Clayton Murphy is DONE

I feel like Murphy usually opens up his indoor season pretty slow, I was not surprised. He still has a few months to put everything together, but I do agree a good showing would’ve strengthened his chances

OP. You are a fool.

In 2016 on January 30th, Murphy ran 1:48.67 for 6th at the Penn State meet, losing to Brannon Kidder, Ryan Mahan, Joseph White, Dylan Capwell and Craig Engels. How did the rest of the year end up for him?

When I was typing up notes for today's meet, even I was stunned by how consistent Murphy has been over the last few years. Yes, he hasn't been Olympic bronze good but he's certainly been good enough to make an Olympic team. Murphy's Sbs starting in 2016. 1:42.93, 1:43.60, 1:43.12, 1:43.94. So he'd run under 1:44 for 4 years in a row before Covid.

Who besides Brazier and Hoppel is breaking 1:44 this year?

Devon Dixon

Devin ...

rojo wrote:

OP. You are a fool.

In 2016 on January 30th, Murphy ran 1:48.67 for 6th at the Penn State meet, losing to Brannon Kidder, Ryan Mahan, Joseph White, Dylan Capwell and Craig Engels. How did the rest of the year end up for him?

When I was typing up notes for today's meet, even I was stunned by how consistent Murphy has been over the last few years. Yes, he hasn't been Olympic bronze good but he's certainly been good enough to make an Olympic team. Murphy's Sbs starting in 2016. 1:42.93, 1:43.60, 1:43.12, 1:43.94. So he'd run under 1:44 for 4 years in a row before Covid.

Who besides Brazier and Hoppel is breaking 1:44 this year?

THis isnt 2016. The 800 field is stacked. He is 4 years older and hasnt done squat. I tweeted at him last summer about where ya at?

He is surely done with the 800. Time to move up to the 1500.

"You are a fool" is a bit strong. A 1:48 by a collegian who would go on to a shock medal at the Olympics is not the same as a 1:48 by a reigning Olympic bronze medalist.

In 2018 he ran 1:51 at UW I think maybe even 1:51 and 1:50 then ran 1:43.12 at London and won USAs so not crazy to say he’ll be there when it counts

Dixon, Harris, Andrews, Sowinski.

So what if he IS done? He's got an Olympic bronze medal. How many American middle didtance runners can say that? That's a career.

If you’re running fast in January you’re doing it all wrong. He has an Olympic medal.

Jim Ryun opened his 1972 season with a 4:19 mile and won the Olympic Trials 1500 a few months later.

It's almost like Murphy doesn't really care about running 1:44 in January.

sanchobaile wrote:

"You are a fool" is a bit strong. A 1:48 by a collegian who would go on to a shock medal at the Olympics is not the same as a 1:48 by a reigning Olympic bronze medalist.

I fail to see the relevant difference.

I could see Murphy not making a team, I could also see him winning another medal this year, there is too much potential at this point to make a bet on which one though.

Murphy changed training groups/coaches. He got married, and he got lazy. It will take some real work for him to make the Oly team.

Yeah, saw this coming a few years ago. Made some bad life choices. Is a head case.

Yes, I believe using this one season opening race is more than enough evidence to accurately predict EXACTLY how the rest of his 2021 season will go. Historically, Letsrun anonymous commenters are famous for predicting with 100% accuracy how an athlete's season will go. He is certainly done. Stick a fork in him, no way he improve at all from this. Goodbye.

There is no doubt this performance was a real stinker, but I have to agree with rojo you should not write Murphy off just yet.

Now if his next few races don't go much better than you can put a fork in him

truth be told. wrote:

If you’re running fast in January you’re doing it all wrong. He has an Olympic medal.

There may be a grain of truth there (for some runners anyway), but at the same time, I'm glad not all runners take that attitude. The big meets would be stacked with wise old pros hunting crappy performances to convincingly demonstrate how good their medal chances are.

Another athlete to mention is Nick Symmonds, who ran 1:48 outdoors in a real race in the fall of 2011, then went on to run 1:42 in London. Races this far out mean nothing, in fact I'd rather see an athlete in 1:48 shape now in the midst of base training.