Hall's Entuiastic Finish = Slower Time

I kind of agree with Vex a little. I know whenever I've shattered a PR the last thing I thought about was pulling up in the end to enjoy the moment.. That always came after the finish..

His performance at the trials was phenomenal but I'm still not convinced he has what it takes to win at the olympics when it doe'snt come so easy...

For what it's worth......Hell, if I won the trials I'd probably be gloating at the finish as well...

kartelite wrote:

----------------

"That said, I've never been a fan of celebrating before a race is over. Many competitors and family members were devastated by not making the team. Celebrating during the race just isn't appropriate in respect to them."

------------------------

You have obviously never been a competitive athlete. I was never that good, but if I won a conference title or just a regular close race or something I was absolutely stoked, if you think winning the US Olympic Trials by over two minutes does not merit a fist pump you are smoking some good shit.

That's rather silly to say that just because you disagree with ttc's analysis of Hall's celebration that it means ttc "obviously never (has) been a competitive athlete." I bet there are 100's of athletes more competitive than you who think Hall overdid a bit. Oh yeah, I actually spoke to several who did feel that way (and guess what, these guys were 10x as "competitive" as you ever were).

Silly comment 2: comparing you being "stoked" after a win to the longest, and most animated on-course celebration in marathon history.

Silly comment 3: You said Hall's win merited " a fist pump." A fist pump?? I counted about 20, and another 10 points to the sky, and several several round-house arm twirls and several more "whoop it up" signals to the crowd, and another 15-20 shouts, etc, etc. Like I said: show me a longer, more animated celebration in major marathon history.

I thought he overdid it. But I really didn't care much either way about it and thought it was a spectactular victory. My problem isn't with Hall, it's with your attitude telling someone who disagrees with you that they must be a nobody who's done nothing, when he has probably done as much as you.

Overdid it? Please! You guys are truly amazing! He did not rub it in anyone's face. He celebrated. Let it go. It must be that none of you have ever won anything and are jealous. I am sorry but we can't help that you are a loser.

I don't think a single other top runner in the field would have celebrated as much as Hall did, and THEY have all won plenty. Ritz, Meb, Abdi, KK, Sell....do you think they would have done as much? No they wouldn't have. AGAIN.....I really didn't have much of a problem with his mile-long celebration (so relax), I just thought it was slightly over the top, and if others agree with me on that (who happen to be 1000x better runner than you ever were or will be), as some do, then you will be the one that has to get over it.

(and I was really critiquing kartelite's critique more than Hall's celebration. So one last time: RELAX)

well no problems with celebrating..but had he saved it until at the least the final MILE it would have been a little more PC...NYC can be very humbling at any point in the course, OT or current...just ask many of the runners who have fallen by its wayside, even in the final stretches..

What does 'entuiastic' mean?

Is it similar to when I found my name in the telephone book and enthusiastically let the world know, "I'm somebody!!"?

[quote]kartelite wrote:

...if you think winning the US Olympic Trials by over two minutes does not merit a fist pump you are smoking some good shit.

[quote]

I just smoked some good shit, and I still think his win deserved a fist pump.

ttc wrote:

In HINDSIGHT, I'd hope Hall would regret it, as a man died from the race that he was celebrating during.

That may be the dumbest statement made by anyone at any time on Letsrun, if not the entire history of the internet.

Sir Lance-alot wrote:

I don't think a single other top runner in the field would have celebrated as much as Hall did, and THEY have all won plenty. Ritz, Meb, Abdi, KK, Sell....do you think they would have done as much? No they wouldn't have. AGAIN.....I really didn't have much of a problem with his mile-long celebration (so relax), I just thought it was slightly over the top, and if others agree with me on that (who happen to be 1000x better runner than you ever were or will be), as some do, then you will be the one that has to get over it.

(and I was really critiquing kartelite's critique more than Hall's celebration. So one last time: RELAX)

Thank you for your nuanced critique of kartelite's critique of Hall's celebration. I'm picturing you rocking back in your armchair, watching the final mile of the trials, and saying "I DO feel he's overdoing it a bit."

Try to understand that Ryan didn't arrive at mile 25, sit down, and then plan his victory celebration, simultaneously taking into account the tragic news of the day, his other competitors' feelings, and how his victory celebration might be percieved by some of Letsrun.com's most insightful pundits. Instead, this is a 25 year-old kid who has just won the biggest race of his life - one of the most anticipated American races in the last 30 years - by two minutes. Imagine all that and more hitting him all at once; then offer up your old-fashioned attitudes towards his justifiable celebration of a truly amazing performance!

