Will Leer!! 13:20 5k!!! gotta love the guy!

rupp-certified saladbar wrote:

webby wrote:

...But he does need a better filter. It is not classy to call that field gutless. They were not on his level. MAYBE you call out one of the dozen Americans capable of running 13:20, but they weren't in this race, unfortunately.

Exactly. When Leer and the rest of the field at trials were too scared to push the pace with Lagat lurking in the pack, he complained and made excuses for running like a coward. Now he expects slower athletes to lead out his personal time trial and blow up?

Agreed it will be fun to hear his excuses when he gets stomped on in the circuit.

This is ridiculous. That was a championship meet. The goal was to place top 3, not to run a fast time. The goal at Mt.Sac for just about freaking everyone is to run a qualifier. Don't compare the two. Call him whinny but don't call him a hypocrite, at least not for the reasons.

Point is the guy's always got something to complain about post-race. That's all.

But won't Lagat be 41 then?

Will he be retired then, or has he said he is interested in the 2016 Olympics?

That would be amazing if he could pull that off!

Maybe Leer can make the Worlds team in the 1500 this year. He's knocking on the door.

People say this a lot because he has long hair and a mustache. But I think he actually looks a lot like frank shorter.

ttyffty wrote:

Isn't he the guy that tries to look like Pre?

The guy is the biggest crybaby in professional running. Can't cheer for him.

Dear Letsrun,

Please grow some balls. This is one of the most politically incorrect websites out there, but when an athlete is a little insensitive, you guys all b!tch about it. What do you want him to do, interview like Rupp?--" Oh I am just so happy for this opportunity...ya ya ya" Boring. The sport needs characters with TRUE emotion like Symmonds and Leer.

Sincerely,

A fan of Will Leer's orneriness

Letsrun Hypocrite Caller wrote:

Dear Letsrun,

Please grow some balls. This is one of the most politically incorrect websites out there, but when an athlete is a little insensitive, you guys all b!tch about it. What do you want him to do, interview like Rupp?--" Oh I am just so happy for this opportunity...ya ya ya" Boring. The sport needs characters with TRUE emotion like Symmonds and Leer.

Sincerely,

A fan of Will Leer's orneriness

I second this post. These folks are just depressed about how boring and monotonous there lives have become.

Probably the same people who whine about celebrations in football. He's right to call out the runners who show up to a TIME TRIAL and are still terrified to lead.

This guy bores me. Never has run world A standard in an event nor finished top 3 at USA's yet gets a lot attention. Why? Maybe because he talks a lot and tries to look like Pre.

I completely agree that the sport needs more characters and less wet blankets. I like it when athletes are candid in their interviews. But that doesn't mean I support a crybaby who whines every time the race doesn't go exactly how he wants it to with everyone working together to help Will Leer.

"He's right to call out the runners who show up to a TIME TRIAL and are still terrified to lead."

You don't know what's going on. The guy that finished behind Leer had something like a 10 second PR. And you expect him to pace Leer? You really don't have a clue.

I respect Leer's athletic ability to run fast, but you have to agree that he is a jerk towards his fellow runners. I'm surprised that Nike supports someone as unprofessional as Leer.

Leer had the 17th fastest seed time based on original entries going in to the race and finished the race with a 15 second PR. Why is it ridiculous of home to think there should be other athletes in the field that could have helped out a little? Yes, not everyone showed up and who knows when those entry times are from, I get that.

The real problem here is the disintegration of professionally organized races in the US. Correct me if I'm wrong (which I am sure someone will gladly do) but Mt. SAC gained notoriety as a great meet for the distances because "historically" it has been a place where elite athletes look to chase qualifying standards in rabbitted races, not outstanding solo efforts like Martinez in W1500, D'Agostino in W5000 and Leer in M5000 that end up pulling a field along.

These races should have had rabbits and blame should be put on the meet organizers for not providing them. I know for a fact that the athletes in the elite section of the men's 5km were told there was going to be a pace setter only to get to the line and not have one show up. THAT is unprofessional.

I bet his mustache is a stick on from a machine.

negative wrote:

I wouldn't say he was taking a shot at high schoolers

he said "the race went out super fast for the first two laps then put the breaks one, almost like a high school race" Most high schoolers with a brain know they race like that, no biggie.

He did give the 2nd place guy a bit of a jab "it turned out just a solo workout; nobody would help" meh the other guy didn't seem to mind but yea the comment could have been a little classier.

Really, that's not an insult- I've seen many 4:40 HS milers go out in 60 or 61. I always tell my guys to not get caught up in it and run your own race.

Letsrun Hypocrite Caller wrote:

Dear Letsrun,

Please grow some balls. This is one of the most politically incorrect websites out there, but when an athlete is a little insensitive, you guys all b!tch about it. What do you want him to do, interview like Rupp?--" Oh I am just so happy for this opportunity...ya ya ya" Boring. The sport needs characters with TRUE emotion like Symmonds and Leer.

Sincerely,

A fan of Will Leer's orneriness

you can have true emotion without being a complete dbag.

i can't stand the guy. i will actively cheer against him in any race he does.

Responding to "Where is the real blame":

If Leer would have come out after the race and complained against the "system (like hippies in the 70's)" I would respect that. Instead he took his frustrations out on his fellow runners.

I agree that Leer, D"Agostino and Martinez pulled their fields along and many did get PR's as a result. I would guess that Leer was the only one to insult his fellow runners after the race, while the the ladies were a class act.

Bored with Leer wrote:

This guy bores me. Never has run world A standard in an event nor finished top 3 at USA's yet gets a lot attention.

3rd at USATF in 2010 behind Lomong and Manzaono. Ahead of Torrence, Centrowitz and Brown.

USATF results:

2008 - 4th, ahead of Alan Webb

2009 - 5th

2010 - 3rd

2011 - 5th *Wheating beat him by a nipple and took the final team spot given up by Lagat

2012 - 12th lead part of the race to help the pace and bombed

So he is always a factor at USATF though never has achieved an A standard.

And he always beats people with better PR's in a championship final. He's a racer.

Don't know how that bores you.

He scares the crap out of his competitors.

I don't know about Leer's potential at 5k. I've always stated how I believe Leer is more of a 5k runner. This is a very good effort for a first track 5k in a long time, but it was also very well executed. People can get it in their heads that just because a race was their first, the next will be much faster, but I don't think that is the case here with Leer and the 5k. He was 4:21, 8:39, 9:11, 13:21 (4:10). His last 400 was a high 60. He needed a 55 for the standard, and with his speed at 1500, he should have been able to do that if the pace was as easy as he indicated with his exasperation with the competition.