Chris Graff

Graff won't run 2:10; but with a recent 10-miler in 47:55, I'd say 2:12 or 2:13 is not out of the question.

According to the Mercier Scoring Tables a 47:55 10 miler is equivelant to a 2:14:05 marathon. Which means that he is only 55 seconds a head of the dreaded 2:15 which he sees as poor. I will bet that he doesn't even go out at 1:05 at the halfway point (2:10 pace). Which means he (like coach gags) just spout out crap for the press. WE WILL BE WATCHING.

[quote]skeptic wrote:

or is upset that others (Larsen,Dowling,Verran) are receiving more credit than he sees just.

Yeah, I'm just drowning in a sea of accolades. Good luck to all the newbies.

skeptic wrote:During a RW online interview earlier this year, Chris Graff...went on to say something disparaging about a 2:15 marathon. I haven't heard anything so outrageous since......oh yeah, Gags claimed a sub 3:31 1500 within his first year.

Perhaps your standard for "outrageous" is a bit low. Graff would not be the first fast guy to underestimate the difficulty of the marathon. He'll either run 2:10 or learn his lesson the hard way like the others. Either way, why get all worked up about it?

He does have a point though - 2.15 is shit and someone like Graff should be aiming for 2.10 - don't knock him for pointing out the obvious and aiming high. I tell you one thing did anyone beleive before his final yeat at St Johns that Graff would run 13.45 in NCAA's - nope and did anyone apart from him believe he would run 28 flat for 10 k a year later - nope - so I'd say if he thinks he can run 2.10 you'd better believe he can.

Anyway its about time someone did - that NYC marathon was embarrassing last year - 2.15 for first American in a championship race with pacemakers - that stinks!

It is confidence, if he backs it up. It is typical Farm Team bullshit (all hype no show) if he doesn't.

Larsen, Dowling or Verran????

Hmmmmmmm.

I'm betting that Graff runs 2:13

I have a hard time ripping into Graff for "talking smack".

Our sport is so damn boring, so hum drum and unappealing to the masses that we need some people with sharp tongues, people who can liven up the 2 paragraph blurbs that running

events usually command in the local rags. I'm so sick of reading pre/post race interviews with "I'm going to go out and see what happens" or "I went, and they didn't go with me so I won". This doesn't make for an exciting read folks. It's as boring reading the articles as it is watching the guy run who's quoted in the damn thing. People ripped into Jerry Lawson for his appearance, but one things for sure, people noticed him. Let Graff or anyone else run their mouths. Maybe they can back it up, maybe not. Either way it's a better sell than the way we are usually presented in the media.

Who cares about the "way we're presented in the media." Run because you want to run, not because of the way it is or isn't written about in some newspaper.

Well a lot of people on this message board complains about how track and field dont get the publicity that other sports gets.....and the way were presented in the media has a lot to do with that....so maybe you dont care how "we're" presented in the media, but then again I will just ASSUME your not one of the people that complains about the lack of publicity are sport gets....So then I am going to ASSUME again that you really dont care! But then again by when I ASSUME this and that, all I really am doing is making a ASS out of U and ME!!!!

skeptic, why the anti-farm team rants? While I agree that Hanson's might do almost as much with much less, is there any doubt that if you want to be an elite distance runner, and you are just out of school, the farm team is the best choice for most people? Note I said most! Just look at the line-up:

800m Woodward, Delong, Stember

1500m Lunn, Stember, Huffman, Lane, Asmeron, Rodgers, Macfalls, Greer

Steeple: Cullum, Gibbons

5k: Lane, Asmeron, Hauser, Graff, Swanson(?), Savoth, Savage

10k: Hauser, Graff, Swanson(?), Cullum, Gilmore

Mar: (?) we'll see

Show me a group that you would rather train with. Just because Gags hyped the group and they are affiliated with Nike, doesn't mean you should slag them off. Give me alternatives and then you can complain.

There is nothing wrong with the farm team, these are exactly the type of post colegiate programs we need to get America back on top in distance events.....So I really wouldn't take to heart the bashing that some people do with the farm team, because these are the same hypocrites that will complain about the poor performances in U.S. distance running and fail to realize programs like the farm team are the answer!

Farm Team is sponsored by Nike and therefore has the most dollars for public relations. The program is a joke but they can put a positive spin on it.

Graff has been there for a year and how close has he come to his 10k p.r. Fricks best running came immediately following college and has deteriorated since (I remember when he used to Kick Mebs ass). Frack has quit due to lack of development. Lane a year ago appeared to be an up and comer and has had a terrible year. The list goes on and on. I do however believe that it is the best situation for a 3k on down. I think that Gags no his shit for middle distance, but is clueless as far as the 5k-10k and marathon goes.

I don't believe that is a good idea to shoot your mouth off about what you're going to do (for any reason). We all no someone that says "I'm training for the olympics" and he is a 31 min 10k guy. All of you that say there is no harm in that are mistaken. It demeans all of those 28 min guys who really are training to become an olympian. I contend that Chris Graff was demeaning every 2:15 marathoner and not giving credit to every 2:10 marathoner before him. If he runs sub 2:10, then I apologize. If he runs 2:13 or slower, he should apologize (not to me but to every 2:10 marathoner). I thank Skeptic for pointing this out because I too will be watching.

Debate is good. Difference of opinion is great.

However your facts are wrong. Say what you want about Graff, Farm Team and Gags. Be advised, Gags does not coach the majority of the distance runners.

I apologize, I thought that Graff (formerly of the Enclave) followed coach Gagliano from the East coast. I didn't think that he would move across the country to be coached by someone else, when his coach is on the same track. Educate me, who is responsible for the current disaster. I thought that Vin was just an advisor and that Daniels was not going to do any hands on coaching.

...he pr'd this year-- sub-13:30/28:00...

Does anyone honestly believe any 2:15 marathoners out there would feel demeaned by anything Chris Graff has to say? How many do you suppose care what he thinks about their times? How many do you suppose even know who Graff is?

I'm sure Graff is all nervous and everything, now that he knows that some anonymous LetsRun posters "will be watching." No doubt he is training extra hard as a result. But even if he runs 2:20 or slower, my guess is he will survive all that pressure to run another day. As will all the 2:15 marathoners out there.

Don't you think you might be taking this perhaps a bit too seriously? This is such a non-issue.

Hauser didn't PR in the 5K. His 5K PR of 13:27 goes back to 2000. He improved his 10K PR by 10 seconds (although that one dated back to 1999).

10 seconds in three years isn't that great...

Concerned, thank-you for understanding. You did a better job of explaining than I could. I am sure that it does have some relevance to some people because of the need to defend the behavior. I doubt that Seneca cares what the hell any of us think either, but when he walks around amongst his peers he will forever know that many think he acted improperly. If Chris Graff runs 2:10 there will be people (myself included) that will say that guy can really back it up. If he runs 2:13 or slower or drops out, there will be several of his peers that will think differently (based on his own comments only). If you think that these none of these athletes pay any attention you are wrong. Let us not forget the pool (started by stupid posters) to decide when Lawson would drop out in the 2000 trials. The poor guy was in bad shape, hooked up to I.V. for a long while in the Hotel lobby after the race. You think that the fact that some idiot was waving the pool in front of his face at the start had nothing to do with his finishing?

I thought that the pool was a stupid thing but I checked the results to see if he finished. I'll bet that whether you agree with me or not, you will check the results to see how Graff finishes (even if it is just so you can tell me to stick it up my ass). If you are aware of how he finishes, then I have achieved my goal. Draw attention to idiocy. WE ARE ALL WATCHING.