disagree. Don't just sling an insult and name call behind a keyboard because of that. Tell me why you think I'm wrong. It's fine, we can be critical of his career. Is now the time? Are the amount of the negative comments on this thread the right number? Is that emblematic of the platform and the leadership of said platform?

I mean, sure, go right ahead with the liberal/snowflake track, but I think there's a real conversation and am happy to keep engaging people on this topic.

I would encourage anyone reading this thread to read it all, from start to finish. It might take 6 or 7 minutes. It really highlights the difference between the snowflakes and the bullies. As for me and my house - Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Kyle. One of a kind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tS4r3NquRRY

*Kyle was ranked by T&F News as a top ten US 1500 meter runner in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017.

That was a pretty good run when America was enjoying one of its best ever era’s in the event.

*He was an Olympic Trials 1500 Finalist in 2016 even tho he had been sidelined with a severe hip injury the entire winter and spring of 2016.

*PR 3:34 is a Olympic A standard. That means he ran a world class time. That’s what an World A standard represents.

*Twice ran on WR relays.

*The fastest American born college 1500 runner in history. (Maybe someone is faster now? If so, I’m not aware.) But not a bad credential. There have been some pretty fair American born milers in “all of history.”

*These bullet points are just skimming the surface of a career that was elite and super successful.

*He’s been extremely successful in every facet of his life. He will be extremely successful going forward. There is no question about that.

Back around 2016/17 NJNYTC had the best group of milers....Merber 3:34/3:52. Gregorek 3:35/3:49...Alexander 3:34/3:50 (5th Ave)...And there were others...Great group for Coach Gags...

A lot of Hokas got sold because of Kyle. I really believe he helped the brand become taken seriously when it first emerged. Not a lot of sponsored athletes can say that.