TEG - 1st 5K guy not born in Africa!

Two years ago, he was ONE STEP out of a medal behind the same Lagat.

Bear of Bad News wrote:

yeah cool wrote:

If he had BP'd, he woulda won.

Just to make sure, you are kidding, right?

Not kidding, he ran like a guy just happy to be there.

He or Solinsky should have pushed the pace and used team tactics on Bekkele, so that Lagat would have a better shot...since these guys just played into the faster kickers hands.

Total puss race by Teg and Solinsky.

I would rather see a guy try and push the pace in a slow starting race like that, and at least try and run a sub 4, or push it with 5 laps to go, something, mix it up.

All the white Americans did was try and stay with the pack and hope for...something.

You want to really put your nose in? Run like Bob Kennedy, or Mottram.(sp)

They were not even in the race.

Lagat, on the other hands, knows that he can kick with the kickers...

Which is why he has so many medals.

So when you imagine Teg winning by running a BP, are you assuming that everyone else on the track would just run the same race that they ran as the race actually played out? You don't think that Bekele would have just run with whatever pace Teg set and then demolished him in the end?

Bear of Bad News wrote:

So when you imagine Teg winning by running a BP, are you assuming that everyone else on the track would just run the same race that they ran as the race actually played out? You don't think that Bekele would have just run with whatever pace Teg set and then demolished him in the end?

You're right, Teg should have just run the wimpy race that he did, because he couldn't have run any better by trying.

You've misquoted me quite severely. I simply pointed out that the statement that Teg would have won the race had he run a PB was ridiculous. Anything else that you read into my statement is your own addition, not mine.

8isgreat wrote:

In the US, that means finding all the Somalian and Ethiopian immigrants in places like Minnesota (like that Futsum freshman kid who just finished top 10 in Footlocker),

He's from Indiana.

It is something for the sociologists (ha!) to figure out why

European runners are slower than 25 years ago, while athletes

in others sports have improved.

The Africans may still be superior genetically, but the above

is baffling.

peachtree wrote:

But they do give prize money for being the first white guy at US road races. Maybe the IAAF should consider doing the same.

They do? I've never once seen prize money based on race. I've seen plenty based on citizenship though.

I'm pretty sure that if Lopez Lomong or Bernard Lagat showed up at your Turkey Trot, they'd be eligible for the American-only prize money.

8isgreat wrote:

Dude, don't fool yourself. Those Brits had the records before Africans had any real interest in running. The only way anybody challenges the Africans in distance running now is if they cultivate their local African talent. In the US, that means finding all the Somalian and Ethiopian immigrants in places like Minnesota (like that Futsum freshman kid who just finished top 10 in Footlocker), and same thing in England - scour the muslim neighborhoods of Birmingham and London looking for Somali studs. The Rupps, Webbs, Tegs, will be good for 8th through last in finals, and I'm saying that is pretty good for them, so give them their props.

So how come none of the Kenyan's or Ethiopian born or raised in the UK or USA reach the highest level. I'm not talking 10th in some local race I mean world record holders or medalists It is because they do not live at or train at altitude. One came over here World Junior 1/2 marathon champion. 3 years later away from altitude and he's running 69 mins for the 1/2!

Mo Farah was born at sea level and does not come from a country known for distance running. He reached a certain level by training in the UK, then a higher level by training with the East Africans at altitude - something which does not seem to occur as being a good idea for other Europeans.

Nearly 30 years on those UK middle distance times are still up there. If Moorcroft was running today he would be miles under 13 mins. He was a part time runner, without advances in training and physio.

Put the top 50 UK distance runners in an EA training camp for 3 years then see where we are. You need to train like the best and with the best (East African's) at altitude. - and not for a couple of bloody weeks- for months at time again and again. The runners with European ancestory who went sub 13 did this

How fast did Teg run his last lap?

How fast did KennyB and Lagat?

I thought Teg and Soliksky closed in 52 at US nationals. I can't imagibe they closed in 52 today and lost that much ground.

who the hell cares? he wasn't up there when they men took off so who cares what color he is? He was simply an also ran.

