USA Cross Country Championships in Spokane

Agreed. Bauhs finished in the top 60 at World XC when he was in college. I'm sure a solid team will be formed out of the Spokane race.

Lets be honest, the best story of the weekend is going to focus on how well Jarrod Shoemaker does. The guy was a pretty good runner at Dartmouth, has become one of the top triathletes in the world, and is now entered in the USATF Cross Country Championships. How will he do?

We are up to 2.

1. Ritz

2. Vail

Still not enough for a full team. It would be a shame to send guys like Bruce or Jankowski. The trip/experience days should be over.

I have a strong reccomendation. If an athlete does not finish in the top 30 at World Cross then they repay the complete cost of the trip. That would end the gravy train.

Need some advice.

I really want to race. I just moved to Portland and Spokane is in my territory for work (so it would be worth the trip for that matter too). Plus it would be nice to get to a big event like this. I haven't done any xc type of workouts or any serious workouts for that matter. I will probably run like 29 minutes and get beat by 4 minutes. If I was really ready I'd probably still get beat by at least 2-3 minutes. Should I do it? I gotta decide soon.... :) I'm not trying to make a world team. I just love to race.

hey yikes, when did you finish in the top 30 at world xc? or even finish in the top 30 of your high school state xc meet? the latter is probably a more appropriate question.

so........... wrote:

hey yikes, when did you finish in the top 30 at world xc? or even finish in the top 30 of your high school state xc meet? the latter is probably a more appropriate question.

I will take that as a vote of confidence. It sounds like you agree that none of these other guys are capable of finishing top 30 at Worlds. Instead of telling me that they will finish top 30 (a point that will obviously come back and bite you in the ass) you found it easier to attack the messenger.

Bauhs now shows up on the list of entries.

Typical letsrun envious loser. Kill those who entered because they are better than you, but not as good as you think you could be if if if if.

Gorilla Juicehead wrote:

Typical letsrun envious loser. Kill those who entered because they are better than you, but not as good as you think you could be if if if if.

I am not attacking those that are not quite good enough to make the trip. I am simply pointing out that they are not good enough.

Let me make this easier.

How many current Americans are capable of finishing top 30 in World Cross?

Maybe 12?????

How many of those will be running in Spokane? So far 2 maybe 3 if we add Bauhs to the list.

TELL ME WHO ELSE WILL BE TOP 30?

chirp.......chirp...........chirp.......chirp

sure, it'll be an exciting race, and more memorable if you were in it than if you only watch it.

Good luck! Hope you are enjoying Portland

Dave Haaga

Ok so every American who is not capable of finishing in the top 30 at world xc right now should just stay away from racing until they show ignorant losers on letsrun (like yourself) that they are capable. Good idea, let's remove any chance of developing the young up and coming runners like smyth, vega, jankowski, etc. and only allow guys like ritz and rupp to race any international events. I bet american distance running will continue to take giant leaps forward if we use this new approach! You sir, are an idiot.

This is the dumbest argument that is constantly put through these boards by the 2nd rate developmental programs. The reason to go overseas is to get competition that is not available here. If these guys are finishing a minute behind Ritz then why do they need to go get beat by the top East Africans by 2 minutes? None of these guys need to go overseas for anything other than an enjoyable vacation. Sorry if that is too harsh, but it is 100% true.

But they're not going to get beat by 2min. These guys can get in there and place in the 25-50 range and that will go a long way to helping their development. You are being way too narrow minded. Just ask Ritz how much of a shock world xc is the first time. You need experiences like that in order to develop and these young guys need to start getting in those kind of races now so that when they're 25-27 yrs old they can be established like ritz. Take dorian ulrey for example, should he not have run the rome 1500 last year because he ended up almost dead last? he got his A standard and got the world champs experience which he needs in order to go back there and improve his finish the next time. All these guys need as much international experience as they can get. Your argument is ignorant, pessimistic, and does not help American distance running in any way.

Wasn't Lopez Lamong suppose to do this race.

Also watch out for Max King if he is in this race. The guy brings it in whatever kind of race it is.

You should do it, jrudd! Even if you don't expect anything spectacular, I know you're good enough to compete with the field. I bet you would at least have fun racing.

Just for the sake of argument, what you are advocating sounds good in theory, but makes no sense in practice. You said

"You need experiences like that in order to develop and these young guys need to start getting in those kind of races now so that when they're 25-27 yrs old they can be established like ritz."

Funny thing is, at that time, there will be new guys who need the experience and we'll never send a good team and you'll never have your best racing cross as a team.

The time to get the experience is now, at USA nationals... against the best American runners. That is an experience in and of itself for guys like Smyth, Vega, et al. Racing Ritz, Rupp, a healthy Webb, Teg, etc. By gaining THAT experience maybe they can topple those guys in future years.

What you advocate is to always send the "inexperienced" guys, so they gain experience. Which just when they do, by your logic, you'll shut them out to let some more inexperienced guys go/

I see how my point could come across like that, and I completely agree with what you're saying. I would love to see the top guys running world xc every year. But my argument is in regards to this year, or any year where a lot of the top established guys are not choosing to race world xc. In these years you can't just say: "well none of these young guys should go". These years are the young guys' opportunity to go over there, take some chances, and learn learn learn!

Yikes it looks bad wrote:

This is the dumbest argument that is constantly put through these boards by the 2nd rate developmental programs. The reason to go overseas is to get competition that is not available here. If these guys are finishing a minute behind Ritz then why do they need to go get beat by the top East Africans by 2 minutes? None of these guys need to go overseas for anything other than an enjoyable vacation. Sorry if that is too harsh, but it is 100% true.

There is plenty of top quality competition in the US (from fellow Americans AND Africans racing here). Don't have to go to a world champs to get experience....there is plenty stateside.

Whom exactly benefitted from that B or C level team that went to Mombasa?

A fitness test as well as a qualifier should be required when injury is an issue....ie Ritz in Athens.

Do you want to spend travel funds....or do you want to spend travel funds WISELY?

Send a team....or send a competitive team?????

OK, I agree with that. You can only compete against the competition and that is how you earn your spot. If a bunch of 27:10-27:40 types don't show, and we send a young team that has PR's in the 28:00-28:30 range, so be it. You're right, they will gain great international experience that will only help them. You and I agree.