Centro skipped nationals to get 7th place in Europe

Centro is The Man.

That is all that needs to be said.

blortme wrote:

Face it, USA's really don't mean all that much. Who is going to remember that Leo won in '14? Not me. Of course, I won't remember that Centro placed 7th in Lausanne, but that is just a better race to run for his development as a top runner.

Leo has an Olympic silver medal and showed up.

Centro has two wc medals and didn't.

I have more respect for Leo.

Apparently we have some up-tight posters here, who would like everyone to be as pure (and insecure) as themselves (LOL). Jealous much about the fact that women find Centro attractive?

Shut up Leo wouldn't have stood a chance in this race, just like Centro would have gotten owned at USAs by the MFing lion.

Wasn't really upset about it until just now when I watched hid flotrack interview where he says he was still jet lagged. Honestly I think NOP is over thinking it a bit. Look at Steve Scott's log from the year he ran his 3:47:

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?board=1&id=346165&thread=346165

He raced 43 times, occasionally on back to back days, let alone weeks. I realize that's overdoing it, but still it makes you wonder. His fastest 1500 was only 3:32 but, those were different days. Pretty sure Webb still has the only faster American mile. Maybe Centro should just race his ass off one of these years and see how it goes.

Centro is PO'd in that interview, and rightly so.

http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/251641-Lausanne-Diamond-League-Athletissima-Lausanne-2014/video/748255-Hes-jetlagged-but-Matt-Centrowitz-is-ready-to-PR-this-summer#.U7daid14GFd

Also he didn't say he was jetlagged. He said jetlag is a factor the first race, which it is of course.

Really?? Obliterated?? by running one second slower and a season best? Thank God Leo didn't run that race with his 3:38 from the Nationals....speaking of getting obliterated. Centro was the only US runner that can actually come close to the top in the world. Getting another national title with 6 sec to spare isn't as important as running with the best in the world and getting better with each race.

Idiots wrote:

Centro is PO'd in that interview, and rightly so.

Also he didn't say he was jetlagged. He said jetlag is a factor the first race, which it is of course.

Yeah good point man. That would be like the difference between me saying that you're a jackass and me saying that the fact that you're a jackass is a factor anytime you write anything on these boards. And if jetlag is of course a factor no matter how much time he gives himself then he might as well have raced USA's anyway huh?

He's the best miler we've seen in a while and he has every right to skip nationals if that's what he wants to do and that's what he thinks will make him better. All I'm saying is that he could probably race more and that it might even be good for him to race more. The Steve Scott comparison is interesting because no American has really been that consistently competitive and run those times.

About jet lag and the first race over there:

It wasn't his first European race of the year.

He ran Oslo three weeks ago.

Flying back to Oregon after each race isn't going to help with this.

I don't see what's the big deal with going to USATF's meet in an off year when they still haven't gotten their rules in order/have problems running their own meet.

ukxc wrote:

What is the rationale for arguing that he should have run the USAs?

When you review your accomplishments at the end of the year or career certain things stand out:

Olympic and World Championship placings, fast times run, national championships.

He has all summer to place in DL meets and run fast times.

One shot to add a US title.

Rupp got his title.

Lagat got his title.

Jager got his title.

They will all go try for fast times and high a placings against international competition now.

Maybe Manzano will surprise us and get some nice marks overseas this summer.

Love the Letsrun write-up:

"If this was an Olympic final, one of the Kenyans ahead of him at the finish wouldn’t have been allowed in the race (good point here) and it’s likely that one of them would have been off his game. That would move him up to 5th and then you add in the fact there would be fewer racers and he wouldn’t be coming from near last and he’s likely third or fourth."

Funny write up.

Forgot to mention that Kiprop and Suleiman were not in the race.

He could have been 9th.

All that said, 3:32 is never a bad race.

I hope to see him hit at least 3:30. this year.

J.R. wrote:

oldhalfmileguy wrote:

You don't get better by running away from a field of runners.

Actually both are good ways to improve, but most runners don't take advantage of the first, and thereby are weak when it comes to racing top fields.

Bob Kennedy and Todd Williams in their prime didn't sit and kick in US champs, they ran hard and ran away from the fields. Kennedy many years later still has two faster times than Rupp at the 5k. Syndey Maree ran from the front and was the first American under 3:30 for 15, still faster than Centro.

Competition is more important than times

Rupp and Centro have medals