Josh is one of the good guys.
I too wish him all the best in his comeback. I hope he can put the injuries and struggles of the last few years behind him and fulfill his running potential.
Josh is one of the good guys.
I too wish him all the best in his comeback. I hope he can put the injuries and struggles of the last few years behind him and fulfill his running potential.
I don't know Josh Cox, but when he went into the lead at Wellesley during Boston back in the day, I thought he was the coolest dude in the world.
I agree. I haven't followed his career closely, but I'm not sure why he's been criticized as much as he has been. Sure the guy didn't run competively last year, but he was there with his dad who was battling cancer and died. Running should be on the back burner when you're going through something traumatic like that.
From the article, it sounds like he's still in very good shape, but he's got to do a lot of serious training ahead if he's truly going to contend for one of three spots for Beijing.
I wish him all the best. I must admit that from the article, I inferred quite a bit of impetuous hubris... but then again it's going to take some serious moxie to train hard enough to have any possible shot at Beijing.
I believe that Josh broke 2:15 one time in his life about 5 years ago. The playing field has changed significantly since then. He has no chance of being a top 10 guy in the US ever again. And that is even if he is capable of getting back to his best.
SoCal runner wrote:
I agree. I haven't followed his career closely, but I'm not sure why he's been criticized as much as he has been. Sure the guy didn't run competively last year, but he was there with his dad who was battling cancer and died. Running should be on the back burner when you're going through something traumatic like that.
Why, was JC his dad's oncologist?
To Smells Like Tuna, the facts are Josh Cox has been under 2:15 once and under 2:14 twice and a summary of his marathon race results follows:
Youngest qualifier 2000 US Olympic Marathon Trials
Placed 10th at the 2000 Chicago Marathon
Fourth fastest marathon time in the United States for 2000
2nd American at the Boston Marathon 2001
Top American at 2001 World Track & Field Championships Marathon
Ranked 3rd in the United States for the marathon in 2001
Placed 7th at 2004 United States Olympic Trials Marathon
Looking at his 2004 Trials result and PR it certainly is not unreasonable for Josh to feel that he has a realistic shot at working himself into a top 3 finish in 2007.
To Faith Healer, I doubt that SoCal runner can explain his comment to someone as emotionally impaired as you are.
On his best day tell me which one of these guys he will beat.
Khalid-Meb-Abdi-Culpepper-Sell-Cabada-Gilmore-Ritz-Browne-Hussein.
All of these guys have a faster PB except Ritz who ran about 10 seconds slower on a far more difficult course.
All of these guys have run their pb since Josh ran his 2:13. Josh has NO chance to make the team.
Josh has been sleeping during the change in the running climate for americans. His pb is no longer on the radar.
Haha that Beer Mile video was pretty good!
Joe Friday wrote:
To Smells Like Tuna, the facts are Josh Cox has been under 2:15 once and under 2:14 twice
I'm only aware of one time that he ran under 2:14 or 2:15. That was the 2000 Chicago Marathon, where he ran 2:13:54 (or 2:13:55).
The marathon is an unpredicable event, with lots of surprises, but I don't really see him as a contender for the Olympic team right now. Although he seems capable of long-term focus and hard training, his top-end marathon pace has always been a bit suspect, and his times at shorter distances have not, for the most part, indicated that there is a lot of untapped talent still to be mined. (I believe that he ran a decent 10-mile time not that long ago, but I don't know the circumstances of the race. For his half-marathon PR, I believe he lists his time of just under 1:04 in the downhill Las Vegas Half-Marathon, which isn't indicative of faster marathons in his future.) And a stretch of seven years between his PR and the Olympic trials is a very long time. It's easy to forget how brief the window of opportunity is for most marathoners to perform near their peak.
Faith Healer wrote:
SoCal runner wrote:I agree. I haven't followed his career closely, but I'm not sure why he's been criticized as much as he has been. Sure the guy didn't run competively last year, but he was there with his dad who was battling cancer and died. Running should be on the back burner when you're going through something traumatic like that.
Why, was JC his dad's oncologist?
