RunningTimes : The rise, fall and rebirth of Josh McDougal

Josh's passion for running is one of a kind. I believe there are many out there like him. My question is, is he able to coach and do other things? Sports injuries do happen all the time and it takes a short time for some to recover and for some it may take longer. Many athletes have been retired by injuries. I hope it is not the case with Josh, but if it is, it appears to me that he has passion for coaching. That would be a perfect place for him. He should borrow from examples like Henry Ronoh, Daniel Komen, Noah Ngeny etc. Life has to continue even after injuries.

Potentially wrote:

Josh's passion for running is one of a kind. I believe there are many out there like him...

Hmmmmmmm.....

Wow, that was pathetic ^^^^ show some respect. Its not like a pussy little stress fracture in the 3rd metartarsal or whatever. This is obviously seriously and cant be diagnosed and not easy to take care of. Its really awesome how he sees more to life that running. Even if he did continue with his career he would eventually have to give it up and then what?? Atleast he realizes now that he wont be running forever.

I saw on his facebook that he is "far healthier" than he was last year this time and is running 70m a week. If this is true eventually he might be back into the 90s or 100s.

This article is really sad. I don't know what's up with all the haters, but in this article McDougal is nothing like Ryan Hall with his talk of God. He seems mature and reasonable.

I really hope he gives it another shot. I am definitely rooting for him, as I was when he outkicked Rupp in Terre Haute.

I hope McDougal goes for it, for his own sake, even if it seems like a long shot and the chances are that the injury might return. Still he's got to go for it. He's got too much talent and trained far to much to not give it his best shot. Yes, it might take 2 or 3 years of his life and there's no guarantee of any success, but still he'll always wonder the rest of his life what could've been. Better to have tried and failed than not try at all, even if it seems like a long shot. And I say all this with his best interest at heart. Either way, I hope he's at peace with himself and as a runner.

I think the article is satire. The author is listed as "Phil Latter," presumably pronounced like "fellator." This is nothing but a cheap shot at Jesus Christ himself (rest his soul, assuming he's still dead for now) and the only question is whether McDougal himself has sold out his faith and is somehow complicit in the whole mess.

Dude has the talent, he just needs to man up and get some help with the right PEDs. Get healthy and get his mojo back. Find out if he's really a world beater or not. I mean, he'll never get healthy without 'em. He'll never have the drive/mentality without 'em. So either sh*t or get off the pot.

Sounds like he's done.

Mixed methaphor wrote:

lade da wrote:

Sounds like he has hung in the towel.

If you "Hang in your towel", do you "Throw up your shoes"?

A rolling stone is worth two in the bush. Just remember that

Mixed methaphor wrote:

lade da wrote:

Sounds like he has hung in the towel.

If you "Hang in your towel", do you "Throw up your shoes"?

Beautiful.

I agree with most of what you said here. That first quote up there makes it sound like he considers all lifting and core exercises pointless and counterproductive, and if that's the case, I'm willing to write him off right now. He may just be talking about his own routine where he possibly:

a) did too much

b) wrong exercises

c) both

On top of that, his mileage isn't unheard of. There are plenty of runners running 115-140 mile weeks that have had long careers. I haven't heard of anyone doing all that in singles, though.

Anyone know where I can see the "legendary" logs?

Seems like you're barking up the wrong sleeve.

Ask Samuel Chelenga what he thinks of Josh McDougal.

McDougal should try 150 miles a week in triples. I'm sure he'll burn that bridge when he gets to it.

Now you're just pissing into a dead horse.

I raced (and beat!) Josh Mcdougal at a little AAU regional meet almost 13 years ago when I was 14 and he was maybe 11 or 12. He and his brother were just these tiny little prepubescent kids but I could tell even then that Josh was totally consumed by running even at that young of an age. It didn't surprise me when he became well known on the national scene in high school. I don't think most people get really into running until they're jr or sr year of high school, but Josh has spent over half of his life and most of his childhood devoted to running. When you're life has been defined by running for so long, an injury of that magnitude has got to pretty much derails one's entire identity. It seems like he wants to pursue some other things in life. Can you really blame him?

Pumpy From HCWDB.com wrote:

Truth Sayer wrote:

I take this as an insult to those of us who are putting in a lot of time - even for small gains.

Are you focusing on running alone? He said "just focusing on running," not "putting in a lot of time."

If you care only about running and you are not an international threat, something is wrong with your life. It is a sad, sad existence. Running is a great activity. A great passion, even, but don't make it out to be more than it is.

Guys. McDougal is making how much running? It will be a sustainable career, to support himself and a family, for how long? Is running going to put his future kids through college? No. Therefore, it should only be a hobby, something to maintain fitness.

You get this one life (notwithstanding what McDougal would tell you). Why spend all the years of your youth tracking miles and doing workouts? Life's about evolving. Do something different.

It's funny, for all the talk about how few chances there are for "professional" runners to make much money, running offers mediocre talents numerous ways to remain completely consumed by it. Marathons, road races, club cross country--it's not like you see mediocre high school or college football players spending hours in the gym and on the practice field after their high school / college careers are over. It's great that running's an individual sport, but it also instills in people (men in particular) a perpetual adolescence that is really harmful to some of them.

I used to run at a major college. I was only average. I had a number of bona fide stud teammates, though. They're now easing out of their prime--but they're still hammering out the miles, without really any plan for the future, for getting married, having a family, a career, being self-sufficient. Some of them still live in glorified campus dorms almost 10 years later.

And this is viewed as somehow noble, or dedicated, or as some kind of starving artist integrity. It's not. It's Peter Pan syndrome. You're missing the prime of your lives if you're not getting paid at least 40K a year (that is, what you could earn at any entry level job) to run. And you'll regret it.

Dude, you're going all adult on us. Remember, this is LetsRun where your dreams...or something.