For all you who said Kara Goucher was Done, Are you choking on your foot now???

I find it strange that people start threads criticizing everyone else for the lack of congratulatory threads.

Why not just start a "Way to go Kara!" thread without the smugness?

Good for Kara, that's she's strong and healthy. I pretty much agreed with the "letsrun" analysis:

- This race means nothing, because ...

- Kara raced while Shalane/Amy tempo'd

- The important race is yet to come

Time wasn't that good for her (compared to her own PR), but:

- Winning is always a good psychological boost.

- She felt good. Still had some left in the tank...

- She's healthy and not injured.

I expected great things from her after her 2:25 marathon performance, so would like to see her still do great things.

Good luck Kara!

When did Cragg leave RI?

her endocrinologist has done a marvelous job.

good bad uglier wrote:

her endocrinologist has done a marvelous job.

Yes, the results for Farah, Rupp, Centro, and Rowbury have been impressively "enhanced."

Believe. . wrote:

I figured you're too busy choking on you foot, which explains the lack of congratulatory threads.

http://www.letsrun.com/news/2015/12/kara-goucher-wins-rock-n-roll-san-antonio-half-marathon-shalane-flanagan-amy-cragg-real-winner-will-determined-olympic-trials/

Kara and Shalane are like Betty and Veronica, and I have an Archie problem regarding both.

She has spent a lot of energy and effort over the past months. Against her will her body will be recovering over the next months starting in January. She is going to be a near miss by February

The real story here was Sasha Gollish...

She had an amazing race.

Kara's 1:11:10 was similar to her 1:11:13 at Big Sur last month. I'm surprised LetsRun.com thinks Kellyn Taylor is a long shot, when she just ran Philly in 1:10:59, which is slightly faster than Kara's last 2 races. Also, Kellyn ran a 2:28 in her debut marathon earlier this year. Kara's last marathon was a 2:37. Thus, I think Kara, Kellyn, and Cragg have an equal shot at the 3rd spot. (Shalane and Desi should take 1st & 2nd, unless injured).

She was running 71 min and change at Philly before NYC and tanked for a 2:37. Seems like she has a better and longer lead up to the trials, but as a Kara defender, I am not so sure she is back. I am definitely not going to say that she is done. The trials will be very interesting with Desi, Shalane and Amy possibly looking to push the pace to clear everyone out early, knowing that 2:28 is a major breaking point for most contenders for the third spot.

Yeah, I will admit it. I thought she was done. Whether everyone was racing or not here, I would not have expected her to win. I was wrong.

Precious Roy wrote:

The trials will be very interesting with Desi, Shalane and Amy possibly looking to push the pace to clear everyone out early, knowing that 2:28 is a major breaking point for most contenders for the third spot.

It's hard to say how Desi and Shalane will control the race. In 2008, Deena did the first half in 1:16:30, and everyone followed - except Magdalena Lewy Boulet, who led by almost 2 minutes at the half. Deena then did a 1:13:00 2nd half and dropped everyone to win the race. Magdalena held the lead for 22 miles and held on for 2nd. Blake Russel took 3rd in 2:32:40.

If Shalane and Desi set a slow pace, and rely on their track speed for the 2nd half, the 3rd member of the team could be the one who dares to take an early lead.

gregmacd wrote:

Precious Roy wrote:

The trials will be very interesting with Desi, Shalane and Amy possibly looking to push the pace to clear everyone out early, knowing that 2:28 is a major breaking point for most contenders for the third spot.

It's hard to say how Desi and Shalane will control the race. In 2008, Deena did the first half in 1:16:30, and everyone followed - except Magdalena Lewy Boulet, who led by almost 2 minutes at the half. Deena then did a 1:13:00 2nd half and dropped everyone to win the race. Magdalena held the lead for 22 miles and held on for 2nd. Blake Russel took 3rd in 2:32:40.

If Shalane and Desi set a slow pace, and rely on their track speed for the 2nd half, the 3rd member of the team could be the one who dares to take an early lead.

Deena was head and shoulders above the field in 2008. Trials were very late for the women as they were aligned with Boston. Deena wanted the win, but wanted to keep from destroying herself in a hard race. In 2012, the pace dropped very early and was hard the whole way with Shalane making a small surge to open up a lead on a tiring and cautious Desi. Similar dynamic should be in place this year, but who knows. It would not be the first time a US women's championship race went out very slow and tactical.

Believe. . wrote:

I figured you're too busy choking on you foot, which explains the lack of congratulatory threads.

/

She ran 1:11 @ age 37. What's that, 5:26 pace?

A 2:25 marathon is 5:31 pace. Good luck.

fred wrote:

Believe. . wrote:

I figured you're too busy choking on you foot, which explains the lack of congratulatory threads.

/

She ran 1:11 @ age 37. What's that, 5:26 pace?

A 2:25 marathon is 5:31 pace. Good luck.

To everyone on here who thinks he is smarter than Mark Wetmore..

HA.

ha.. wrote:

To everyone on here who thinks he is smarter than Mark Wetmore..

HA.

Mark Wetmore can only work with what he has available. At this point there is no coach out there that can make Kara run faster than she has. Doesn't mean we need to congratulate her for doing an okay job at her job. In case you haven't noticed, we don't celebrate average around here and that performance was average for Kara Goucher.

You are less than average here. That is unless you are a woman who has run 1:11 for the half this year, regardless of your age.

Heathrow wrote:

ha.. wrote:

To everyone on here who thinks he is smarter than Mark Wetmore..

HA.

Mark Wetmore can only work with what he has available. At this point there is no coach out there that can make Kara run faster than she has. Doesn't mean we need to congratulate her for doing an okay job at her job. In case you haven't noticed, we don't celebrate average around here and that performance was average for Kara Goucher.

The goal was 71 min. He thinks he can prepare her to run 225 in Feb. I'm going on these coaching decisions and opinions here so whether she is average or not, I believe mark more than you. No offense!

I think 2:27.x makes the team. There of several women who can run that. They won't try to kill themselves. Instead a breakaway will come at 30-35k. Whoever has the best finish will take the spots. Place 4 through 7/8 will be close behind but miss making the team.

I'm rooting for Kara to make the team. Then the tools can start a thread on how she'll fail in Rio.