- MB

I was a competitive athlete once of some note and the last few miles gave me goosebumps.

Hall looked so easy, the crowd support was amazing, he had a huge lead, and all I could think was, We are seeing something special.

Of course, letsrunners would find something to criticize. Never mind that we have three guys going to Beijing who are going to give the rest of the world a great run. Never mind that Hall just confirmed that he is the real deal, a bonafide American star.

Everyone complains about how boring running is, how it attracts no publicity. Well, I saw raw emotions out there yesterday, and it wouldn't surprise me if we have a few more running fans out there today. Man, that was exciting to watch. It's going to be fun to watch the ride--both our young guns accomplishing great things, and our sport gaining more recognition. Am I the only one who thinks the future is bright?

My mood, of course, changed when I heard about the tragic passing of Ryan Shay--just like Sell, Ritz, and Hall were evidently affected by the news. The only thought that has been at all consoling is that Ryan lived more in his 28-odd years than most do in a lifetime, and that he helped inspire this running resurgence. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

It seems that no listened to Ryan's comments during his interview. He said that he had feed off of the support of the crowd and that he wanted to give them something back. He said that when he started getting pumped up they got more pumped. This is good for running to see a runner excited about what they have done. Do you think that the world would have felt better watching a runner with his head down all serious right to the line and then give a slight wave to the crowd after he finished?? Most of the non-running world would have no idea if he ran 10 seconds faster but they will probably remember the finish because of the celebration.

The guy is all Juiced up on Jesus ! I'm going to church ! Gimmie some of that !

Get real wrote:

It seems that no listened to Ryan's comments during his interview. He said that he had feed off of the support of the crowd and that he wanted to give them something back. He said that when he started getting pumped up they got more pumped. This is good for running to see a runner excited about what they have done. Do you think that the world would have felt better watching a runner with his head down all serious right to the line and then give a slight wave to the crowd after he finished?? Most of the non-running world would have no idea if he ran 10 seconds faster but they will probably remember the finish because of the celebration.

How's celebrating like that different than Terrell Owens or Darius Miles celebrating a win, before the game's over?? Maybe Randy Johnson can celebrate with a 4 run lead in the last half inning.

I have to agree with this post. I too was a fairly good athlete, good enough to have been in this race if I was still running (I have plenty of old teammates and rivals who were in there) as a non factor. And I couldn't give a rats bum if Ryan celebrated like that while I was still trying to find my way towards that finish line. I never celebrated a victory, but I also never won a marathon, where you have a long drawn out stretch and are not needing to sprint in. I've been in races where I saw Meb or Abdi give some fist pumps on the way to their victory and I thought nothing of it. They won the race and I thought they should do that. For average spectators, is it really that fun to watch if you don't see some excitement from the winner?

To see Ryan look so easy in that kind of performance, and get so excited about it at the end, and feel the crowd feed off his excitement gave me chills.

TTC,

It's not like he was lapping people and rubbing it in their faces, he was all alone. Had he done that 50 or 100 meters in front of Ritz I would have a different opinion.

Thanks you proved a point - because those guys have no class.

ttc wrote:

How's celebrating like that different than Terrell Owens or Darius Miles celebrating a win, before the game's over??

I think what Ryan Hall did yesterday is very different than a typical "football" celebration. It seemed to be spontaneous and interactive. It wasn't "hey look at me, look how great i am!" - it was more "this is awesome, i want to share it with 50,000 of my closest friends"

I think there is a certain class of poster on here that feels the need to look for things that can illustrate how keenly insightful they are. you know: "if mike marsh hadn't eased up, he could have qualified for the final nd broke the WR!", etc

those of you who had a problem with it, relax! Kindly remove the stick in your ass and remove the stick that is up its ass.. You'll feel better.

More than his excessive celebration, by winning by over 2 minutes, wasn't Hall doing the running equivalent of "running up the score" in football.

Bad form indeed.

Indeed, i think he should have rested a little and let ritz catch up, then outsprint him for the last 200 meters.

Why just crush the competition when you can you can demolish them...

I prdict a 4th or 5th place finish at Beijing... I hope I'm wrong...