Ryan Hall 1:09:38 at Great North Run; Sara Hall 1:15:45

Stick a needle in him wrote:

Ryan is a good kid - too good. He refuses to dope and it is resulting in burnout and injuries from overtraining. This is why he will not work with a coach - they are all going to say the same thing - if you want to win the marathon you have to dope. To compete at his level, he must get on EPOs. It's just that simple.

I wish him the best, but I don't think he will go down that road. I don't think he can handle the guilty conscience. I still respect him.

I think this is pretty spot on.

But I also agree with the Alan Webb comparison. It seems like guys who have the combination of ridiculous talent and an overzealous desire to run hard all the time follow similar career-long patterns. They are always erratic with their results, but the good days become fewer and farther between with each passing year until their bodies can no longer produce the magic. It very well could be long-term cellular damage.

That said, Hall is still perfectly engineered to run. Honestly, if I were to build an aerodynamic runner from head to toe, Hall would be the result. Right now, the energy to run the machine is just not there. If he can find a way to start feeling strong again, he still has some good competition left in him.

Just because you are the fastest, it does not mean you are the greatest. I would take an athlete who has run a little slower, but competes every time they step on the line, then someone who ran really fast once upon a time. Meb is a perfect of example of someone who you can trust to give you 100% every time he steps on the line. Not someone who drops out the minute he feels a little bit off.

theres no DOPE that can turn a 1:09 guy back to world class

Slightly above average? Give him some credit. I would say 1:30 is more of an average HM time. 1:09 would still blow off the doors of 95% of runners.

1:09 is probably in the top 0.01%. 59:42 is in the top 0.000001% of half marathon runners. You are nuts to think that 5% of runners could run sub 1:09. 1:09 wins the mens race of most average half marathons.

OOM BOP wrote:

Slightly above average? Give him some credit. I would say 1:30 is more of an average HM time. 1:09 would still blow off the doors of 95% of runners.

Coach Terrence Mahon and Ryan split, and Mahon said Ryan simply didn't want it bad enough to get it anymore.

Stick a needle in him wrote:

Ryan is a good kid.

The "kid" turns 33 next month.

15 @ 5:09 @ 7,000 feet training run

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZGlH_paK9Y

Piano_Man87 wrote:

Coach Terrence Mahon and Ryan split, and Mahon said Ryan simply didn't want it bad enough to get it anymore.

And then Ryan went on to run 2:04:58 his first marathon without Mahon.

Ryan is still enjoying the free ride,,,,,He gets free hotel...appearance fee.... food,,,,,and spending money. This is a total disgrace...You suckers sit and idolize him

kmaclam wrote:

reader of the forums wrote:

What Ryan Hall is going through right now is what Alan Webb was going through trying to find that old form. It won't happen. Hall is done (at a competitive elite level). He certainly can continue to run races as long as he wants to though.

Yeah, is he going to get lambasted every time he laces them up??? I just limped through a 1/2 today & couldn't break 1:30. Take some shots at me while you chuckleheads are at it.

Janet Douller wrote:

Ryan is still enjoying the free ride,,,,,He gets free hotel...appearance fee.... food,,,,,and spending money. This is a total disgrace...You suckers sit and idolize him

kmaclam wrote:

Yeah, is he going to get lambasted every time he laces them up??? I just limped through a 1/2 today & couldn't break 1:30. Take some shots at me while you chuckleheads are at it.

You...are...a...retard..!

Hall knows god doesn't want him to be an elite runner anymore.