Wow: Ben True wanted to run Brussels DL 5000, didn't get in - went to Rieti and ran 7:36

LetsRun.com wrote:

"Unfortunately due to politics I will not be racing @MVDbrussels 5k."

How did "politics" keep him out of the race in Brussels? Excluding rabbits (one from the U.S., and one from Kenya), there were five Americans, four Ethiopians, and three Kenyans in a field of seventeen. Faster Ethiopians and Kenyans seem to have better grounds for complaining about "politics" than does an American with a PB of 13:11, who isn't going to get into a world-class race without the help of "politics."

"Politics" has nothing to do with it. He simply wasn't fast enough to be entered in that 5,000.

Dude is another whiner and excuse-maker like Fam and Leer. Everything is someone else's fault.

.................... wrote:How did "politics" keep him out of the race in Brussels? Excluding rabbits (one from the U.S., and one from Kenya), there were five Americans, four Ethiopians, and three Kenyans in a field of seventeen. Faster Ethiopians and Kenyans seem to have better grounds for complaining about "politics" than does an American with a PB of 13:11, who isn't going to get into a world-class race without the help of "politics."[/quote]Well I imagine in True's mind he thinks, "Hey I just beat Hill and did all the work and Birmingham was way, way back in Moscow in the 10,000. I should be in ahead of both of them."Plus he clearly was faster than the Belgium people.An athlete isn't really thinking, "Oh they'd probably rather have two Aussies than five Americans."

Koneko wrote:

"Politics" has nothing to do with it. He simply wasn't fast enough to be entered in that 5,000.

Dude is another whiner and excuse-maker like Fam and Leer. Everything is someone else's fault.

Koneko,

How did True whine and make excuses? He didn't whine, he went to Rieti and ran the 9th fastest 3000 in US history.

True has been racing all over the globe.

Stunned to see your IP is coming from Maine. Are you just angry that a guy who was a part-time runner in HS can be so good? What did Ben do, crush you every time you guys raced in HS even though he barely ran and running was your life?

Well, Ryan Hill got in and True didn't. Yes, Hill beat a doubling-back True at USAs, but other than that, True has faster PRs and has had a more successful year. True even played a big part in pulling Hill to the standard in Heusden.

rojo wrote:

What did Ben do, crush you every time you guys raced in HS even though he barely ran and running was your life?

OWNED!!!!!

Simply not fast enough?

But faster than Ryan hill who was entered.

That's what they said.

True has two races this year that are faster that Hill's fastest including beating him head to head in Hill's PR race.

So the politics were how they placed at USATF not how fast they are.

.................... wrote:

Faster Ethiopians and Kenyans seem to have better grounds for complaining about "politics" than does an American with a PB of 13:11

Actually, it's more that the 13:10 Kenyans and Ethiopians wouldn't want to enter the race. They need the cash, so they would only enter a race where they have a shot at prize money.

And he had a faster PR than Jager. True also ran really well at the NYC Diamond League. Complete BS he didn't get in that race. All the spoiled Nike guys get in these races and rarely mix it up like True.

but Hill beat True at the US Championships and was a finalist at Worlds.

Here's the list of runners that made it into Brussels with slower season bests than True:

EL HACHIMI Abdelhadi (BEL) 13:28.05 PR, 13:28.05 SB

TASAMA Faisa Dame (ETH) 13:12.64 PR, 13:12.64 SB

JAGER Evan (USA) 13:14.60 PR, 13:14.60 SB

BIRMINGHAM Collis (AUS) 13:09.57 PR, 13:27.35 SB

TAHRI Bouabdellah (FRA) 13:12.29 PR, 13:17.42 SB

HILL Ryan (USA) 13:14.22 PR, 13:14.22 SB

RONO Vincent (KEN) 13:21.96 PR, (no time) SB

HEATH, Garrett (USA) 13:20.01 PR, 13:20.01 SB

HEATH was a pacer

RONO was a pacer

was TAHRI a pacer? or did he just DNF?

That leaves...

EL HACHIMI Abdelhadi (BEL) 13:28.05 PR, 13:28.05 SB

TASAMA Faisa Dame (ETH) 13:12.64 PR, 13:12.64 SB

JAGER Evan (USA) 13:14.60 PR, 13:14.60 SB

BIRMINGHAM Collis (AUS) 13:09.57 PR, 13:27.35 SB

HILL Ryan (USA) 13:14.22 PR, 13:14.22 SB

BIRMINGHAM has a better PR

JAGER was Top-5 at Worlds in the Steeple

HILL was a finalist at Worlds for 5k

EL HACHIMI and TASAMA getting in over TRUE is the head scratcher, but I guess that was a bit of "home cooking" on EL HACHIMI's part. Seems like there is room to complain about politics with those two getting in ahead of him. But kudos to him for finding another meet on short notice to run a great time in.

watchout wrote:

EL HACHIMI and TASAMA getting in over TRUE is the head scratcher, but I guess that was a bit of "home cooking" on EL HACHIMI's part. Seems like there is room to complain about politics with those two getting in ahead of him.

It would be very bizarre for an American to complain about the "politics" of allowing a Belgian citizen (El Hachimi) and a long-time Belgian resident and racer (Tasama) to fill out the field in a race held in Belgium, organized and sponsored by Belgians, in a stadium filled with Belgian spectators. That kind of thing happens all the time in the U.S., to the great benefit of U.S. runners. I doubt that True was complaining about the "politics" of choosing a couple of local guys over a seventh runner from the U.S.

I'm genuinely curious what he had in mind when he referred to "politics" that kept him out of the race in Brussels. I assume that he didn't want to be a rabbit, and considering the race organizers' reasonable concerns about including some local talent and assembling an internationally diverse field, I don't see him as an obvious choice over anyone who actually ran the race.

rojo wrote:

Stunned to see your IP is coming from Maine. Are you just angry that a guy who was a part-time runner in HS can be so good? What did Ben do, crush you every time you guys raced in HS even though he barely ran and running was your life?

I'm Japanese... Only traveling through Maine. Doesn't matter where True is from, he's still a whiner!

Ben True had a great season. That 13:14 he ran early in New York in horrible weather after his awesome World Cross race should have proved he was one of top runners in the world this year and on a roll.

He didn't make the Worlds at that stupid Trials race that went 14:50 but that 7:36 late in the year will get him attention next year.

clownshoes wrote:

He didn't make the Worlds at that stupid Trials race that went 14:50 but that 7:36 late in the year will get him attention next year.

What stopped True from running 14:49 at the Trials?

clownshoes wrote:

Ben True had a great season. That 13:14 he ran early in New York in horrible weather after his awesome World Cross race should have proved he was one of top runners in the world this year and on a roll.

He didn't make the Worlds at that stupid Trials race that went 14:50 but that 7:36 late in the year will get him attention next year.

7:36.59 won't get him much more notice than his 13:11.59 pr. That said the way he competed should.

Keep it classy ROJO.