Nick Symmonds Post Race Comments

Whenever you read anything written by "reality slapstick", or one of the many shifting pseudynms on this board, remember that they are often merely trolling by selectively choosing what to present to achieve the most agitation possible.

It's like cropping a photo of Cindy Crawford to just her mole, and claiming that is what her face looks like.

Again, what was said was:

"I have already modified my original position from 12.5 to 12.0, and also to 11.0 for Rudisha with sprint training"

"And finally, an emphatic NO, Rudisha CANNOT at this moment run an 11.00 100m out of blocks, although again, I believe that he certainly could if he trained for it, and that he is one of the very few 800m guys who could probably go below 11 into maybe the 10.7 range."

"I said that Rudisha could do a 12 out of the blocks right now, an 11 with very little training, and below 11 if he really tried."

"Right now--RIGHT NOW, THIS VERY MOMENT--Rudisha could run a 12-flat.

With little training--i.e. LEARNING HOW NOT TO STUMBLE FROM THE BLOCKS--he could do 11-flat.

If he tried as best he could, he might get 10.7x, as might other historical 800m greats. The very best, only a couple, might max out at 10.6x"

"OK all, how about this: everything I said, except that right now, today, at this very moment, Rudisha could run an 11.6 out of the blocks--assuming he didn't stumble or trip, or actually get slowed down by using the blocks vs not using the blocks (one of which would, IMHO, happen)--as opposed to a 12.0 if something went wrong on the start."

So my position went from 12.5 to 12.0, to 11.6.

I went from 12.0 to 11.6 to keep peace on the thread, but I really am more comfortable with 12.0--but I'll keep 11.6

WHICH IS NOT THE 12.5 THAT "REALITY SLAPSTICK" WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE.

It's all here on this thread, for those who care (probably nobody):

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=4120166&page=0

Slapstick: 0/10

No way in hell does Gay prove that Rudisha is beatable. Your logic is absurd and unsound.

Had Symmonds beaten Rudisha, Kaki, or Borza it would have beena bit upset. Those are three of the finest 800 meter runners ever.

He perhaps could have been 4th.

Sprint Geezer - you do realize that Rudisha has run 45.5 for the open 400 right?

Absolutely.

I'm not going to re-do the old thread, however.

Bottom line, all the guys that beat Nick can run a 400 under 46. He can't.

wsfjo wrote:

Bottom line, all the guys that beat Nick can run a 400 under 46. He can't.

Absolutely correct. He said he had great legs - which he preserved on the turn, yet he couldn't make any ground on the big boys in the home straight.

I think he needs to see Jenny Craig if he wants to be a better middle distance runner. He rolls around like a weightlifter.

Lets be honest making the finals is what we hope American distance runner do. A medal is just icing on the cake. Symmonds simply was not good enough to win, but unlike so many US distance runners he made the finals.

"If you don't make the finals then the show is a flop"

If is very important we have an American in the finals in the 1500. If not, then things are back in the lunn and jennings era. It will be a giant step back for US mile running. It looks like Webb and Wheating are cooked for a long time.

Rec Runner,

My logic is not absurd, my point is that the ability to win is a mindset as well as a state of physical condition. Otherwise, no one would ever beat an in-shape world record holder, as Borzakovskiy did to Kipketer, Gay did to Bolt, Lagat did to El Gerrouj etc.

Why do you think that so many no-name east Africans kill it on the world scene? Yes, they are in amazing shape, but they are also not too intimidated to go after the big boys.

Librarivore I'm with your post on all accounts.

First off kudos to Symmonds' for being so open and honest in his post race interview. I'd love to hear this kind of honesty from other athletes in T&F because it allows us fans to dissect the mindset of these fabulous competitors.

Geezer, correct me if I'm wrong but, I think your use of the word "courage" is not to imply the antonym. Courage as it applies to Symmonds’ race is more like - whether he truly believes he belongs on the World’s stage – the confidence to go when the situation arises. His comments lead me to believe that he has more work to do.

