Where does Rupp come in your all-time greatest American distance runner list?

I want to say 1st, but it's too hard to ignore his record against Lagat.

1. Lagat

2. Rupp

3. Ryun

4. Meb

5. Hall/Webb/Ritz

Ryun over Rupp. WR greater than AR.

Lagat did his greatest feats as a Kenyan, not an American. As an American he has been very good, but nothing great.

The Rocket. wrote:

I want to say 1st, but it's too hard to ignore his record against Lagat.

1. Lagat

2. Rupp

3. Ryun

4. Meb

5. Hall/Webb/Ritz

No Shorter? No Liquori? Ryun #3?

Rupp is #1

Nuff Said.

gale force wrote:

After running 26.44 tonight and with his other ARs.

What other ARs?

13:01 and 8:07 indoors. your welcome.

well, this is his 4th AR of the year, and he broke his own AR in this race...

The other ARs are imaginary. Fanboys have vivid imaginations.

3rd* of year

word. wrote:

gale force wrote:

After running 26.44 tonight and with his other ARs.

What other ARs?

3000 indoor

2 mile indoor

50000 indoor

well., wrote:

word. wrote:

What other ARs?

3000 indoor

2 mile indoor

50000 indoor

50000 indoor? Damn, Rupp has some serious range then!

Caged wrote:

Lagat did his greatest feats as a Kenyan, not an American. As an American he has been very good, but nothing great.

Double world champion is pretty great.

well., wrote:

3000 indoor

2 mile indoor

50000 indoor

2999i, 2988i, 2 mile - 1 inch, ...

I see what you did there. Rupp has ∞ ARs.

My top 10:

1) Frank Shorter

2) Jim Ryun

3) Not Frank Shorter or Jim Ryun

4) Not Frank Shorter or Jim Ryun

5) Not Frank Shorter or Jim Ryun

6) Not Frank Shorter or Jim Ryun

7) Not Frank Shorter or Jim Ryun

8) Not Frank Shorter or Jim Ryun

9) Not Frank Shorter or Jim Ryun

10) Not Frank Shorter or Jim Ryun

The Rocket. wrote:

I want to say 1st, but it's too hard to ignore his record against Lagat.

1. Lagat

2. Rupp

3. Ryun

4. Meb

5. Hall/Webb/Ritz

I would put Prefontaine and Shorter ahead of Meb. And the are definitely ahead of Hall, Webb and Ritz.

With the records and Olympic medal, I think Rupp can be considered a better American distance runner than Prefontaine. Granted, no one will be as iconic as Pre.

slopenguinrunner wrote:

The Rocket. wrote:

I want to say 1st, but it's too hard to ignore his record against Lagat.

1. Lagat

2. Rupp

3. Ryun

4. Meb

5. Hall/Webb/Ritz

I would put Prefontaine and Shorter ahead of Meb. And the are definitely ahead of Hall, Webb and Ritz.

With the records and Olympic medal, I think Rupp can be considered a better American distance runner than Prefontaine. Granted, no one will be as iconic as Pre.

On no planet is Pre ahead of Meb. Get out of here.

It is an odd comparison to make. Meb is primarily a road racer/marathoner. Pre was a track runner.

At the time of his death, he held American records in all raced distances between 2000m and 10,000m; that includes english distances as well as metric. His ARs compared pretty well to WRs and would be among the best times of the year. He also could run world class mile races.

Meb held only one AR. His marathon wins are very opportunistic. They come on tough courses that play to his strengths. Or an Olympic marathon when Kenya can only send 3 runners to compete. When he was on the track, he was buried in world championship or Olympic fields.

It would appear that the only basis to rank Meb ahead of Pre is upon the big win races and an Olympic medal. I tend to be skeptical of the "big game" emphasis that I see in sports arguments. Using a metaphor,If the big win is so important, Trent Dilfer should be in Canton instead of Dan Marino.

i put shorter #1, with his 2 gold medals. wiki this guy.

then ryan.

then lagat and billy rogers and pre, three way tie.

nobody jumps out for next.

i suppose if rupp breaks a few more records and wins a world champs he'd be #3.