Mary Cain Ducking Again??

I'm not sure what's more strange about your post: being a fan of a 17-year old high schooler or claiming to be a fan and then publicly, anonymously, accusing a 17-year old high schooler of ducking competition.

That says AlSal doesn't think she's ready to race against the best in the world and just wants her to get in a low-key race against a small field.

Btw, I think that 1500m field is much too big.

It does appear that AlSal picked the race because Cain has the best PR of the small (6) field of runners.

She graduates is next Friday.

You know what I mean.

Gabe Grunewald is in the 1500. Maybe AlSal thinks Gabe will rear end Mary on the last lap knocking her to the ground and causing her to get injured and to lose the season. With a field that big, I fear for any competitor not named Gabe because there won't be a lot of room on the track.

Yes she is. If you were coaching her and responsible for her marketability, wouldn't you duck this also? If she lost to Ephraimson she'd be done and a mental mess. She is likely ducking Ephraimson. If she was in shape to win the 1500 in front of her home crowd, she would be in the race.

Er... wrote:

I'm not sure what's more strange about your post: being a fan of a 17-year old high schooler or claiming to be a fan and then publicly, anonymously, accusing a 17-year old high schooler of ducking competition.

Agreed. It's really creepy obsessing over a high school kid like this.

The sad reality is that she is just doing what logically follows next in her running career. Now that she races with the elites, she is doing what elites do--duck the competition. She probably doesn't have much control over it either, it's most likely salazar's doing.

han solar wrote:

Yes she is. If you were coaching her and responsible for her marketability, wouldn't you duck this also? If she lost to Ephraimson she'd be done and a mental mess. She is likely ducking Ephraimson. If she was in shape to win the 1500 in front of her home crowd, she would be in the race.

If Cain were in shape to win this 1500m race, she would be the greatest American female 1500m runner of all time. She might develop into that, but even at full fitness she isn't that now.

I don't think Cain is ducking anybody. Her fitness isn't great, she didn't run particularly well at Pre, AlSal wants her to get back out there and race, but in a setting where she can have plenty of space and - with luck - run well. Something like 2:01 - 2:01.5 would be fine and probably good enough to win since I don't think Goule is fully fit either and I don't see anyone else in this field breaking 2:02 [unless the Ethiopian teenager is a rapidly developing up & comer.]

Cain has made it clear all spring that she's been putting her senior of HS and her transition to college ahead of her running. That seems like a reasonable decision, but it makes it somewhat unlikely she'll set any PRs this outdoor season.

I hope the transition to college life goes smoothly for her, that she has a fine indoor season, and that her 2015 outdoor season goes even better than her 2013 outdoor season did. [which is a lot to ask - making the US team at 1500m isn't a given, and if she does that, neither is making it back to the final at Worlds.]

"The fact that she is at a world-class level at such a young age means that there is no hurry," Salazar said. "You don't have to hurry stuff because she has plenty of years. I think it's more prudent and the chances of success much higher if we keep it relaxed and let her do the things she wants to do."

She is 17. While she has turned pro, her young age means that she really isn't under the same pressure as a post collegiate pro. She has a very, very long career ahead of her with what is probably a long term commitment from Nike. She does not have to prove anything to her sponsors. Her coach is keenly aware of the need to slowly bring along a young athlete. Her training and racing in her first few years of her pro career will be tailored to what is best for her in terms of her development and not for what would be exciting matchups for fans. After the 2016 Olympics, she will be fair game for criticism on ducking competition. But for now, she is in an important stage in her development and should be handled with kit gloves.

Wow! What a field!

Give this kid a break for goodness sake. She is 17, graduating from high school, hopefully having some sort of a normal life. Be thrilled we have so many promising young runners .... jeeze

Tony D wrote:

hopefully having some sort of a normal life..... jeeze

normal life and being a member of nop do not equate.

The Girl's JR Trials and World JRs are shaping up to be the most interesting track meets of this year. No one can say at this point who will do what. Women's running in the USA will never be the same after this July.

"Ducking" is much too harsh a word. She's not ready to run yet. Was David Rudisha "ducking" the competition when he didn't run the first two Diamond League meets? Pros do not duck the competition. That's how they make their living. But it's foolish to race the best when you're not at your best. She should take as long as she needs to get in pro competition shape. She's not in high school any more. She's a pro now.

Love On My Fingers wrote:

The Girl's JR Trials and World JRs are shaping up to be the most interesting track meets of this year. No one can say at this point who will do what. Women's running in the USA will never be the same after this July.

i think salazar moved cain to the 1500 because he did not want cain to race the 2 ethiopian juniors in the race, especially dawit sayeum, as they may be more of a threat to beat cain and destroy cain's marketability, then effraimson at the moment.

salazar said he has to decide if he wants cain to run world juniors or shatter 4:00 minutes on july 5th in paris.

world junior trials are at the same time as the paris meet and that is why she cant do both.