Has Meb jumped the shark in the marathon

Meb has made the mistake of getting sucked into the lure of the money of the marathon. He has over raced in the marathon and it is sad to sit back and watch. He will be too old to run in the next Olympics so we are done watching Meb in the biggest stage.

If he doesn't run a marathon this spring, it will be because he's preoccupied with making the Olympic team in the 10000.

I was at the trials near the finish and Meb was the first and pretty much only runner I saw finish and then immediately go congratulate the guys who made the team. He's a class act and a winner even if he never runs another step.

I agree. I was not ever questioning his character. I also think he will make the team in the 10k. I don't think he will ever run 2:08 in the marathon.

The marathon is a tricky race but judging by his series of races this summer I would say he was in or at least close to being in his best shape ever.

He is 32, so I wouldnt say he is past his prime in the marathon.

Being fit for other events has no relationship to the marathon.

It is always sad to see change. Watching Hall beat Meb and Culpepper fairly effortlessly, was like watching your hero strike out. Watching Browne and Khalid not being able to respond to Brian Sell going by them in the last 10k was disheartening. We have new heroes today. Meb and Culpepper and Browne and Khalid have been admirable leaders but hopefully they won't stick around and be remembered like today's young baseball fans view Roger Clemens.

exactly as I was saying on another thread, unless you can take those last 8 miles without dropping too much pace or even getting faster you can't run a good marathon. Gebre found that out in his first marathons as have many others, the marathon is unique,you can predict it accurately, the smallest hitch can blow your day completely; If you're a bit off colour you can get through a 10k or a half with too much damage but at 26 miles the slightest mishap can take on monumental proportions.

When I was young preparing my first marathon my coach hammered into me day in day out, respect the distance, the marathon is not to be taken lightly, not if you want to run well.He made me run 19 milers at pace with the same shoes, the same shorts etc that I would be using on the Day, drinking where I would be in the race, getting everything perfect.I got through in 2.24 without the lightest problem.Perhaps Meb doesn't respect the distance any more.

They also used to say that really top runners have 4 to 6

great marathons in them, perhaps that isn't true any more.

Could it be that these type of statements are the reason why he does not do any better? He was able to make it all come together on the right day at the right time, he sparked a marathon shift and is now an icon. I just think we in the running community need to remember how much pressure that second place put on him mentally. I cannot fathom lining up for every race any distance, particularly the marathon and being expected to win or you are a loser. He seems to have passed the torch and been quite gracious why not let him be. Granted it looks like, even in his prime, was not the same kind of talent Hall showed last week. I don't honestly know that there are too many people around in the world that could have hung with that.

Before we give Meb lots of crap, lets remember that the person who beat Meb in Athens, Baldini, has not fared much better at the marathon distance since then.

But the Olympics carry such public acceptance that people can't let it go. I laughed when people thought that Baldini had a chance to win in New York. I laughed harder when people thought Meb had a chance to make the team. They must not follow the sport very closely.

Meb will be dropped from Nike at the end of this contract even if he makes the Olympic Team in the 10k. Finishing 6th in the Olympics in the 10k does nothing for Nike. His contract is based upon him being one of the best Americans in the Marathon. And he no longer is.

Inside the Swoosh wrote:

Meb will be dropped from Nike at the end of this contract even if he makes the Olympic Team in the 10k.

ha! yeah right...

At least Meb has a medal which will keep him in the public eye a little longer. Culpepper will be an interesting answer to a trivia question by the next Olympiad.

Inside the Swoosh wrote:

Meb will be dropped from Nike at the end of this contract even if he makes the Olympic Team in the 10k.

What the heck are you smoking?

Meb was a huge Nike guy before ever running a marathon.

As recentley as March 2007 he beat Ryan Hall at Gate River in the 15km Championships. Meb has never cherry picked his races like some marathoners running only the top ones. In addition to his Olympic Silver he has a 3rd at Boston (going out in one of the fastest first halfs at Boston ever) and a 3rd at New York, only to two marathon icons where he mixed it up unitl late in the race. His fastest marathon times are still to come. The fact he is a 10,000 favorite is a testement to his speed and quality as a runner. He was not 100% at the trials which is too bad because it would have been good to have a guy with his Olympic experience on the marathon team. I've never met a more gracious ambassador for the sport of running. Luckily three very high quality guys did make the team and you can bet they look up to Meb for all his accomplishments not the least of which was putting it together for silver at the big show.

Meb was lucky that Athens was hot or he would have finished 15th. At 100% he would not of made the Olympic team this time around. Nice guy? YES. Top 5 US marathoner? NO WAY

In April of 2006 Meb was the favorite to win Boston... He went out with the leaders and faded to a 2:09:53 finishing 2 and a half minutes behind the winner... WE HAVE NOW LEARNED THAT WAS A GOOD RACE...

That was not a good race, Meb was a lot fitter and just did not run the Boston course very well. Meb ran 1:02:45/1:07:11 for 3rd, whereas Sell ran 1:05:17/1:05:38 for 4th, just a minute behind- 2:09:56 to 2:10:55. You think Meb could have run Boston a bit smarter? I do.

too many marathons in too short a time period. he was a great runner for about 18 months, but he is done. he won't make the 10k team, there is too much young talent waiting in the wings.

sjc wrote:

he was a great runner for about 18 months, but he is done.

Really?

I got this from the USA track and field website:

2004 Olympic marathon silver medalist; 3-time U.S. 10,000m champ (2000, ’02, ’04); 2-time USA 12 km XC champ (’01, ’02); 5-time U.S. 15 km champ (’01, ’02, '03,’04,'07); 4-time NCAA champion; American 10,000m record holder; 2006 USA Outdoor 10,000m runner-up

I get 8 years of quality racing, not 18 months.

He is a long way from being done running PB's.

you got me there. what i meant to say was that he was a great marathon runner for 18 months.