Why don't Ben True and Chris Derrick try the marathon?

Good 5k/10k times do not always predict marathon success.

Don't be surprised if both run a half this year to get the B qualifier and then show up at the trials. Schumacher likes to sneak attack. True seems like more of a 5k guy, but is very good at XC and has strong endurance from XC skiing. Both seems like they could beat Ritz and Hall (and Abdi) at any distance right now

I also think they should move up! :)

True = Bob Kempainen

He is certainly a contender to make the team in the 5 and 10. I'd bet on him to be the next sub 2:09 marathoner.

Because they know Americans suck at marathon.

True just ran 13:02 this year. Why jump to the marathon now?

as much as the marathon is loved on the LetsRun boards, you must realize that track runners do not care about the marathon.

considered more recreation than anything else.

ShaolinSoldier wrote:

The lists are composed of aging runners, injured runners, or runners who just aren't that talented who we're only discussing for lack of real muscle.

Will Ben True or Chris Derrick move up with the aim of winning the trials and being our top man in Rio? Seems like a golden opportunity.

They are not qualified (yet) to toe the line, so they will not be making some 'surprise' appearance without doing so first:

ShaolinSoldier wrote:

The lists are composed of aging runners, injured runners, or runners who just aren't that talented who we're only discussing for lack of real muscle.

Will Ben True or Chris Derrick move up with the aim of winning the trials and being our top man in Rio? Seems like a golden opportunity.

In 2010-11, Sam Chelanga began the process of becoming an American. His wife Marybeth Carlson ran at Liberty,[8][9] In 2016, He hopes to wear the USA singlet.

They probably have some grand plan to make their debut before the 2024 trials or something, assuming their next 10 years of training goes well

know-it-all joe wrote:

They probably have some grand plan to make their debut before the 2024 trials or something, assuming their next 10 years of training goes well

^^^ "The lists are composed of aging runners, injured runners, or..."

The only reason to jump to the marathon now is appearance money.

Randy Oldman wrote:

The only reason to jump to the marathon now is appearance money.

That's definitely a big factor, yes! Don't you think as professional athletes they'd like to increase their income and brand name?

If one of these guys is capable of repeating 2:08 marathons the way they can 13:10 5ks, they could be our top guy in Rio and get practically top billing at Boston/Chicago/NYC. Better that than LRC recognition for finishing 4th in that one DL 5k or being the perennial US runner-up, I think.

True and Derrick are the shit. Both will run sub 2:11 by the end of 2016. True is built for the marathon. Just look at him and his training

Why doesn't Jeremy Wariner move up to the 1500? I just thought it would be a great decision to move everyone move up to a distance 4 times where they are comfortable

ShaolinSoldier wrote:

If one of these guys is capable of repeating 2:08 marathons the way they can 13:10 5ks, they could be our top guy in Rio and get practically top billing at Boston/Chicago/NYC. Better that than LRC recognition for finishing 4th in that one DL 5k or being the perennial US runner-up, I think.

But it's way harder for these guys to repeat 2:08 marathons than 13:10 5ks. And it's also asking them a lot to give up on promising track careers (both guys are still improving) for the unknown waters of the marathon. They'll still get nice appearance fees when they make their marathon debuts.

Maybe these types of discussions will help fans appreciate the American rarity of the shooting-star marathon career of Ryan Hall, and his accomplishments. He ran a decent 5k his last year in college (winning NCAA track champs I think), then proceeded to work it up to higher distances onto the roads, without delay. Even then, from his senior year, it was a 2-3 year build-up before his BREAKOUT half-marathon USA RECORD, with the London 2:06 to follow.

Why don't they go to the marathon?

Because the American philosophy is to only move up to the marathon if you're not nationally competitive in the 5K/10K or you're not improving anymore in the shorter races. For some reason the marathon is thought of as an inferior event. As long as this remains the case we will only see our biggest stars racing 26.2 miles after the prime of their careers. Someone like Derrick seems like an ideal candidate to be a great marathoner (gets better as the distance increases, was good in cross country, from the little I know seems to thrive on threshold style training), but he'll probably spend the next several years running 3Ks and 5Ks (the track 10K is basically a dead event). Don't get me wrong, he's a strong 3K-10K guy, but it'd be nice to see him move up while he's in his prime like the Kenyans do, rather than wait until it's too late and his best days are behind him.

Jonathan Gault wrote:

ShaolinSoldier wrote:

If one of these guys is capable of repeating 2:08 marathons the way they can 13:10 5ks, they could be our top guy in Rio and get practically top billing at Boston/Chicago/NYC. Better that than LRC recognition for finishing 4th in that one DL 5k or being the perennial US runner-up, I think.

But it's way harder for these guys to repeat 2:08 marathons than 13:10 5ks. And it's also asking them a lot to give up on promising track careers (both guys are still improving) for the unknown waters of the marathon. They'll still get nice appearance fees when they make their marathon debuts.

Promising track careers? Really? They'll never do anything internationally. Galen Rupp will never lose to them in a 5k or 10k. So he's got them beat. And Lagat can still beat Derrick and True at age 39 going on 40 next season.

Derrick and True if they like competing for Olympic teams but not being even remotely a factor then stay on the track. If they want to take a chance at greatness, move up to marathon. They'd be the best American in the event, and Meb shows tactics can make you a factor in any marathon.