kenyan 5/10000 trials will be held at the preclassic on june 2nd

If I'm AK, I would not do it that way. I can understand wanting to get the race done away from altitude and do it in a place where it might get some more media attention around the world. I can even understand wanting all the world's talent involved. But I don't think it's wise for the country. Just imagine if somebody like Rupp, a non-Kenyan, trips and takes down a favored Kenyan athlete with him. What a controversy that would start.

I'd rather the Kenyans ran their trials at Pre, but in a race with just Kenyans. I'm a fan of putting the best competition in the same races, but for a country's trials that already has high competitive quality I'm not sure it's wise.

shoebacca is right, but holy cow what a set of races that would be, provided enough Kenyans can afford to come.

Hmm...I wonder if this is a way for AK to filter out the up and comers who can't afford $5,000 to fly to the US for a meet. AK hates up and comers.

Does not make sense ? They have never done this before outside of the marathon. Nike may be flying a bunch a kenyans over to compete and a corrupt official is saying this is trial ?

Please give us the background on this , thank you.

Shoebacca wrote:

I can understand wanting to get the race done away from altitude.

Pretty sure Mombasa is at sea level, but like you say, it wouldn't attract world attention as much.

This could be great. Why not do separate races the day before the meet like that 30k race last year? Eliminates some of the less desirable variables. Would still generate a lot of interest.

If accurate this is great news for all fans of distance running wanting to see the world's best racers right in our own back yard (for those in the U.S., that is.)

Kudos to Athletics Kenya if this is indeed their decision, as I think that choosing their Olympic teams based on races in front of sold-out crowds of running fanatics is a wonderful idea and sure to be a treat for everyone who loves running at the highest level.

Woot!

thinker of things wrote:

Shoebacca wrote:

I can understand wanting to get the race done away from altitude.

Pretty sure Mombasa is at sea level, but like you say, it wouldn't attract world attention as much.

One nice thing about Oregon is that the weather is likely to be similar to London's. Mombasa would mean sweltering heat which could affect the outcome of the race. Wasn't World XC held in Mombasa a few years ago with many of the top runners dropping out due to the heat?

I am not believing this. A former colony with a justifiable chip on its shoulder is not going to have its trials in a different country.

Shoebacca wrote:

If I'm AK, I would not do it that way. I can understand wanting to get the race done away from altitude and do it in a place where it might get some more media attention around the world. I can even understand wanting all the world's talent involved. But I don't think it's wise for the country. Just imagine if somebody like Rupp, a non-Kenyan, trips and takes down a favored Kenyan athlete with him. What a controversy that would start.

I'd rather the Kenyans ran their trials at Pre, but in a race with just Kenyans. I'm a fan of putting the best competition in the same races, but for a country's trials that already has high competitive quality I'm not sure it's wise.

Same thing can happen in the Olympics. It's racing, this is a fantastic decision.

It is simple economics. If the trials are held in Kenya, AK has to take on the expense and, even with strong sponsorship, will be lucky to break even. Pre-classic will pay top dollar to get the Kenyans to the US. AK will probably make a lot of money off of their trials instead of possibly losing money. If that money goes to improving the training conditions for Kenyan runners, then it is a great move. If that money goes into the pockets of the corrupt AK officials, then it might be better to just have AK lose money instead.

But it will be an amazing race. The Kenyans are at an unfair disadvantage at the Olympics in that they can only bring 3-4 of their best. An injury or two and a bad race or two and the Kenyans could lose out on medal spots to inferior runners. This might be the only time a full field of Kenyans goes up against the rest of the world. We will really know whether the rest of the world can really compete with the Kenyans.

agip wrote:

I am not believing this. A former colony with a justifiable chip on its shoulder is not going to have its trials in a different country.

It could be worse. At least Kenya and the USA both have a shared history of fighting the British Empire.

Yeah this is going to be good for Track and field here in the US when all these Kenyans come over and embarrass us in one of our premiere events.

Precious Roy wrote: This might be the only time a full field of Kenyans goes up against the rest of the world.

Right on! These could be the kind of true dream match-ups that only rarely take place. I think such races would be win-win situations for both Kenya and U.S. athletes, and maybe a glimpse of things to come as our sport evolves.

Might this meet be better than the Olympics, then, with more of the actual best runners represented?

And, if the Kenyans are so great and so deep, might a guy like Rupp not race, as he wouldn't really have anything to gain from not winning a hard-fought race?

"might a guy like Rupp not race, as he wouldn't really have anything to gain from not winning a hard-fought race?"

Quite the opposite. Rupp will learn a great deal about race tactics when you have what could be the greatest field ever assembled on US soil.

I wouldn't be surprised, though, if Mo ducks this race. He is used to winning now and winning against this crop of talent will be damn near impossible. His worst nightmare is to be leading with a lap to go and 30 Kenyans on his tail ready to pounce.

"He is used to winning now and winning against this crop of talent will be damn near impossible. His worst nightmare is to be leading with a lap to go and 30 Kenyans on his tail ready to pounce."

This is exactly the logic that I thought might apply to Rupp!

Cr@p, hit return too soon...

Rupp seeming to be so emotionally fragile.

Plus, I don't know how team tactics would figure into the race in Eugene--are there a number of different camps among the Kenyan ranks, and will they be employing team tactics against each other? Or will they run as a bloc? Or will they use a unified team tactic until there are 2 laps remaining, and then have it every man for himself?

I admittedly don't know jack about distance running, but it would seem to me that this race might not present the best learning experience for Rupp as far as Kenyan racing tactics at the Olympics will be concerned.

Sprintgeezer wrote:

Cr@p, hit return too soon...

Rupp seeming to be so emotionally fragile.

I don't see him that way. I'm actually quite impressed with his toughness. If these races are open to non-Kenyans, I imagine Rupp will compete if the pollen count isn't too high. Not a knock on him either. It's Nike's big track event on U.S. soil at Rupp's alma mater. If his allergies are good to go, he races.