Who would you say is the best runner out of both the boys and the girls that never won a national title, the ones that have been second but never first?
If you go by Footlocker placing, these are definitely the best on the girl's side. Lawrence was 2nd three times and Strauss was 2nd twice and 3rd once. If you go by best career runner, Suzy Favor would be it.
For the boys, career wise would be: Keflezighi, Rupp, Webb, and WIlliams. Not sure if any boys ever finished 2nd more than once without winning.
Who would you say is the best runner out of both the boys and the girls that never won a national title, the ones that have been second but never first?
"best runner" and "second but not first" are two entirely different things. for the former theres been Emily Infeld, Emily Sisson, Cory McGee. Starliper was really really good in high school but could never get the title. ran a 16:46 and got second. Allie Zealand last year.
Who would you say is the best runner out of both the boys and the girls that never won a national title, the ones that have been second but never first?
If you are going by what they did after high school then Meb has to be on the list (he lost to Goucher, right?).
Some would make the argument for Rupp (lost to Withrow), but you could also argue he was a product of Salazar.
Who would you say is the best runner out of both the boys and the girls that never won a national title, the ones that have been second but never first?
As far sa people who great high school phenoms but also had a great pro career two come to mind. Rupp and Meb. I would probably say Rupp first since he was the favorite, Withrow had his career day at footlocker, and Rupp had a stellar collegiate career.
By your criteria (finishing second), the answer is unambiguously Galen Rupp. Finished second at footlocker (also inspiring a famous meme) and went on to win multiple Olympic medals and set many American records after.
By your criteria (finishing second), the answer is unambiguously Galen Rupp. Finished second at footlocker (also inspiring a famous meme) and went on to win multiple Olympic medals and set many American records after.
Rupp never won Foot Locker and Rupp's accomplishments exceed those of anyone else mentioned here, so that's correct.
By your criteria (finishing second), the answer is unambiguously Galen Rupp. Finished second at footlocker (also inspiring a famous meme) and went on to win multiple Olympic medals and set many American records after.
Rupp never won Foot Locker and Rupp's accomplishments exceed those of anyone else mentioned here, so that's correct.
But is he the most talented? What accomplishments would Meb have had if he trained under Salazar his entire career? He won an Olympic Silver, the Boston Marathon and New York Marathon (something no one else has done).
Rupp never won Foot Locker and Rupp's accomplishments exceed those of anyone else mentioned here, so that's correct.
But is he the most talented? What accomplishments would Meb have had if he trained under Salazar his entire career? He won an Olympic Silver, the Boston Marathon and New York Marathon (something no one else has done).
Rupp has Olympic medals and one World Marathon major win which compares favorably to Meb's results. I'll put forth the fact that Rupp has faster PRs than Meb at every distance from 1500 to the marathon as my evidence that Rupp is more talented. Got anything more than your hypothetical to counter this?
Rupp had the best of everything imaginable before everyone else got access to them... training equipment (Alter-G treadmill, altitude house, etc), shoes (reference Rio Olympics), Dr's, and so on. And he was competing a decade after Meb.
Meb set the 10,000 AR and would have better PR's than Rupp in most, if not all of the distances with Rupp's shoes alone.
Faster times do not necessarily mean an athlete is more talented, especially when you are crossing into different eras of our sport. I can't even imagine how fast German Fernandez would have been if he was Alberto's science project.