https://twitter.com/Chris_J_Chavez/status/477905594800955392
"Alexa Efraimson's coach told me yesterday USAs may be on her schedule in addition to the Jr. Championship. Efraimson vs. Cain in Sacramento."
https://twitter.com/Chris_J_Chavez/status/477905950922522624
"Cain says she may opt for the 3K at USA Juniors. Still undecided. Efraimson and Cranny could be in the 1,500. Only two make it to Worlds."
Cain really doesn't want to race her does she?
I hate to say this, with her dropping out of every race Alexa registers for, it does indeed looks like she is cowering in the corner. Should Cains age or gender excuse her from being a coward? I say no.
I was at Millrose! Do you know what I saw?
Alexa has nothing to lose by racing Mary Cain. Cain has her image to lose and her self confidence. But, yeah Alexa Definitely has Cain on her Kill list, just like Sarah Baxter. Sarah Baxter still hasn't mentally recovered from NXN.
An article before Boston dubbed Shalane the "Ponytailed Assassin" which was innacurate in that context.With Alexa, a much better fit. She has dealt with Baxter and Cranny, and Cain has to be aware of what is coming.
Simpletong... wrote:
Alexa has nothing to lose by racing Mary Cain. Cain has her image to lose and her self confidence. But, yeah Alexa Definitely has Cain on her Kill list, just like Sarah Baxter. Sarah Baxter still hasn't mentally recovered from NXN.
I cannot believe Cain wastes one second thinking about Efraimson. That's small mind mentality. She has bigger fish to fry. Cain has nothing to prove. She's the best this country has seen.
Salazar:
Cranny is in the Pre 15? Mary, you're running the 800...
Efraimson is in the DL NY 15? Crap, well Mary, you're running the 800...
Cranny and Efraimson are running the 1500m at US Juniors? Uhh, well, hmm, how about you do the 3k this time...
OR maybe, just do the 15 at USA's? Wait, Efraimson is in that race too? Crap, Mary, what are we gonna do? We just can't avoid those two...
Next thing you know they're going to follow us all the way to Europe...
(They follow her to Europe)
Disagreeeee wrote:
I cannot believe Cain wastes one second thinking about Efraimson. That's small mind mentality. She has bigger fish to fry. Cain has nothing to prove. She's the best this country has seen.
False. Rowbury, Uceny, and Simpson have been better. Suzy Favor and Mary Decker were better too.
GREAT run by Efraimson at Icahn. This has been a remarkable year for US high school girls at 1500m / 1M.
Quick thought: I don't see Cain lowering her 1500m PR this summer. If I'm right about that, her HS best will remain 4:04.62, and I think it's better than 50/50 that Efraimson beats that mark while still considered a HS runner.
If that all happens, Cain will have lowered the US HS girls 1500m record by nearly 10(!) seconds [4:14.50 to 4:04.62], but will only hold end up holding the record for about 2 years.
And then of course there's Cranny. It will be interesting to see who enters what at US Juniors [I'm pretty sure that their coaches will try to avoid the situation where they're all in the 1500m since only two can qualify for Worlds] and even more interesting to see how they progress over the next 12 months. It would be very cool if all three of them were serious contenders to make the US national team for 2015 Outdoor Worlds.
dkny64 wrote:
GREAT run by Efraimson at Icahn. This has been a remarkable year for US high school girls at 1500m / 1M.
Quick thought: I don't see Cain lowering her 1500m PR this summer. If I'm right about that, her HS best will remain 4:04.62, and I think it's better than 50/50 that Efraimson beats that mark while still considered a HS runner.
If that all happens, Cain will have lowered the US HS girls 1500m record by nearly 10(!) seconds [4:14.50 to 4:04.62], but will only hold end up holding the record for about 2 years.
And then of course there's Cranny. It will be interesting to see who enters what at US Juniors [I'm pretty sure that their coaches will try to avoid the situation where they're all in the 1500m since only two can qualify for Worlds] and even more interesting to see how they progress over the next 12 months. It would be very cool if all three of them were serious contenders to make the US national team for 2015 Outdoor Worlds.
That's a bit of a premature assumption given that Cain has yet to move to Portland. Rowbury and Moser are both rounding into shape and that competition will only help Cain get back to her previous form. I'd be surprised if she didn't run under 4:04 given her 4:07 at altitude this winter.
Disagreeeee wrote:
I cannot believe Cain wastes one second thinking about Efraimson. That's small mind mentality. She has bigger fish to fry. Cain has nothing to prove. She's the best this country has seen.
What races this year are bigger (at her age) than the ones she is ducking?
How can she be the best High Schooler this country has seen when she lost twice to Baxter?
If your talking the worlds in Moscow, she lost to Jenny Simpson there, so what event, head to head, makes her the best this country has ever seen?
Sledge wrote:
dkny64 wrote:GREAT run by Efraimson at Icahn. This has been a remarkable year for US high school girls at 1500m / 1M.
Quick thought: I don't see Cain lowering her 1500m PR this summer. If I'm right about that, her HS best will remain 4:04.62, and I think it's better than 50/50 that Efraimson beats that mark while still considered a HS runner.
If that all happens, Cain will have lowered the US HS girls 1500m record by nearly 10(!) seconds [4:14.50 to 4:04.62], but will only hold end up holding the record for about 2 years.
And then of course there's Cranny. It will be interesting to see who enters what at US Juniors [I'm pretty sure that their coaches will try to avoid the situation where they're all in the 1500m since only two can qualify for Worlds] and even more interesting to see how they progress over the next 12 months. It would be very cool if all three of them were serious contenders to make the US national team for 2015 Outdoor Worlds.
