Women's 5,000m final Quotes: Goucher, Flanagan, and Rhines

Shalane Flanagan (Pittsboro, N.C.): "The Ethiopians and Kenyans like to play around with the pace. I just had to deal with it, but my legs were tired and it was hard to change gears and just drop it like that. I tried to ease into every move because I knew that lactic acid was going to kick in if I went too hard. So when they made a move with three laps to go, I couldn't get there fast enough and I think it cost me two or three spots."

So what Gerry said in another thread in this forum about running (for 10,000 meter runners) sets of 65/55/65 400s

(he was outlining this for men) until exhaustion is obviously the correct way to prepare for the 5,000 and 10,000 the way it is run internationally.

Looks like it was a purely tactical race, from the split times.

It would be great if nbc showed this race in its entirety, but if we get it at all, it will be in snippets.

Only need to see the last km, cause nothing happened until then.

Goucher is a mental case.

Look at the way the 2008 London Marathon was run: the pace was all over the place. But connected to that, the African runners are not afraid to attack from the start. As the latest example, the recent NYC half marathon went out in 14:14 for the first 5k. That's pretty quick. Of course, in London the first 5k was 14:21 (the second 5k was 14:50)!!!!!!! That's pretty sick.

It seems like the Africans have been racing this way for decades and yet these athletes have just figured it out.

FWIW, Shalane is awesome.

guygonemad wrote:

Women's 5,000m final

Kara Goucher:

"I know this sounds crazy, but I think I could have won that on the right night."

You´re absolutely right. It sounds very crazy.

Try 600's going 33, 29, 33.

Isn't Goucher like really old? how much improvement is really left for her? (Or Flanagan for that matter)

delusions of grandeur wrote:

guygonemad wrote:

Women's 5,000m final

Kara Goucher:

"I know this sounds crazy, but I think I could have won that on the right night."

You´re absolutely right. It sounds very crazy.

Not crazy, per se, but that night was the right night. She just allowed herself be a lamb led to the slaughter. Take charge in the race, show some brass. You can sit back and be guaranteed of being left out of the medals or go like Fam and step up and take a shot to buck the odds, at least make the dopers work for what they end up with.

The more Kara talks, the more annoying she sounds.

I would not be so hard on Ms. Goucher. She ran a competitive race, but has yet to digest the degree of speed the Ethiopian runners can actually turn. What was the last 800? 2:04? Heck, we have only 10-15 runners in the nation that can run that for an open 800, and for Goucher, that is likely equal to either her actual personal best or what she could have run in her best 1500 shape (when she ran 4:05). Not easy to accept, especially with her being in such fine shape.

last 300m 00:40, last 800 2:03:4

Just like Billy Mills and Roger Bannister.

Say all you want now but if she comes back in '12 and medals, you know that you and everyone else will be singing a different tune.

And medals in WHAT, exactly? Trampoline? Hooking up in the Village?

[quote]get a grip wrote:

It seems like the Africans have been racing this way for decades and yet these athletes have just figured it out.

Very True. I don't understand. Ever since the Africans came on the scene in the 60's they run the same way, running erratically, arms/legs all over and dominating the race. When will the rest see sense - avoid the physical stuff by going either behind or preferably front-run.

Front runners - where are you? - the crowd luv u.

quantum wrote:

I would not be so hard on Ms. Goucher. She ran a competitive race

huh, she ran 15:49.

Sure, the crowd loves them, but they rarely medal. That's exactly why nobody wanted to take the lead in this race.

get a grip wrote:

Front runners - where are you? - the crowd luv u.

And exactly how often in recent memory have US distance runners medalled by hanging back in a slow race? If you're going to piss away your shot at getting on the podium then you may as well go out on your own terms rather than just letting someone else dictate the race.

There will be Dibabas around for the rest of Kara's competitive career. Billy Mills didn't race against anyone the calivber of Dibaba in 1964.... and please don't say "Ron Clarke."