2015 USA XC Champs! Official Live Discussion Thread!

You really think that Kellyn Johnson is going to bounce back from her 2:28 marathon debut, three weeks ago? Or is it that this male dominated board is so ignorant that they don't know that Kellyn Taylor and Kellyn Johnson are the same person?

Hey, condescending a-hole, we know that. 3 weeks is short recovery but doesn't make a win impossible. If she didn't think she was ready for it, she wouldn't be running it.

FOLLOW THE SPORT wrote:

You really think that Kellyn Johnson is going to bounce back from her 2:28 marathon debut, three weeks ago? Or is it that this male dominated board is so ignorant that they don't know that Kellyn Taylor and Kellyn Johnson are the same person?

Ritz will win.

Kellyn came to my house once.

FOLLOW THE SPORT wrote:

You really think that Kellyn Johnson is going to bounce back from her 2:28 marathon debut, three weeks ago? Or is it that this male dominated board is so ignorant that they don't know that Kellyn Taylor and Kellyn Johnson are the same person?

Yes, I'm so ignorant that I don't know that either person exists. I do know another hundred thousand or so facts about track and field and road running, but apparently that doesn't count.

Ummm...it is 2015, not 2005. Derrick in a laugher.

5 in of snow today, 2 warm days until the race, it'll be wet out there

Despite the current year, I'm picking Ritz for the win. He says he's been training hard and, at their healthy best, I would pick him over Derrick. Again, I am aware of Ritz' age.

While I don't expect poor fitness from True, the other men will have surpassed him this season I think. He'll come in third among the bunch here and at worlds. That's assuming Ritz does worlds, is he?

Shame D'Agostino got hurt, but even if healthy I would have picked Thweatt for the win, seeing as it's at altitude...

Give the nod to Derrick on the men's side.

What is up with the Ritz love fest? Derrick will own this field.

you can't seriously follow the sport if you think that Ritz "will have surpassed" True. True and Derrick both posted a few PR's this last track season whereas Ritz hasn't even raced decent competition for a while. Beating a weak field in euro xc does not show great fitness. Also Dathan's age is less of a factor than his inconsistency in training. Both Ben and Derrick have been putting in constant work the last 2-3 years while Ritz has yet to go more than a season without something popping up.

rudiger wrote:

Despite the current year, I'm picking Ritz for the win. He says he's been training hard and, at their healthy best, I would pick him over Derrick. Again, I am aware of Ritz' age.

While I don't expect poor fitness from True, the other men will have surpassed him this season I think. He'll come in third among the bunch here and at worlds. That's assuming Ritz does worlds, is he?

More important is that both Derrick and True have been training at altitude and Ritz's only exposure to altitude has been on a plane. And Ritz is not doing worlds; he's doing Boston.

Our preview of the loaded men's field is now up:

Should be a fantastic race:

http://www.letsrun.com/news/2015/02/2015-usa-xc-championships-mens-preview-chris-derrick-looks-3-peat-dathan-ritzenhein-looks-revenge-loaded-mens-field/

At the bottom of the preview, there is a poll for you to vote in.

Ritz is like the Peyton Manning of running. Great runner, but usually disappoints in big matchups. He heartbreakingly got 4th in the marathon OT. He lost to other CU alum after holding the lead for most of race in 2007. I expect him to be the home town favorite, and lose to Derrick.

Did New Balance sabatoge Nike and the USATF by holding their Grand Prix indoor meet the same day across the country?

If so underming a US team is pretty low and I will boycott NB.

Anyone else notice that there isn't a single Nike athlete listed in the women's entries? What's up with that?

Who ya got? Everybody "got" the same field. How about "Who is your pick?" or "Who is your favorite". No wonder the Posers on this message board never proof read and rarely write a coherent sentence when they are given such an example by the web site owner/host/dictator.

LetsRun.com wrote:

The USA XC Championships are this Saturday. Dathan Ritzenhein, Ben True, and Chris Derrick are the headliners on the men's side.

On the women's side the big new out today is Abbey D'Agostino is out with an injury. More info here:

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=6317907

Laura Thweatt, Sara Hall, and Kellyn Taylor are the headliners.

World Championship spots are on the line and $7000 to the winners (if they go to worlds).

This is the officical pre-race prediction thread.

Update: Our men's preview is now up

http://www.letsrun.com/news/2015/02/2015-usa-xc-championships-mens-preview-chris-derrick-looks-3-peat-dathan-ritzenhein-looks-revenge-loaded-mens-field/

Men's predictions:

1. Derrick

2. Ritz

3. True

4. Riley

5. Smyth

6. Vail

7. Quigley

8. Gray

9. Rono

10. Colley

george oscar bluth wrote:

LetsRun.com wrote:

The USA XC Championships are this Saturday. Dathan Ritzenhein, Ben True, and Chris Derrick are the headliners on the men's side.

On the women's side the big new out today is Abbey D'Agostino is out with an injury. More info here:

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=6317907

Laura Thweatt, Sara Hall, and Kellyn Taylor are the headliners.

World Championship spots are on the line and $7000 to the winners (if they go to worlds).

This is the officical pre-race prediction thread.

Update: Our men's preview is now up

http://www.letsrun.com/news/2015/02/2015-usa-xc-championships-mens-preview-chris-derrick-looks-3-peat-dathan-ritzenhein-looks-revenge-loaded-mens-field/

Men's predictions:

1. Derrick

2. Ritz

3. True

4. Riley

5. Smyth

6. Vail

7. Quigley

8. Gray

9. Heath

10. Rono

Revised to include Heath.