This past Saturday, I was at the memorial service for a friend who died of cancer on Dec 31. He was 57 and battled courageously against the cancer but lost. One by one family members (children, sons-in-law, etc.) stood and spoke of this man's courage, strength, and even humor during those last 4 or 5 months. When a loved one battles terminal cancer, it'll shake you to the core and make you question everything you are and everything you do. I have a feeling that's what Josh experienced... questioning the purpose and meaning of everything, including running.
That is one hell of a legit beer mile time. I am impressed.
Smells like tuna wrote:
On his best day tell me which one of these guys he will beat.
Khalid-Meb-Abdi-Culpepper-Sell-Cabada-Gilmore-Ritz-Browne-Hussein.
All of these guys have a faster PB except Ritz who ran about 10 seconds slower on a far more difficult course.
All of these guys have run their pb since Josh ran his 2:13. Josh has NO chance to make the team.
Josh has been sleeping during the change in the running climate for americans. His pb is no longer on the radar.
I'm afraid you're right. Josh is such a long shot to make the Olympic team that he's really not even on the radar screen. But stranger things have happened. I don't think 11 months is enough time for him to get an OTQ and get into contention in NY. But I admire him for trying. That's far better than quitting completely. Even though he most likely won't make the team for Beijing, he'll be in much better shape to build further as a contender for other marathons, as long as he maintains focus.
I heard Josh Cox was dating George Michael.
What, did JC become bedridden with emotion? Did he have to get around by wheelchair? I'm no more "emotionally impaired" than you are a mental cripple.
SoCal runner wrote:
This past Saturday, I was at the memorial service for a friend who died of cancer on Dec 31. He was 57 and battled courageously against the cancer but lost. One by one family members (children, sons-in-law, etc.) stood and spoke of this man's courage, strength, and even humor during those last 4 or 5 months. When a loved one battles terminal cancer, it'll shake you to the core and make you question everything you are and everything you do. I have a feeling that's what Josh experienced... questioning the purpose and meaning of everything, including running.
Um, I've been there and done that with a family member (my mother) who's as close to me as anyone is to their parent or child, I guess it all depends on the assumptions you make in life and what you place your faith in. I've literally had nightmares when I was younger about losing my parent(s), but I suppose giving some thought to the eventualities and coming to grips with it helped me to cope better than most people who have strong attachments to temporary things. I was extremely concerned, but letting it shake me out of living life wasn't an option. Quitting running (or any other routine activity) wouldn't cure a damn thing, except that it might've let me wallow in self-pity.
SoCal runner wrote:
I'm afraid you're right. Josh is such a long shot to make the Olympic team that he's really not even on the radar screen. But stranger things have happened. I don't think 11 months is enough time for him to get an OTQ and get into contention in NY. But I admire him for trying. That's far better than quitting completely. Even though he most likely won't make the team for Beijing, he'll be in much better shape to build further as a contender for other marathons, as long as he maintains focus.
Hear, hear, more power to Cox.
Sorry to hear about your mother. I'm sure that was tough.
My point was only that different people handle these kinds of crises differently. It doesn't sound like he ever quit running. He might not have raced competively, but it doesn't sound like he ever quit running. I can't speculate why he's done what he's done over the past year or so. All I know is what the article says, he had a very traumatic year with the situation with his dad. Let the guy make peace with that situation and if now he feels like he's ready to train hard towards a goal (even if he is getting a very late start), well, more power to him.
Whoa, that's Coldplay's Clocks playing on JC's car stereo in that video blog.
prankster wrote:
what's really funny is to watch josh' beer mile video and then his video when he spoke at liberty university. Imagine the look on jerry falwell's face (the man behind josh's right shoulder) if he described his beer run instead of his 50-miler. he he he.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibPE0IF6oqI&mode=related&search=
If trent briney can come out of nowhere then theres no reason josh cant. im also sure he didnt quit running during his time with his father but compare that running with the 120+ mile weeks he was doing and its almost like not running.
He catches a lot of shit on here for being a pretty boy(powerbar) and his tv show but what is he supposed to do, say no?
How bout some support for him? Hes had a rough go and continues to plug away at it.
GAYDAR wrote:
Whoa, that's Coldplay's Clocks playing on JC's car stereo in that video blog.
You must be a fan.