Will Shalane Make America Proud?

not gonna f*** no sh*t up!

nope wrote:

not gonna f*** no sh*t up!

Was waiting for this one, but not much interest there it seems.

Top 5. The 31:08 the other week shows she's in good shape.

As long as she doesn't cry and make excuses after the race, yes.

Shalana can train as much as she wants, she will never win Boston.

The problem is that she is tightly controlled, tested in and out of competition regularly while Kenyan athletes in the highlands can hide 364 days of the year, get their supplies at Nairobi Hilton pharmacy without a prescription and then get off the meds a couple of days before Boston and have it cleared out of their system.

How is that fair?

It's not.

The difference between the Kenyan women and Shalane is that Shalane wants to be on the podium while the Kenyan women run to win.

For this reason alone, she won't win Boston.

Interesting comments. I hope Shalane kicks their butts. Go, Shalane, go!

I think Shalane wants to win. She led for about 18 miles last year...which was her main mistake.

Shalane: please let them lead this year, and then show them what an American kick looks like. Drop 'em late...

outsiderunner wrote:

I think Shalane wants to win. She led for about 18 miles last year...which was her main mistake.

Shalane: please let them lead this year, and then show them what an American kick looks like. Drop 'em late...

This. Shalene may have been a top three contender last year but chose to go for broke. If she plays it tactical this year, just maybe.

Old Man Runner wrote:

The difference between the Kenyan women and Shalane is that Shalane wants to be on the podium while the Kenyan women run to win.

For this reason alone, she won't win Boston.

You couldn't be any more incorrect.

She is boston area/mass best chance for a local to win.

Hope she does it!

I think there is a chance. There are emerging cracks in the E. African doping schemes. Times from the recent marathons have been coming down to Earth. If the pace is in the 2:24-25 range, Shalane will have a shot. She needs to win the old fashioned way--drop a huge surge at about mi 18-20 and make it a race for 2nd place the last 6-8 miles. Shalane has never had the best legs at the end of a marathon. She will not win a duel to the finish line. She also does not have the sheer speed to go all Sammy Wanjiru on the field.

I will be proud of Shalane regardless of where she finishes. She is a tough competitor and always gives her all. That is all you can ask of an athlete.

Same thing for Desi. I am hoping they both have awesome races and are in it at the very end.

I hope that she can do it. Ever since 2011 when she was coming down Boylston, going back and forth with the eventual winner and losing by only 2 seconds, I knew that she deserved it. It was an honest race and not just some silly 20 mile rabbiting adventure where you finish 3 minutes behind the winner. Go Shalane.

Pullin for her wrote "I hope that she can do it. Ever since 2011 when she was coming down Boylston, going back and forth with the eventual winner and losing by only 2 seconds, I knew that she deserved it. It was an honest race and not just some silly 20 mile rabbiting adventure where you finish 3 minutes behind the winner. Go Shalane."

That was Desi Linden (Davilla at the time, not Shalane) who nearly won it in 2011.

Shalane has a shot, certainly. She needs to run smart and play to her strengths. She is not going to run the field's legs off from the start like she tried to do last year. I agree with the assessment she needs to surge strongly from around 18-20 and build a lead she can hold to the end. Do I think she will win, not likely. But I hope she can pull it off. If not her, maybe Desi can have another great performance and pull off the big win.

Guys, the bottom line is Shalane has all the heart in the world and trains her butt off but she simply does not have the talent it takes to ward off the multiple African competitors it takes to win a major. She and Ryan Hall are the best hopes of American-born runners as far as pure talent goes but sadly, it will never be enough to win. Scratching out a third place finish would be a dream.

I love Shalane, but...... wrote:

Guys, the bottom line is Shalane has all the heart in the world and trains her butt off but she simply does not have the talent it takes to ward off the multiple African competitors it takes to win a major. She and Ryan Hall are the best hopes of American-born runners as far as pure talent goes but sadly, it will never be enough to win. Scratching out a third place finish would be a dream.

Going to have to slightly disagree this year. I think that it will certainly be difficult for her to win given the depth of the competitors, but I think that, provided she doesn't run with the same do-all-the-work tactic as last year, she has a good shot at top 3.

Run "dumb" - just turn off your brain and get in the pack and relax, for as long as possible.

I love Shalane, but...... wrote:

She and Ryan Hall are the best hopes of American-born runners as far as pure talent goes but sadly, it will never be enough to win. Scratching out a third place finish would be a dream.

Help explain this to me.

Does Shalane have more talent than Desi? If so then that would have been enough to win in 2011. Does Ryan have as much talent as Meb? Then he has enough talent to have won in last year.

On paper Shalane's chances of winning are better than Meb's were last year, which is to say improbable but not impossible. Top 3 would be good and top 5 would be about par.

I think Shalane has a legitimate shot at the podium. She simply needs to run a smart, straightforward race. Shortly after Heartbreak Hill, she needs to pick it up and drop 'em.

We are rooting for you Shalane, and we know you will give it you all. God bless.