I said in another thread she ran a ton in indoor season - restless from being out of competition for so long, also trying to impress a pro team and get sponsored. but it doesn't look like it worked. she might be partially cooked and also demoralized.
I feel badly for her. And that sentiment is as genuine as her burrito alibi.
You can only call me a liar if you believe she's a liar. RekRunner is going to have to stick up for my genuine heartfelt sentiment that I feel ever so badly for her.
She paid a heavy price for her doping. She lost much of her prime due to her suspension. She should have told the truth to lessen the length of her suspension.
Shelby's 14:45 makes her the 3rd-fastest woman in the US so far this year. Based on how far back she finished in the 1500m at Pre, my guess is she'll only do the 5k at the US championships (at least, that would be the wise thing for her to do), given how compressed the meet schedule will be.
If Shelby sticks to the 5k so she can run that event fresh, she'll have a good chance of making the team. In the 5k, Josette Andrews appears to be the clear #1 in the US this year. After her, there are a lot of question marks:
Weini Kelati - ran 14:38 at Pre, but she will probably run the 10k at the US championships; if she runs the 5k too, she'd be doubling back in a short time span. That didn't work out well for her in 2023, when she finished 4th in the 10k but then only 8th in the 5k a few days later.
Karissa Schweizer - Shelby beat her by over 10 seconds in Rome
Elise Cranny - hasn't been running well lately; Shelby beat her at Pre
Parker Valby - MIA, dealing with injury
Whittni Morgan - according to her World Athletics profile, she hasn't raced since the GST Kingston meet in April. Is she injured?
Shelby's 14:45 makes her the 3rd-fastest woman in the US so far this year. Based on how far back she finished in the 1500m at Pre, my guess is she'll only do the 5k at the US championships (at least, that would be the wise thing for her to do), given how compressed the meet schedule will be.
If Shelby sticks to the 5k so she can run that event fresh, she'll have a good chance of making the team. In the 5k, Josette Andrews appears to be the clear #1 in the US this year. After her, there are a lot of question marks:
Weini Kelati - ran 14:38 at Pre, but she will probably run the 10k at the US championships; if she runs the 5k too, she'd be doubling back in a short time span. That didn't work out well for her in 2023, when she finished 4th in the 10k but then only 8th in the 5k a few days later.
Karissa Schweizer - Shelby beat her by over 10 seconds in Rome
Elise Cranny - hasn't been running well lately; Shelby beat her at Pre
Parker Valby - MIA, dealing with injury
Whittni Morgan - according to her World Athletics profile, she hasn't raced since the GST Kingston meet in April. Is she injured?
Who do you think will make the 5k team?
Good question on Whittni Morgan, she has been MIA and even more silent than Parker.
There are a few others in the mix. Jane Hedengren has run 1457, although I wouldn't expect much faster this year after a long season. Emily Mackay ran 1445 indoors, but probably won't do the 5k in Eugene. Even Ella Donaghu has hit 1450, but like Mackay will probably focus on the 1500. Emily Venters and Grace Hartman have slipped under 15 this year. Tuohy is an obvious option, but she is struggling to break 15. Has Elly Henes finally recovered from her lung issue (I hope so)?
Long story short, Shelby has a good shot to make the World team, even if the team might not be that strong (other than Josette). Hopefully Karissa is healthy and she could be right there with Josette.
I'm curious how many times the AIU has been testing her and whether that has made her more cautious.
She was tested throughout her entire four year suspension and never tested positive. She was tested during indoors when she won silver at Worlds. She would not suddenly become "more cautious" now. I think another poster nailed it with the idea that she burned all her matches for 2025 during indoors trying to earn a sponsorship. I think she is just a little cooked right now. But I also think she could make the Tokyo team.
Didn't Houlihan announce a sponsorship on Instagram recently? Not a shoe company but some sort of sponsorship? It is certainly not anywhere close to her old Nike contract but it is better than nothing.
I'm curious how many times the AIU has been testing her and whether that has made her more cautious.
She was tested throughout her entire four year suspension and never tested positive. She was tested during indoors when she won silver at Worlds. She would not suddenly become "more cautious" now. I think another poster nailed it with the idea that she burned all her matches for 2025 during indoors trying to earn a sponsorship. I think she is just a little cooked right now. But I also think she could make the Tokyo team.
Tests carried out by USADA declined quite a bit during her suspension so I hope AIU made up the difference.
2018 12 2019 18 2020 17 2021 13 2022 17 2023 9 2024 7 2025 7 (only half a year so on track for much higher number)
She's lucky US women's running is relatively weak without St Pierre and Valby, but I still don't see her making the US team.
Just shows how juice works. Talent brings you so far, juice rises you to the top level. Training is not that important in the grand scale of things at the elite level, 1 in a 1000000 talent would run sub 15 5k even with a training regimen made up by a toddler.