Rupp still energizes the boards a decade later

An O.P. will start a thread:

G Rupp will race 1/2 Marathon fast or G Rupp will try to p.r. as a Marathoner.

Posters would leave G Rupp alone as posters leave most aged out Olympians alone.

Any negative posts regarding G Rupp are because one or more than one troll o.p. start sh1t here.

Rupp was capable of 12:45

Rupp had plenty of chances to run a fast 5,000 on the DL. He was never capable of running 12:45. 10,000 was always his best event.

Wait until Rupp's kids start running. The creepers on this forum will go nuts.

He had plenty of chances, he just wouldn't go out and do it. He didn't race DL unless it somehow fit into Salazar's plan for some champs or something.

Biggest mistake ever was moving up to marathon to snatch low-hanging fruit at American courses and olympics. Was top tier at 10,000 but 2nd tier at marathon.

Well, you know. Any personal endeavor on Rupp, Salzar, Nike Oregon Project, allegations of doping, etc...

Galen Rupp is as of 2023 by second to none, the Greatest American Distance Runner this country has produced thus far. (Now I'm not saying Grant Fisher isn't good, he's still active and hasn't accomplished as much as Galen yet). Now I'm a huge Chris Solinsky fan and will be until the end of sports. But, Galen has accomplished much more and even demolished my beloved Idol's American 10k record.

Galen's PBs have a strong range that hasn't been touched by Bernard Lagat, Chris Solinsky, Bob Kennedy, etc...

3:50.92 Indoor Mile

7:30.16 Indoor 3K

12:58.90 5000m

26:44.36 10,000m

59:47 Half Marathon

2:06:07 Marathon

Now I know The Americans have yet to produce a Wunderkind on the Roads that can run Sub-59 Half/Sub-2:04 Marathon. But, Galen being 1 of three Americans to ever go Sub 1 in the Half. and Is within 30 seconds of Khalid Khannouchi's American Record from 2002. Means Rupp certainly has earned his spot on the roads. He got bronze medal on his Second Marathon and Silver Medal to Mo Farah in the 10,000m. His Indoor Mile rivaled Lagat and Matthew Centrowitz at the time.

Anyone's personal feelings aside, He gets crap because of his middle-class background, association with Salazar, but he did all these feats before the Shoe Revolution. And he's never tested Positive for a drug. All's to say Galen is amazing and deserves it all.

Exactly, more like 2 decades

Thats what I was going to say too. Rupp has easily been one of the most polarizing figures on this board for a very, very long time.

Who else would be on a Letsrun hall of fame/shame/infamy?

Shelby Houlihan

Alberto Salazar

Mary Cain?

Sha'Carri Richardson?

Bekele? But maybe you are just mentioned USA athletes.. (?)

your surprised that an American running message board still talks about an American olympic medallist who's still active? what was even the point of this thread

What you're missing is how long Rupp has garnered this type of attention. Other than Salazar, none of the names you mentioned have stirred up such lively discussion for so long.

He’s the generational talent in American long distance running of his era (same for Jager, but only in the steeple) - and I say this as someone who considers Ritz my favorite runner of all time. I’m proud to have a framed autograph from Galen on my wall, because every time he lined up in his prime an American was legitimately a contender for the win and the might of East Africa knew it.

That’s some LetsRun level reading comprehension right there.

Nowhere in my post did I state or insinuate shock. I’m just appreciating a phenomenon that’s been occurring on these boards for years. The interesting thing to me is not that he’s still talked about (your misinterpretation of my post), but rather the way that people still talk and debate about him.

Alan Webb baby!

(although bringing up AW in any context other than praise is delete territory, maybe ban worthy). Just watch.

Rupp's times and medals were, sadly, never really the focal point of his fame on these boards. He was a product of Alberto's (successful but weird) science project and nobody here really wanted anything to do with that. Rupp, who is certainly a nice person as an individual, was not cut out to be a media star or an effective social media "influencer." That meant the public side of his career has always be awkward.

I never had anything against Rupp but I would agree that despite his times, he is one of the least inspiring athletes to ever come through our system. I mean that factually (as measured by his lack of fans), not as an opinion. Few people wanted to "be like Rupp" even if his times and medals were awesome.

p.s. I respect him for his "let my running do the talking" approach but that didn't always work in terms of public relations because people were not in love with the narrative arc that was his career.

I remember the final lap of the 2012 Olympic 10,000m like it was yesterday... jumping up and down screaming as Galen took down all but one of the world's best.

oh so you're surprised an athlete that was polarizing, it still polarizing. got it, makes much more sense.

He'll be back to beat Colt Goucher