Craig Virgin Comments: World Cross Country

WXC is not a major medal so for Lagat and elites WXC is optional.

Why...do...you...write...like...this..?

Behind Kenya and Ethiopia, there are lots of second-tier nations, namely Eritrea. Eritrea won silver in the men's race this March with two guys in the top five. Even if every American has a career day, there's still someone like Medhin Teklemariam who can show up to take second overall.

What makes WXC so competitive isn't that the absolute fastest runners on the track run, but that Africans you've never heard of step up to have the race of their lives.

Along with Eritrea, you can count on Morocco, Uganda, Bahrain and Qatar to field strong teams. America's best would be in the mix with these seven other teams.

No appearance money until John Hancock company got involved ,after these guys ran.

Bonus money from shoe companies and or money for things likes Craigs sipping straw as you may recall.

I would not make so much about "the team" aspect good old USA etc.

Maybe the biggest benefit is individual development , world class competition.

Learning how to race at the highest levels and what it may take to get there.

our Best? wrote:

So, I am wondering. Why does everyone keep saying the U.S.A. would do poorly? Last year, Patrick Smyth finished in 35th place. Are we to not assume there are at least 12 American runners superior to him? If the U.S. were to field the best team of runners within America, they could compete to win. I think it would be cool to see Lagat win a World XC Championship.

Care to name the 12 Americans who you think would beat Patrick Smyth over 12km XC in 2011? I think he would be sixth or seventh at worst. Last year at XC Nationals, he was the only runner who not only hung with Ritzenhein, but tried to gap him for the win.

Upon closer reflection, The Kenyan men finished as follows at the World Championships (with 5k and 10k personal bests in parenthesis), 1. Joseph Ebuya 33:00 (12:51/27:22); 4. Leonard Patrick Komen 33:10 (12:58/26:57); 7. Richard Kipkemboi Mateelong 33:29 (13:30/28:18); 8. Paul Kipngetich Tanui 33:30 (13:14/27:17).

We (U.S.A.) can't field a similar team?

Kids are different today ... they are not so much into frauds who pretend to be authorities. They know the difference.

This WXC thing is a made up controversy by a guy who makes a living as a public personality. The fact is WXC is not a major championships and elites consider it an optional race to run. Notice how American elites opt in WXC if in a safe country and opt out WXC if they fear retaliation from Islamic Resistance and Freedom Fighters.

DaveW wrote:

Kids are different today ... they are not so much into frauds who pretend to be authorities. They know the difference.

DaveW, this obsessive internet stalking behavior of yours is very creepy. Do you not see how crazy it is? You are sick. Look in the mirror and ask yourself “why am I doing this”? If that doesn’t work, then talk to someone. A friend, a family member, a priest, a rabbi, or a therapist. Even a bartender. Get help.

Don't know who either of you guys are, but if it's truly obsessive and making you afraid, contact the site owners, seriously. If it's not, simply ignore the poster. Also, the site owners are partially to blame as no one is required to register so this DaveW guy can be whoever he wants on any post. But malmo, if he's not actually making a threat, there's not much you can do as this is the nature of anonymous messageboards in the world that we live in, but I hope he stops.

Diff Gen wrote:

CV is from a different generation. Kids nowadays aren't into nationalism that much.

For Kenya and Ethiopia, WXC is about pride and nationalism; WXC makes for an easy country against country match up. Any country that wants to compare its distance running poweress against another country, the simplest way to do it is to have your XC team compete against their XC team.

Also, Kenya and Ethiopia have very few tracks and paved roads; therefore, there are not a lot of track meets or road races in-country. XC in Africa is as identifiable as a pick-up basketball game at the neighborhood playground.