Remembering Brad Hauser

He did what he had to do.

He was much like any of the Farm Team guys that didn't run middle distance. The distance guys all seemed to run their best times in college. It was certainly a waste.

ehh

college runners nowadays run faster than that yearly. who have we had recently in college run

faster than 13:27?

ryan hall

ian dobson

josh rohatinsky

josh mcdougal

chris solinsky

dathan ritzenhein

not that they're a dime a dozen, but i think most people can generally agree that the 90's were a lull in talent and achievement for american distance running. maybe brad hauser was just born in the wrong year.

brad hauser was kind of tops for his time, other than bob kennedy, but did he ever medal in anything or come close to medaling? great runner, helped stanford to some titles, didn't he?

rip brad.

Did the guy die?

GR wrote:

Did Brad Hauser retire too soon? Or has he become irrelevant and USA Distance running has elevated to another level? Thoughts on the 2000 Olympian?

BRAD HAUSER

Event: Distance

Height: 6-2

Weight: 150

PR: 5,000 13:27.31 (2000); 10,000 27:58.02 (2002)

Born: March 28, 1977 in Danville, Pa.

Current Residence: Palo Alto, Calif.

High School: Kingwood (Tex.) 95

College: Stanford 00

Coach: Vin Lananna

Agent: Tom Radcliffe

Club: Nike

you just gonna disrepecte brent like dat?

brad had tons of talent. his PRs were within 2 years of graduation...he definitely stopped early. he is 30 or 31 now and could have been a the top of his game in the last couple of years. he is younger than gouch meb and dan browne, close to abdi in age, who are all running at or close to their peak (or at least ran much faster in their late 20s than early 20s)...my guess is bad coaching and a little burnout led to his demise. the farm team burned a lot of fast guys...some of them are running better after than with the farm team(riley, sherer, gilmore, jabaut to name a few)...

As an old member of the Farm Team I can say that it was very hard...but also helped me run faster than I ever imagined. Just having a group like that helps you run faster.

I think Stanford is more to blame than the Farm Team though. He really went for it in College and was burned out big time. Personally I think he would have made a really good marathoner, but it just wasn't his thing. He hung them up early but you have to remember the guy has been running competitively since high school. He made the Olympics and ran very fast. If he felt he couldn't run any faster what is the harm in hanging them up? Maybe he hung in there and ran 27:50... What would that have done.

Or maybe he just wanted to start his career. Or maybe he just wanted to stay up late, and no longer worry about running twice a day. Whatever it is, he was faster than most will ever be and ran his best. For some that may happen when they are 25, for others that's 35...

as regards the issue of others running faster after the farm team than with, you are correct. but that is what is supposed to happen as you continue to train, right?

riley made the Olympics and pr'd, jabaut pr'd and made the usatf final, gilmore pr'd in the 10k (and met jack daniels) all on the farm team. sure there are examples of failure to progress- no need to list them for me.

as a former farm team member, i know i had a breakthrough and also some really shitty races. this was the same for a lot of guys. brad and sally are happily married with a baby. good for him. end of story in my book.

I think for sure that Matt Lane ran faster than 13:27 in college, but of course it was before he made the fateful decision to represent the Farm Team. Palo Alto is a great environment for training- I do not get it.

I still remember watching Hauser and the Stanford guys roll up the 10k at the NCAAs at Duke. I think they did it in Boise too, in back to back years....They were awesome, especially from a competitor's unfortunate viewpoint.