They may have closed in 52 at Nationals but the pace today was so up and down and fast times which meant only the big guns would have a 52 left in their legs at the end. Note Farah said in his interview something to the effect of - I was confident I go with them at the bell but just had nothing left. Understandable off such an erratic pace and with the 5k prelims in his legs. Bet same goes for the Teg and Solly.

Isaac Newton wrote:

It's not about "lifestyle" advantages, it's about the hardwired "genetic" advantages. There will ALWAYS be a first white guy, and we need to congratulate him on achieving 100% of his genetic potential!

A white guy can no more win an international distance race than an illegal landscaper can hope to contribute to string theory.

Your anal-y-sis needs more work.

TEG is likely to be the first red-headed white dude to finish in most all of the races he runs in. In fact TEG will likely always be the first 6'2", redheaded, white male born, Jan 19 1982, to finish his races

I like the new revolution of American distance runners, Ritz, Rupp, Teg, Solinsky, Jager, but the only way they'll medal is to actually challenge for the lead. Teg and Solinsky seemed to be comfortable sitting in that lead pack, not making any moves, and finishing way below their own personal bests.

While the pace picked up, Lagat and Bekele had already run previous finals, and both set the table for guys like Solinsky and Teg to medal. They chose to sit back and run much slower than their own PR's. That's not good enough. At least Symmonds tried to win.

While I agree that the East Africans have some great genetics as well as work ethic, the only way the Americans will move forward in distance running is to try and win these races.

Kara Goucher, Teg, and Solinsky, all had grand opportunities today to medal with slow paces and ideal weather. I know they tried their best, but it appears they get psyched out very easily.

I'm tired of U.S. distance runners sitting back watching the world go by.

So go train, or put a group together and show them the way. You seem to have it all figured out. Where are your guys that you have influenced? Where is your training group? While hundreds of men and women around the country are working their arses literally off, living still on nothing much better than Ramen, you're dreaming up new ways to tear them to pieces when they don't do what YOU want them to in championship races.

How about you do what they do: stop complaining and start working. Then you'll start to see medals.

Teg and Solinsky are learning. 2 years ago Teg ran a great race. He ran one great race. He kicked one time. He and Solinsky have talked and talked and talked after last season as well about not doing enough mileage to be there at the end when the race is harder. They were both very confident in their kicking abilities. The previous poster was exactly right. Their best case scenario to medal was that race today. The pace cranked up the last mile, the overall time was slow and they were right there(Teg anyway) with 400 to go and 200 to go, and then he got owned. I admire both of them, but it is completely idiotic to think they can kick with those guys. Lagat and Bekele had to have legs in far worse condition than these 2 had and they still got drilled. Train hard, but shut up and prove that you can finish with these guys more than one time out of every race you've run with them to start talking about how you are strong enough to close with them, because off a slow pace, they couldn't do it. Off a hard pace, they aren't even in the race.

Well, I actually like the U.S. runners but feel they're missing it mentally to challenge for the lead. I'm not "dreaming" of ways to tear them to pieces, just commenting on the race. You don't have it all figured out either, otherwise you wouldn't be applauding 8th place finishes.

The U.S. has a fine group of runners right now -- Ritz, Teg, Solinsky, Jager, Rupp (I'm sure you hate him, for no good reason), Symmonds, Webb (I'm sure you hate him, too) -- but I believe the next step is mentally, not physically.

Teg and Solinsky can run that winning time that was posted today. Would've Bekele or Lagat just amped it up a bit more if they came alongside? Yes. But at least I wish they would've make a bit more of an effort to try and win the race.

We have a good group right now in the U.S., the next step is mentally and if that's criticism and the athletes and fans can't handle my soft critique, we need to quit the sport immediately and get completely out of distance running.

Isaac Newton wrote:

It's not about "lifestyle" advantages, it's about the hardwired "genetic" advantages. There will ALWAYS be a first white guy, and we need to congratulate him on achieving 100% of his genetic potential!

A white guy can no more win an international distance race than an illegal landscaper can hope to contribute to string theory.

Yeah. Let's face it - white guys can't really compete. Probably the only way to make the whole thing fair is to broaden things up from the current two separate divisions to three - Men, White Men, and Women so that everyone with a clear genetic handicap will have some chance to compete successfully.