Alberto Salazar is bad for American distance

First you say he is bad for distance running but don't offer an explanation as to why.

Next you say he is a great coach but starts with athletes who are already good.

Then you say he has an advantage over other coaches.

Then you say he could offer more to the running world.

So... how exactly is he bad for distance running?

1. He doesn't "take" athletes. They go to him.

2. This is a good thing. A very good thing.

3. His allegiance is to his athletes. What else would you expect?

4. I've had the pleasure of hearing him speak and find him to be very accommodating regarding his philosophy and methods. Take a look at some of the YouTube videos regarding pool training, for example.

Oh, is that right, well then Mr. how do you explain all of the good athletes he has? Next thing you'll be saying that Michael Jordan should have been playing TENNIS!!

Let me tell you something Mr., most coaches couldn't shine Salazar's shoes!

He is good because he coaches good running.

He is proper.

Good coaching is performance enhancing. WADA should ban it.

If it came to proper form, then success would not only be his. I'm willing to bet my bottom dollar that it's not even him fine-tuning details in form when they are measured.

I guess a I rattled many cages, and I guess I was looking to have a discussion being that my claims were indeed very opinion based as the nature of coaching can be. I believe that he has earned tremendous respect, but I will not sheepishly follow what may not all be rightfully his. Yes, I may be tainting the current holy grail of running, but I ask you both for and against me to analyze this issue that is not improving us as a nation as a whole.

Anyone who has taken a home grown American kid to Olympic 10k silver is NOT bad for American distance running. I don't care how he did it. Good on him.

as for his training methods being secret, he has written at least 2 books, which are in depth on his training methods, even giving sample weeks depending on distance the runner is focusing on.

fjallraven wrote:

Anyone who has taken a home grown American kid to Olympic 10k silver is NOT bad for American distance running. I don't care how he did it. Good on him.

Truth. I will not deny it at all. IT was one of the best moments for American Distance. But for a moment, think if he spoke very openly about his precise methods. Maybe we would have more homegrown success. Just because we did well doesn't mean we have reached the top. There can be better.

1. Way to blur the degrees of "success". To take someone very very good to become a major championship medalist really is a huge step. If it weren't, where are all the coaches that you say could do the same?

2. I know, I hate it too when hard working people are successful because they also have the resources they need.

3. LIke another said, his allegience is to the athlete. If other world class runners (that are american) approach him, I am sure he would coach them too. Oh, wait . . .

4. He is open and honest about his methods. But every elite coach has their own twist on things and it can be difficult to understand them if not always around them. And in my opinion, it would be very boastful and selfserving if he were to grandstand on his athletes' success and preach his methods. Instead, he's focused on helping his athletes first.

Now if he could only coach the marathon.

He is ruining the health and reputations of several of his athletes. Rupp has to take thyroid medications for the rest of his life now. He could have avoided this by simply resting and reducing his training to a load his body can manage naturally. Salazar has no clue about ethics, and the reputations of his athletes here in the US and overseas is horrible. The mainstream media have even picked up Salazar's ethical violations, including the Wall Street Journal. International coaches, including Jos Hermans, are outraged at Salazar's use of Therapeutic Use Exemptions to gain an edge.

Someone at Nike should mentor Salazar to ethically consider the long-term health and reputations of his athletes. What will be the eventual fallout if the hormone drugs are placed on the banned list? What will happen if the athletes taking all these medicines have future health issue? Could these athletes in the future sue Salazar/Nike for causing these health problems?

Thanks guye! I think all of your points are on spot, but I am always to to expand on what is already there and see if we could somehow find shortcomings to overcome and find another standard of excellence. I guess pursuit of perfection is often futile anyway!

Yeah that silver medal set us back YEARS!!!

AnonymousPseudonym wrote:

Yeah that silver medal set us back YEARS!!!

Hey, I heard reading is required in public schools these days.

He is also a wizard and uses black magic to make people run faster

I don't understand why people think Alberto is such a great coach. Yes, he had huge success with Galen. Mo did improve under him, though he was already a sub-13 runner and still improving when he went over. There are tons of other runners that are or have been under Alberto that could have arguably done better or just as well with any other coach. Ritz, Webb, the Gouchers, Amy Begley, Ciaran, and Dorian Ulrey, come to mind.

Really, he has one great triumph in Rupp and a minor one in Mo. Is Scott Rascko (sp?) a great coach because he coached an athlete to the AR in the mile?

I think I'm...err..I mean Alberto's a very good coach.

Many would argue that Rupp got silver because he got to train with the gold medalist. All of the criticisms of Salazar in the OP could be the same for Rosa, Canova, Mills etc. Pro T&F is not fair. Salazar gets results. That is about all that matters.

non sensical stupidity best sums up your post.

Bottom line , Al has created a model for coaching and supporting elites that makes for a great blueprint for success at the highest competitive levels.

It does not work for all athletes as no program is the end all be all.

His coaching methods are transparent as any coaches and just a few clicks away.

The hope is that elements of what he is doing spills over into the coaching mainstream and develops aspects that can be transferred to all levels.