That's a bit of a premature assumption given that Cain has yet to move to Portland. Rowbury and Moser are both rounding into shape and that competition will only help Cain get back to her previous form. I'd be surprised if she didn't run under 4:04 given her 4:07 at altitude this winter.
I'm not saying I don't think she could, I'm saying I don't think she actually will. I think she will post another couple of ok, not great races at US Juniors and make that team, then run respectably but not great at World Juniors, probably top 3 in whatever event she chooses, but probably not #1 unless the field is a bit soft.
After that, there's going to be a decision for Cain, her parents and AlSal to make - go to Europe for a late-season running campaign or spend a few weeks with family in NY, then move to Portland and settle into a new life as a college student and Portland-based NOP athlete.
If Cain's running starts turning a corner in July, it could be the former, and then yes, she will probably lower her 1500m PR. But I'm betting July is going to look a lot like June and that the choice is going to be the latter with a personal focus on getting settled and a running focus on starting the process of making it all the way back to the 1500m final at 2015 Senior Worlds. Heck, just making the US team is going to be more challenging this time since Simpson doesn't have a bye.
Ok, I think I've made every point I have to make on this subject more than once - time to see what reality brings.
Quickly! wrote:
I hate to say this, with her dropping out of every race Alexa registers for, it does indeed looks like she is cowering in the corner. Should Cains age or gender excuse her from being a coward? I say no.
If she races and loses to Alexa, then shoe loses marketability as this teenage phenom. Alexa isn't going to go out and run 404 or 159 this year, so as long as Mary doesn't race her, its good for her image.
It's really easy to hype up Cain whenever she races due to her precocious ability, and Nike and Salazar realize that. They don't want to mess anything up for Mary. Next year Mary will be able to handle Alexa in the 1500m, but not right now.
NotAustin18 wrote:
[quote]Quickly! wrote:
I Alexa isn't going to go out and run 404 or 159 this year, so as long as Mary doesn't race her, its good for her image.
.
Don't be so sure: her coach considers her to be ready for 4:03/1:59, and he has been right on the money with her for the entire way.
Update: Cain is now talking about running the 3000, leaving the 1500/800 totally available to Efraimson and Cranny. A very generous move, or savvy, or just realistic?
The plot is getting thick here.
NotAustin18 wrote:
If she races and loses to Alexa, then shoe loses marketability as this teenage phenom. Alexa isn't going to go out and run 404 or 159 this year, so as long as Mary doesn't race her, its good for her image.
It's really easy to hype up Cain whenever she races due to her precocious ability, and Nike and Salazar realize that. They don't want to mess anything up for Mary. Next year Mary will be able to handle Alexa in the 1500m, but not right now.
As opposed to losing marketability as a competition dodger? Dodging is good for her image?
Why are you so certain Alexa won't run 4:04 this year? She just ran 4:07 and there are 2-3 months left of the season. At this rate, Alexa might be better than Cain next year.
lsl wrote:
NotAustin18 wrote:If she races and loses to Alexa, then shoe loses marketability as this teenage phenom. Alexa isn't going to go out and run 404 or 159 this year, so as long as Mary doesn't race her, its good for her image.
It's really easy to hype up Cain whenever she races due to her precocious ability, and Nike and Salazar realize that. They don't want to mess anything up for Mary. Next year Mary will be able to handle Alexa in the 1500m, but not right now.
As opposed to losing marketability as a competition dodger? Dodging is good for her image?
Why are you so certain Alexa won't run 4:04 this year? She just ran 4:07 and there are 2-3 months left of the season. At this rate, Alexa might be better than Cain next year.
Alexa doesn't have 2-3 months left. She's a HS junior. After USA juniors, USAs, World Junior then she takes time off and build up a base for xc to defend her nxn title.
NotAustin18 wrote:
Alexa doesn't have 2-3 months left. She's a HS junior. After USA juniors, USAs, World Junior then she takes time off and build up a base for xc to defend her nxn title.
According to who? It's not mandatory that she takes time off. Nor is it mandatory that someone on her level even does nxn (Cain didn't last year). If she so chooses, then she in fact does have 2-3 more months to drop 3 seconds off her time.
They raced already.NotAustin18 wrote:
Quickly! wrote:I hate to say this, with her dropping out of every race Alexa registers for, it does indeed looks like she is cowering in the corner. Should Cains age or gender excuse her from being a coward? I say no.
If she races and loses to Alexa, then shoe loses marketability as this teenage phenom. Alexa isn't going to go out and run 404 or 159 this year, so as long as Mary doesn't race her, its good for her image.
It's really easy to hype up Cain whenever she races due to her precocious ability, and Nike and Salazar realize that. They don't want to mess anything up for Mary. Next year Mary will be able to handle Alexa in the 1500m, but not right now.
All speculation, get back to us.lsl wrote:
NotAustin18 wrote:If she races and loses to Alexa, then shoe loses marketability as this teenage phenom. Alexa isn't going to go out and run 404 or 159 this year, so as long as Mary doesn't race her, its good for her image.
It's really easy to hype up Cain whenever she races due to her precocious ability, and Nike and Salazar realize that. They don't want to mess anything up for Mary. Next year Mary will be able to handle Alexa in the 1500m, but not right now.
As opposed to losing marketability as a competition dodger? Dodging is good for her image?
Why are you so certain Alexa won't run 4:04 this year? She just ran 4:07 and there are 2-3 months left of the season. At this rate, Alexa might be better than Cain next year.