Is American Distance Running on the raise?

1. Yes, American distance running is still on the RISE and has been all year. Look at Abdi's performance in NYC the other day and I bet either Solinsky or Teg will have a huge race today as well.

2. Top Americans right now...

1. Alan Webb - Top 2 in the world in the 800, 1500 & mile.

2. Abdi Abdirahman - Runs 1:00:29 for the second fastest American time ever and on top of that challenges one of the best runners of all time.

3. Khadevis Robinson - He has two of the top ten fastest times in the world this year so far and has been running very well since USA Nationals.

4. Jen Rhines - Been running great all summer long.

5. Lisa Galaviz - Anytime you break an AR that is big time! Plus she is ranked 13th in the world currently.

Do you mean pay raise?

I think runnings current salary are a little below market value when compared to other endurance sports.

I mean "Running" has been working for endurance events since the begining. They haven't taken one day off, they even come in on Christmas, yet they are still getting the same salary as swimming?

"Swimming" eats everyone's food in the fridge and leaves his old coffee filters in the mr. coffee. Then he complains about how hard is job is all the time.

And don't even get me started on "Cross Country Skiing/Shoot a Gun". Why is this guy brought it. I heard next we're hiring "Shoot a Basketball and Eat a Salami Sandwhich".

And can someone tell me why this new guy "Triathalon" got a raise at thanksgiving? He shouldn't even be working for the company. It's like, is he working in marketing? Is he working in HR? Can you just pick one and stop thinking you are a jack of all trades? You're just pissing everyone off by coming into their department and claiming you know how to do their job. What do you know about marketing??

Finally, can we plase fire "poker" who works in the mailroom. There is no was you should be working for the company. You should be working at McDonalds with "Pogs" and "Magic".

So the answer to your question is no, running is not getting a raise this year. It is underappreciated and would leave but realize he's not good at anything else.

Yes, it's the best I've seen in 20 years with Webb, Teegenkamp, Lagat, Goucher, Hall, Symmonds, Ritz, Robinson, Lincoln, etc.

Can they beat the Kenyans, Ethiopians, and others? I'm not sure, but this is the best it's been for a long time, IMO.

Will all of these aforementioned guys still get blasted on letsrun.com despite their fine efforts? Yes, each and every day, sadly.

Colman wrote:

Two Questions:

1) Do you still feel American distance running is on the raise?

2) Name your top five current American distance runners.

1) No, American distance running is not on the raise and doesn't deserve to be. When your highest paid distance runner (Ritz) can't run one 5k as fast as the top Africans can close it over a full 10k distance, you really aren't worth much.

2) Abdi, Meb, KK, Bernard Lagat, and, ok, I'll throw some props out to Alan Webb.

Foreign born "Americans" don't count.

Why? They are the best and that's what he was asking. Abdi will probably end up setting the AR in the 10k and being our best marathoner, Meb is the reigning Olympic silver medalist, AR in th 10k, and still clearly near his best form, KK is the AR in the marathoner (though I don't know that he will ever achieve his old form), Lagat is the only current American to have run sub 13:00 for 5k, and I throw Alan Webb in there because he's capable of matching Lagat, though he has shown poor form when it actually matters.

Even though the US maybe the best distance running nation outside Africa there are still some strange inconsistencies. For one the 1500 and 800 are on the rise this year, while the Steeplechase and 5k have taken a dive. Lincoln set an American record in the Steeplechase yet he didn't even make the WC team. If medical school is more important just drop running. What is the point of the AR holder running at 85%. US running still burn themselves out in the spring. If Webb gets a medal it could be a turning point in US middle distance running. However, we don't know the full effects of his hamstring.

On the whole US distance running has not be in this good shape in a quarter century.