Lukas Verzbicas Runs Hometown Turkey Trot

yagtash wrote:

WTFFFFFFF???????? he ran 5:25 pace for a 2.5 mile road race?? This kid seemed like he was on the verge of being paralyzed and was probably never expected to move around normally again, much less be able to jog, and now he's running sub 5:30 pace. Absolutely unreal improvement from such a deep low point.

To be honest, I stopped being a fan of his after the Oregon thing, but this recovery and return to sports is heartwarming as fvck. Very happy for him and his family.

This won't be a popular view, but one explanation for his miraculous recovery is that his injuries weren't QUITE as serious as the BroTwats reported. Remember the headlines? "Nearly Died!!!" Gasp! (not exactly true, but hey). " Learns how to walk all over again!!!! ( again, not true. He was temporarily unable to walk. He did not have to learn all over again). Of course, he was badly hurt, but not at death's door. I wish him a full and speedy recovery and continued athletic success .

This is not a Lukas bashing post - it's a shoddy-journalism bashing post. Lets run and others exaggerate, use hyperbole and sensationalism to get

us to read. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story, eh?

People are failing to recognize the accomplishment of Zach Dahleen in this turkey trot. He beat Lukas by over 20 seconds and Lukas is a sub-4 miler and Zach has only run 4:00.1. Props.

I don't understand high school journalism's perspective.

What ever the medical diagnosis, it is clear that there were significant questions about his ability to walk after the accident. Indeed, walking was initially difficult. And his weight loss is consistent with a severe, traumatic accident. This guy was very badly banged up.

I for one am glad he is able to exercise and hopefully lead an active life going forward.

I have a different perspective, too on his future. I understand that competing at a high level is part of his identity and the way he expresses himself (I was a 4:08 high school miler back in the day from Illinois myself so I get it). But I wonder whether high athletic expectations are the best thing here. Given what happened, I would focus on overall fitness as part of a balanced life above all else. There is something to be said to the notion that every day above ground is a good one, and I would if I were him be very open to the notion that living as an ex-high school sports star is an OK thing as long as he is secure in his identity going forward and develops in other areas of his life. To put it another way, I simply hope he is healthy.

he's the biggest jerk ever wrote:

My son and I met him several times and its super hard to cheer for the biggest jerk we have ever met ! His nose was so far in the air he wouldn't even be polite! And there were several occasions in different settings! So it was consistent behavior! Add OR and we have nothing good to say about him at all! Thought you might like to know the real LV!!!

But still would never wish ill of someone , and hope he can recover !

Reeaaalllyyy ???

Look, I see the point you are trying to make. However, the time for him to consider making peace with the idea of making being healthy and being able to walk normally as his main goals, and learning to be satisfied with achieving those were in the hours and days immediately after the accident. I am sure he was crushed by those possibilities, but I am also sure he dealt with them too in a realistic way. But of course his ultimate goal was to comeback as an athlete, and then even become as good and better than he ever was.

And now, with his amazingly quick progress, those seem like more realistic goals than before. Of course he should shoot for them if he has a chance to reach those levels! If over the next few years he runs into injury/health/muscle weakness problems related to his accident, and his progress slows or goes nowhere, THEN he needs to really start thinking about what else he can achieve in life, and deal with the real possibilities that he will never be in the Olympics, or win it.

But until then, he has every right to be dreaming big, and not settling for or considering what life could be like as an "ex-HS sports star," as you put it.

And no offense, but while 4:08 is of course pretty amazing, it's not 3:59/8:29 (insane)/Jr WORLD CHAMP triathlon amazing. That's once in a lifetime amazing (that combination of performances). That's nearly Alan Webb/Jim Ryun type of amazing. So it's way too early for a guy like that, who is already showing incredible progress, to begin preparing for life after sports. He's one in a million, and his recovery may prove that yet again.