Great story. Thanks for posting that. I always wondered what became of this kid. If he can stay healthy, he has a bright future. Awesome that he has other priorities in life too and doesn't put all of his eggs in one basket.
Great story. Thanks for posting that. I always wondered what became of this kid. If he can stay healthy, he has a bright future. Awesome that he has other priorities in life too and doesn't put all of his eggs in one basket.
He got this far, but maybe he'd be an Olympian and 3 minutes faster if he fully committed himself. Unfortunately, most regular people like yourself don't understand this-- that is why you and Jimmy are regular people. To be extra-ordinary comes at a price.
not really inspired wrote:
Unfortunately, most regular people like yourself don't understand this-- that is why you and Jimmy are regular people. To be extra-ordinary comes at a price.
luckily for us, we've got extraordinary people like "not really inspired" to provide us with such pearls of wisdom...
not really inspired wrote:
He got this far, but maybe he'd be an Olympian and 3 minutes faster if he fully committed himself. Unfortunately, most regular people like yourself don't understand this-- that is why you and Jimmy are regular people. To be extra-ordinary comes at a price.
It's quotes like yours that piss me off daily. What's wrong with a guy working to make a living AND striving to do the best that he can in the sport of running? You can't deny that a 2:12 debut is Awesome for a guy like Jimmy, and many guys who sell their souls to the sport while not working regular jobs never run this fast. I'm completely impressed and was really happy for him. Hopefully most others feel the same.
lol@tards.. wrote:
luckily for us, we've got extraordinary people like "not really inspired" to provide us with such pearls of wisdom...
Yes, lucky for you to be provided a pearl of wisdom by an extraordinary person.
GWT wrote:
It's quotes like yours that piss me off daily. What's wrong with a guy working to make a living AND striving to do the best that he can in the sport of running? You can't deny that a 2:12 debut is Awesome for a guy like Jimmy, and many guys who sell their souls to the sport while not working regular jobs never run this fast. I'm completely impressed and was really happy for him. Hopefully most others feel the same.
See other thread (post collegiate training groups) where somebody quotes Joe Vigil on how running itself is a full-time job. Thing is, running talent varies widely and Jimmy might be one of those guys who in the right situation could be a 2:09 guy instead of a 2:12 guy.
Granted, some people are willing to compromise for the sake of maintaining a balanced, well-rounded life. Jimmy might also be the type who mentally would wilt or get bored if asked to just run, eat, and sleep...rinse and repeat.
oh man, I grew up the same one block from Cal State Long Beach and that is one crappy place to run 140 miles per week. I feel even more respect for the guy.
There's no reason you can't run to your potential while working full time. Yuki Kawauchi works full time and has run a 2:08 without great basic speed. Wesley Korir has run 2:06 and still works as some kind of handyman at Louisville. Frank Shorter ran well while attending Law School.
Running takes up at most 2 hours a day. If you insist on doing all the other stuff, you're still at 3 hours. That leaves plenty of time for a standard 8 hour workday.
mr. Toad RIP wrote:
Jimmy might be one of those guys who in the right situation could be a 2:09 guy instead of a 2:12 guy.
He's only run one marathon-- stop with the "x:xx guy" stuff.
Only on this site would a working class runner get railed on for running a 2:12 debut at the Trials.
Exactly, this is the kind of guy we should be emulating not ripping.
Graeme McDowell wrote:
Exactly, this is the kind of guy we should be emulating not ripping.
The irony of Letsrun. On another thread, someone was saying guys need to "step it up" to be competitive with the likes of Abdi and the rest of the world, while on this thread people are applauding Jimmy Grabow for working a full-time job and running 2:12 to come up 3 min. short of being an Olympian.
You can have it both ways, he notes he doesn't have the most stressful job in the world.
We saw it the other day with quotes by both Trafeh and Lagat who each train quite differently. If they flipped schedules would Lagat be even better, or would he be overtrained.
He may never be a 2:09/2:10 guy...but he also won't be wondering what he's going to do with the rest of his life at the age of 30 after hanging them up.
Either way guys like him provide a fun follow over the next 4 years to see what he can accomplish.
Nothing but the Truth wrote:
mr. Toad RIP wrote:Jimmy might be one of those guys who in the right situation could be a 2:09 guy instead of a 2:12 guy.
He's only run one marathon-- stop with the "x:xx guy" stuff.
Dude ran 2:12:29 in a real race on a non-aided course. Doesn't matter if he did it only 1 time or 101 times. Dude IS a 2:12 guy.
Doesn't Haile Gebrselassie have a job?
you have got to be kidding wrote:
Nothing but the Truth wrote:He's only run one marathon-- stop with the "x:xx guy" stuff.
Dude ran 2:12:29 in a real race on a non-aided course. Doesn't matter if he did it only 1 time or 101 times. Dude IS a 2:12 guy.
You clearly missed my point. Referring to him a "2:12 guy" when he's only run one marathon is an insult. You know nothing of his potential in the event; but, nonetheless, you're quick to give him a meaningless label. He debuted faster than all three guys who just made the team-- there's no reason to believe he can't run faster in the future. Were people referring to Abdi as a "2:17 guy" after his debut?
I can definitely see the arguments pro and con. Ultimately it all comes down to what Jimmy wants. If he wants to be the best distance runner he can possibly be then he should drop everything else and take up running as a full-time job. On the other hand, if Jimmy's goal is to run as fast as he can while also working 40 hours a week and working on getting another Master's degree, then he seems to be doing just fine as is. Either way he's one hell of a runner and he has my respect.
Not entirely sure Wesley Korir still works as a custodian, or whatever he was doing before. Heard he was training in Iten this week.
Nothing but the Truth wrote:
... He debuted faster than all three guys who just made the team-- there's no reason to believe he can't run faster in the future. Were people referring to Abdi as a "2:17 guy" after his debut?
Ryan Hall - 2:08:24
What surprises me is how this guy didn't come off as being super talented. He seemed to have improved quite a bit with pure hard work and mileage. I think his story is more inspirational to most of us than someone like Ritz who claims he is always near 14 5K shape.