Ryan Hall running Utah Valley Half Marathon tomorrow

What's the point in even participating in a race if you're just going to easy jog it? Does he get appearance money for this???

Chaim wrote:

What's the point in even participating in a race if you're just going to easy jog it? Does he get appearance money for this???

Yep.

Collin wrote:

Predictions?

DNS/DNF.

Sea-Cat wrote:

Ryan Hall is truly turning his career into a joke.

Hall just needs some testoboost, androgel, prednisone, and a few other things and he'll be right back in shape! Perhaps, he'll even be faster than we've ever seen him before! Let's start a petition for Al Sal to accept Hall in the NOP!!!

Maybe he is thinking about changing religions and is running the race to be recruited!!!

There is actually decent cash for the winner in this race!!!

Gotta Getta Gunderson wrote:

A race starting at ~5,960' and descending fairly steadily by ~110' to ~115' per mile should give back in the topography far more than it takes away thanks to the altitude, even to someone who's not altitude-trained.

Where's your data on this? I've always heard that altitude won't affect you as long as you are running downhill. Only on flats and uphill.

Back it ip wrote:

Gotta Getta Gunderson wrote:

A race starting at ~5,960' and descending fairly steadily by ~110' to ~115' per mile should give back in the topography far more than it takes away thanks to the altitude, even to someone who's not altitude-trained.

Where's your data on this? I've always heard that altitude won't affect you as long as you are running downhill. Only on flats and uphill.

Top notch scientific theory here boys! Clearly none of you have a grasp on physiology or chemistry at the molecular level.

Maybe audit an exercise phys class at your local college.

Cheers.

Wierd Science wrote:

Back it ip wrote:

Where's your data on this? I've always heard that altitude won't affect you as long as you are running downhill. Only on flats and uphill.

Top notch scientific theory here boys! Clearly none of you have a grasp on physiology or chemistry at the molecular level.

Maybe audit an exercise phys class at your local college.

Cheers.

Care to enlighten us, oh wise one? I bet you can't.

I have a both a bachelor's and a masters degree in Exercise Physiology and we never discussed this correlation.

Wierd Science wrote:

Back it ip wrote:

Where's your data on this? I've always heard that altitude won't affect you as long as you are running downhill. Only on flats and uphill.

Top notch scientific theory here boys! Clearly none of you have a grasp on physiology or chemistry at the molecular level.

Maybe audit an exercise phys class at your local college.

Cheers.

somehow I was able to run extremely fast on the downhill in the mountains above Albuquerque at around 7-8000 ft, despite going extremely slowly on the uphills despite that fearsome altitude. But you want to say that the altitude always slows you down from flat races at sea level, no matter whether you go uphill, flat, or downhill.

I was carnage in South Jordan UT a few years ago... that races goes up 4 miles and down 22... I came from sea level and was chugging water the whole race and suffering.

Flip side, I ran in Bend OR where elevation isn't quite as high as UT, but the course profile was much hillier and ran a much stronger race.

Give him the testoboost wrote:

Sea-Cat wrote:

Ryan Hall is truly turning his career into a joke.

Hall just needs some testoboost, androgel, prednisone, and a few other things and he'll be right back in shape! Perhaps, he'll even be faster than we've ever seen him before! Let's start a petition for Al Sal to accept Hall in the NOP!!!

Actually not too far off considering he has fried out his adrenals, like it or not this is the new Ryan Hall. He is great at selling his past as a marketing tool., after his LA meltdown in front of his major sponsor, race directors are going to start to catch on and have to decide if he is worth the appearance fee for DNF and mediocre times. At this point Sara is less of a risk, so they may have worked out a "package deal".

saw somewhere he was running like a mile at 5 pace then a mile at 7 pace or something... can we let this F'ing guy go already? i am so sick about hearing about hall. i know the guys up at the front of the race who work their ass off and no one gives a damn about them because hall is in town collecting appearance fees and taking selfies. if he goes off the radar for a year and comes back and runs like 60/2:05, great, but until then, GTFO.

nbskis wrote:

saw somewhere he was running like a mile at 5 pace then a mile at 7 pace or something... can we let this F'ing guy go already? i am so sick about hearing about hall. i know the guys up at the front of the race who work their ass off and no one gives a damn about them because hall is in town collecting appearance fees and taking selfies. if he goes off the radar for a year and comes back and runs like 60/2:05, great, but until then, GTFO.

That's like getting mad because Frank Shorter can get paid to give speeches at races. Hall is unquestionably one of the top 5 American marathoners of all time. Having him at a race, racing or not is interesting to many fans. That's great those guys work hard and deserve recognition but that doesn't make halls presence not notable.

BiGbEaRable wrote:

Collin wrote:

It is almost purely downhill, but the altitude is enough to cost a couple minutes. The net effect is that it's not quite as fast as a half on a course like, say, Dubai, but probably about on par with the average half that he would run. He's not going to show up without some training, right? Presumably he should still be able to run 1:04, right?

Altitude will not be a factor at all for him. He's coming down from over 6700'. Add the 1500' decent and he should be looking at a very fast half, even somewhat out of shape. If he doesn't at least run 1:04 I'd be surprised.

So, someone living at 15,000' would run no faster at sea level than at 15,000'? It amazes me how little people understand about altitude and basic physiology. Of course altitude has an effect. If you use an altitude converter, you're already presuming that the runner is acclimated to the altitude they're running at. If they aren't, the effect will be even greater. I live in Salt Lake City and I've lived here for 6 years. Every time I go back to my parents' house at nearly sea level, my half marathon effort runs are 15 seconds per mile faster. There's no such thing as altitude not being a factor.

nbskis wrote:

saw somewhere he was running like a mile at 5 pace then a mile at 7 pace or something... can we let this F'ing guy go already? i am so sick about hearing about hall. i know the guys up at the front of the race who work their ass off and no one gives a damn about them because hall is in town collecting appearance fees and taking selfies. if he goes off the radar for a year and comes back and runs like 60/2:05, great, but until then, GTFO.

There is no question that Ryan Hall, at his prime, worked harder than any of the other guys in this race. That's why he ran 59 / 2:06. I'm sure he's still working every bit as hard - he's just apparently not being smart about it and keeps getting injured. I'm sure at this point, there's some mentality issue as well, but the dude still has crazy talent. Other than Meb, he's probably the only American with a shot at top 10 in an Olympic Marathon, so it would be great to see him get back into form, even if it keeps getting less and less likely.

As with many competitive runners, a 10 year advance is about all you can hope for. There are some exceptions but it's not surprising that someone like Hall can't be competitive now despite being only 32.

Chaim wrote:

What's the point in even participating in a race if you're just going to easy jog it? Does he get appearance money for this???

He ran faster than 6 minute pace for 13.1 miles at elevation. That is not an easy jog for any elite marathon runner in the world. It's good solid miles. It's not a very hard workout, but it isn't jogging. Now if he went 7 minute pace, that's different. Of course he got an appearance fee. It was an appearance fee to show up to the expo. He is the greatest American marathoner of all time. Easy jog? Shut up.