I’m getting tired of our “best pros” not running any races during the season. If you’re the best, then prove it. People want to see amazing runners vulnerable to loss, not just peaking for the last event of the year and riding off into the sunset. Bekele did it, El G, Mo Farah, Jakob. They put themselves in more competition even if they weren’t at the advantage and that’s what people love.
Stop exaggerating! Regarding Mu, you’re speaking of only one season 2022, and she was US and World Champion in the 800! In 2021 she ran a grueling season dominating NCAA 800 indoors, NCAA 400 outdoors, US 800 and Olympic 800 & 4x400 Champion! The young lady consistently gets her job done!
Stop exaggerating! Regarding Mu, you’re speaking of only one season 2022, and she was US and World Champion in the 800! In 2021 she ran a grueling season dominating NCAA 800 indoors, NCAA 400 outdoors, US 800 and Olympic 800 & 4x400 Champion! The young lady consistently gets her job done!
You don’t have much choice as a college runner. As a pro, she has chosen not to race
Bekele did it, El G, Mo Farah, Jakob. They put themselves in more competition even if they weren’t at the advantage and that’s what people love.
You're only mentioning men. On the women's side, Hodgkinson, Bol, Manson, and others also put themselves out there.
I like Mu a lot. She's an incredible talent and has a great personality. If you listen to her interviews she has a "kid-like" quality. I hope that she stays that way. I also don't believe that she's doping and would like to see her compete more. I have to think, though, that she's not the one deciding how much she races. She has a coach. I am really eager to see Mu vs Hodgkinson this year. Keely has improved and I expect a closer race and would not be surprised if Keely gets the upper-hand this year.
There is a delicate balance between racing not enough and too much. Look at Abby Steiner last season. She raced far too much but she was somewhat bound by being a collegiate athlete for most of the year. She was spent by the tie the WC rolled around but still was commendable in her performances. She has shut it down this indoor season after 3 races in total, two 400s and one 300. I don't look for her to race again until late spring and I also expect her to be a lot more competitive at this year's WC.
I was mostly referring to the best in an event but definitely, Bol, Hogkinson, and even Muir belong in that group too. Very good runners who aren’t afraid to lose
Gidey, Tsegay, Cranny, Fisher. Yes she is the best, maybe she is injured and not saying. But when you think about it, it's truly strange to show up and race one time a year and expect to be competitive. Name any other sport where that happens.
Wait until middle to end of march for her to do an off event or relay. It's pretty early for a pro to run if they don't intend on doing indoors. Champs aren't until august so we'll have March, April, May, June, July, August, and for some athletes September to watch them run. So a solid 6/7 months.
I do hope she steps up this year. She didn't run with the same energy last year as opposed to her collegiate season but she still managed to win.
Wait until middle to end of march for her to do an off event or relay. It's pretty early for a pro to run if they don't intend on doing indoors. Champs aren't until august so we'll have March, April, May, June, July, August, and for some athletes September to watch them run. So a solid 6/7 months.
I do hope she steps up this year. She didn't run with the same energy last year as opposed to her collegiate season but she still managed to win.
Didn’t she have Covid twice last year prior to the WC? That could have affected her. I remember another pro 800 runner having the same issue last year, Kate Grace.
She had an IG post boasting she haven't lost a race in 3yrs. A whole 13 races.
Is she just talking about the 800? Because she lost the Millrose Mile last year and the NCAA indoor 400 two years ago.
Yes - it is in reference to the 800. Apparently there is a story on CNN website with this information. She must have posted this on her IG story. Probably not a great idea to brag about this while absent from racing for so long - not a good look. Who is advising her?
The fact that Mu hung up her spikes in 2022 on July 24th and did not meetings thereafter, and still hasn't raced, is disappointing to say the least. It will probably end up being around 10 months without racing by the time she steps on the track. That's crazy.
McLaughlin hung up her spikes after Tokyo, on the 7th of August - when there were plenty of DL opportunities thereafter - did not compete for 8 months, and then did just one race post-Eugene as well (no DL though..)
Mu in 2022 gets an initial pass from me as she did have covid earlier in the year. However, ordinarily I would have expected an indoor race, and I fear this is the Kersee approach now, and it's not healthy. Similarly, McLaughlin's one sole outing indoors this winter, over 60m, was completely pointless. It was obviously to appease her New Balance sponsors, so they chose the event she could realistically run that was least closest to her main event, totally for the sake of it. Total waste of a lane.
Regardless of their immense talent, and their beliefs and their previous resume, as soon as they went to Kersee, there has to be some question mark. He obviously isn't following his 80's juice regime, but there will be marginal gains in there, new fads, whatever they may be. That's the only reason why he has this unhealthy approach of not letting his athletes run.