In this "great new era of USA distance running resurgence" only THIRTEEN athletes qualified with a sub 2:15??

Two guys who went to high school and college in the US constitute a resurgence in US distance-running. If you feel that their genes make them special, well, Ryan Hall is just as special.

Sorry, I should say they're part of it. Abdi and Meb by themselves don't quite constitute a turnaround.

How soon we forget 2000.

um, yes. wrote:

How soon we forget 2000.

seriously..... let's look at how many dudes have busted 13:20 and 27:50 compared to 2000-2004..... i don't have the stats in front of me, but we (they) have much more depth than even a few years ago. when 13:10, 27:40, 2:10 might not even MAKE the team now... that's progress. miles of trials.... there ain't no miracles... but it IS happening....

The 1984 Trials had 12 qualified under 2:11:00, and at least 27 under 2:15:00.

I totally agree ....

Meb, Abdi, KK are imported...

Also the renaissance on the 5k/1500m is with another import, Lagat

If we compare the US population + the huge size of the running movement with the actual results, we are still very far from smaller "white" countries that anyway perform better (Spain, Germany, Italy, Australia, etc)

And when was the time a US born runner has won a major race ?? (International Games or Mar Majors)

I don't understand why people are concerned with runners being US born. They weren't imported like Qatar. All three developed while the lived in the US.

The US isn't a "white" country. That's an absurd statement.

How does Australia perform better? That's a good one.

US runners don't run enough miles, especially in high school and college. Back in the 70s and 80s hen we had lots of good runners they were running huge weekly milaeges for base (150-200mpw), and now most runners here are scared of miles

quite slow wrote:

Meb, Abdi, KK are imported...

THEY ARE NOT, you bigoted a-hole.

I am pretty sure that is what this is the NEW great era for USA distance running. There was a low point for a number of years but it is coming back around.What were the 1500m, 5k guys running at the 1984 trials? I don't really know the answer to that but I am guessing today's elites match up to them. More to distance running that a marathon.

malmo wrote:

The 1984 Trials had 12 qualified under 2:11:00, and at least 27 under 2:15:00.

We (the USA) must be doing something right when Deena qualified for the men's trials with her 2:19 from London....

The very top few guys are better than ever. For instance, Keflezighi has broken 2:10 at the ING NYC Marathon, whereas Bill Rodgers never did (tho he usually was too far ahead to be pushed in the late miles).

Khannouchi ran 2:07 just last year.

But as "malmo" indicated, the depth is not there.

It's similar to the NBA -- a handful of terrific players can score, shoot, rebound, pass, defend, draw fouls, and avoid fouls...but the number of guys who are good at more than one or two of those things has dropped sharply.

miles are key wrote:

US runners don't run enough miles, especially in high school and college. Back in the 70s and 80s hen we had lots of good runners they were running huge weekly milaeges for base (150-200mpw), and now most runners here are scared of miles

There was also a lot less roads and a lot more woods and trails.

There were also fewer cars on the road, no video games, and the majority of schools had fewer after school sports/clubs/activities.

When people say resurgence, they mean it's on the upswing after the 90's lull. No, it's not greater than it's ever been, but it's on it's way back up. If you can't realize that than you're just pulling stats out of your ass.

I am not sure this is true. Rails to trails and many other programs have been developed in the past 30 years... it is only recently that we figured that having outdoors to use is a nice thing

we've actually helped the enviroment to recover in many places...

check out things like bears in pennsylvania, the development of the appalachian trail, more national parks, etc.

you may be right but it was my impression that on net new trails are being added every year, not destroyed.

[quote]Dopeless Hopefiend wrote:

There was also a lot less roads and a lot more woods and trails.

quote]

That is a good point about Australia. After Mottram there is nobody that cen even break 13:20 for the 5k.

96 trials- Steve Plac- 2:12, Barrios- 2:08, Plaatgies- 2:09 (World Champ), Lawson -2:09, Ed Eyestone -2:11, Paul Pilinkington- 2:11, Bob Kemp -2:08, Brantley- 2:12, Steve Spence(3rd worlds)

not to bad!

The thing about that is in 1984 and previous years the US was good at the marathon. So it would make sense that this time is a resurgance for US distance running.

Even though US didnt have any medals in 1984 we likely would have had something from Bill in 1980 probably a gold. So see this as a good sign that we are now comparable once again with those times and rejoice.

quite slow wrote:

And when was the time a US born runner has won a major race ?? (International Games or Mar Majors)

April 23, 2006: Deena Kastor, London Marathon?

miles are key wrote:

US runners don't run enough miles, especially in high school and college. Back in the 70s and 80s hen we had lots of good runners they were running huge weekly milaeges for base (150-200mpw), and now most runners here are scared of miles

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