Seriously, I was looking over the US list for 5000m and I stopped at the 35th fastest US runner ever over 5000m and still hadn't seen a Texan. It's the 2nd most populous state in the US! Why can't they run well for 5k and up? Who is the best distance runner from there?
Lance Armstrong
lance romance wrote:
Lance Armstrong
So all of your talented endurance athletes cycle?
midwestern life wrote:
lance romance wrote:Lance Armstrong
So all of your talented endurance athletes cycle?
20 years of watching lance and wishing they were him took a whole generation of prospective runners out of the mix.
lance romance wrote:
midwestern life wrote:So all of your talented endurance athletes cycle?
20 years of watching lance and wishing they were him took a whole generation of prospective runners out of the mix.
He is a huge deal down here.
Otherwise I would say it's because:
1) it is hot as hell
2) there are a lot of blacks who sprint, not run the 5k
3) football is king
Texas - Houston and Dallas mainly - had a slew of 2:10 marathoners in late 70s: Jeff Well, Marty Froelick, john lodwick, Ron Tabb, some others can't remember at the moment. This was all in like a 3:year period. Maybe 7 running 2:10. Since then hardly any - Sean Wade is one. But yeah - they basically suck. Univ of Texas lays claim to fastest NCAA steepler of all-time by career PR - also had walk-on who lead NCAA 10k three years on row - but overall they suck in longer distances.
Sally V wrote:
Texas - Houston and Dallas mainly - had a slew of 2:10 marathoners in late 70s: Jeff Well, Marty Froelick, john lodwick, Ron Tabb, some others can't remember at the moment. This was all in like a 3:year period. Maybe 7 running 2:10. Since then hardly any - Sean Wade is one. But yeah - they basically suck. Univ of Texas lays claim to fastest NCAA steepler of all-time by career PR - also had walk-on who lead NCAA 10k three years on row - but overall they suck in longer distances.
Are you sure Ron Tabb is from Texas?
Tabb not homegrown but lived in Houston during that time.
Dial it up wrote:
lance romance wrote:20 years of watching lance and wishing they were him took a whole generation of prospective runners out of the mix.
He is a huge deal down here.
Otherwise I would say it's because:
1) it is hot as hell
2) there are a lot of blacks who sprint, not run the 5k
3) football is king
Texas' black population (12%) is slightly below the national average, so I'm not sure #2 is much of an excuse.
For instance, Michigan and Illinois have a higher percentage of black residents, and as you know, much better distance runners have come from those states.
Idc about total population, Texas sure does have a lot of fast black guys
Baylor coach Todd Harbor still holds collegiate mile record,I think, which he set like 35 years ago. Reina holds FL record he set 30 years ago.
Al Lawrence won 10k bronze at Melbourne Olympics
Dial it up wrote:
Idc about total population, Texas sure does have a lot of fast black guys
But that is a subject for another thread, as it has no bearing on why they don't have good distance runners.
Sally V wrote:
Al Lawrence won 10k bronze at Melbourne Olympics
Come on man, he's Australian.
He won NCAA XC titles at U of H and has lived here since college - like 50 years ago
midwestern life wrote:
Dial it up wrote:Idc about total population, Texas sure does have a lot of fast black guys
But that is a subject for another thread, as it has no bearing on why they don't have good distance runners.
Then refer to numbers 1 and 3 as your answer
Sally V wrote:
He won NCAA XC titles at U of H and has lived here since college - like 50 years ago
But I'm talking about people who were born and grew up in Texas. Reina is a decent example (13:24) and Culpepper as well. Weldon has to be damn near the fastest Texas native over 10000m behind Culpepper.
craig lutz
Alan Culpepper= Texas.