That being said this year has been a breakthrough year for Nick both tactically, physically and mentally. It bodes very well for him in his Olympic run up.

From a fan’s perspective, Symonds is not very easy on the eyes when he’s competing (it doesn’t help that he’s in the same race as Rudisha who turns the 800 into a work of art) but he certainly seems to extract every ounce of talent out of his body when he races. Symonds could be the “blue collar” athlete of the Olympics next year.

Here’s to hoping Symmonds can parlay this year into a podium finish next year as I am much more of a fan of his now than I was a week ago.

"Geezer, correct me if I'm wrong but, I think your use of the word "courage" is not to imply the antonym."

You're not wrong at all, you understood what I meant perfectly.

I feel pretty much exactly as you do about Symmonds.

A real "lunch pail" kind of guy. For me he evokes images of some declining rust-belt town, work boots, torn jeans, and just the whole Springsteen-Americana thing in general.

Here's the thing: I think he's genuine, and I like that a lot. I'd like to see him medal, for his sake.

Symmonds id the most consistent, injury-free and mentally solid world-class U.S.-born distance competitor right now. From his interview it is clear to me that he understands his event thoroughly, including his own strengths and limitations. Hopefully his consistency and tenacity will pay off in 2012.

Reviewing the race carefully, it is clear to me that Nick made one error that cost him a place to Marcin:

http://www.youtube.com/user/czatletika#p/u/4/JDZqNZZ2IxU

Nick was in perfect position with 250 meters to go, NOT 200! At 250 he is on Borza's shoulder, and protected well from a right-hand pass. HOWEVER, just before the 600m mark, he lets an opening develop between himself and Yuriy (probably unconsciously gathering for the final 200). This gap is what Lewandowski sees and shrewdly moves into as they enter the curve. By the time ML was on his shoulder, Nick is boxed and it is too late to respond (other than with the bump).

Nick's recollection of these events seems to be that they happened ON the curve, rather than before. Not surprising, as the excitement and fatigue affects one's sense of what really happened.

As far as the "fresh legs" go, he was clear of Kshczot with 80m to go yet was unable to close much on ML.

Symmonds, as I have stated above, is a great runner, but he finished where he should have, and where his PR would predict.

Man up wrote:

...But also like Bolt, Rudisha is beatable, as Tyson Gay has proven.

Tyson Gay has proven that Rudisha is beatable? When was this?

So Wait - Lewandowski has run 10.64 into a headwind...and you think that Rudisha wouldn't be able to break 11.6?

Also realize that his 2:15 1000m and 3:42 1500m suggest he has much stronger endurance than raw speed.

Rudisha on the other hand has never competed at a distance (that I can find) above the 800).

hellooooooo you need to redo your analogy

when gay beat bolt, bolt was not in shape. bolt was injured as a matter of fact. no one can beat bolt when he's well.

Sprintgeezer wrote: A real "lunch pail" kind of guy. For me he evokes images of some declining rust-belt town, work boots, torn jeans, and just the whole Springsteen-Americana thing in general.

Uh, wrong (again).

Symmonds is the son of a surgeon and a teacher and he grew up in picturesque Boise, Idaho, where there isn't a whole lot of rust. His grandfather and great-grandfather were also doctors, and his plans are to pursue medicine, too, after his running career ends. He attended a private Catholic high school and small, prestigious private college where he majored in Biochemistry. He is intelligent and this is how he runs. Yes, he's got the physical attributes, but his advantage is a mental one. He works very, very hard and studies the race and his competition. The choices he made in this race were based on what he knows of himself and the sport he's excelled at for many years. Hats off to him for all that he has accomplished this year, and best of luck to him in London.

BobLa - You are retarded. It simply has to be said.

Sprintgeezer never said that Symmonds WAS from a rust-belt town or a poor, working class family. He said "he evokes images from..."

If you do not know the difference (as you clearly do not) then you are retarded. Please stop posting.

Thanks - from all of us with functional brains.