Can we officially that Nick Symmonds is a PR man, not athlete? Symmonds won't run at US or World Indoors

There's your answer.

http://www.flotrack.org/video/738028-nick-symmonds-announces-retirement-from-indoor

He's made two Olympic teams already, which is pretty good.
And, as you said, winning USATF last year was a nice surprise.

If he's done athletically, it's been a good career.
Transitioning his career right now while he's still competitive isn't a bad idea.

All that matters right now for him as an athlete is the Olympic Trials.

Symmonds hates running indoors. After getting eliminated in the heats in 2014, he said World Indoors would be his last indoor race.

It's not just him.

Follow some runners on twitter and it's like your watching the home shopping network.

Buy buy buy.

Energy bars, gum, supplements, email coaching services, a virtual 2016 mileage challenge for "just" $30!, etc...

No way he makes Rio.

He's done. His partner claimed he's in the best shape of his life on facebook.

First, that is a false dichotomy. Nick has never let being an athlete stand in the way of being a PR man.

Second, is everyone not running indoors "not an athlete"? Because lots of big names are skipping indoors, even with world indoors being in the US. Mo Farah is skipping even though he lives in Portand and is competing in other races (Edinburgh, World Half Marathon).

The reasons are that In an Olympic year, everyone's focus is on peaking to get into the Olympics and then for the games themselves. If an athlete doesn't think indoors will help with the Olympics from a peaking/training standpoint or because of risk of injury, I would expect the athlete to skip indoors. Indoors - even if you medal - is so much less prestigious than the Olympics that plenty of athletes are fine with skipping it.

As for Symmonds, I don't actually know what his thinking is, but I expect 2016 is his last chance to make it to the Olympics, he doesn't want to do anything to screw that up, and doesn't think running indoors would help him get to the Olympics.

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Centenial wrote:

No way he makes Rio.

He's done. His partner claimed he's in the best shape of his life on facebook.

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I love Nick, but he's kinda nuts

Nick Symmonds has done more to affect positive change in the sport of track than any other individual athlete. He deserves a lot of credit and I hope he keeps putting pressure on the entrenched interests of the USATF and IAAF. Whether he's a PR man or not doesn't matter. In fact the fact that he's good with PR is a bonus because it makes his efforts more effective.

If you think that new income sharing arrangement with the USATF would have happened without Nick Symmonds you're dreaming. Lets hope he keeps pushing.

who the phuck cares about indoors?!

NO ONE SHOULD. in the world. what a waste of a "peak" and way to chop up your training


i bet you Symmonds wins at the Oly Trials.

maaaaaybe Solomon beats him, but solomon has a lot of doubt in his brain these days since his sh$tty last few years of running and has been a non factor as well.

why didn't you say anything Duane Solomon in your post?

Symmonds is typically a gamer when it matters and is good tactically. he also won't freak out like the guys trying to qualify for the first time. (solomon will be more nervous than usual too, with his implosion last year) he'll keep his cool and if he's in shape, he'll be in the right position at the end.

he has nothing to lose being a two-time olympian and

he has a lot going for him as a US 800m runner. who has a better resume in the USA than him?


plus boys and girls, he's run 1:42 and has a world championship silver medal and is making money and setting up his career after running nicely.

i know he's annoying, by the way....

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800 follower wrote:

http://www.oregonlive.com/trackandfield/index.ssf/2016/01/thursday_morning_news_notes_li_29.html#incart_river_index

What's up with that line of thinking?

In 2014, he competed indoors but not outdoors. In 2015, he competed hardly at all (a little indoors and outdoors). Now he's not doing indoors in 2016.

So he's missed at least half of 2014, 15 and 16. Is he hurt? Focused on PR? Or being smart given he's 32?

I will have to admit he surprised us all by winning USAs outdoors last year but I'd think given how little he's raced in recent years, he'd want to get going again.

If he makes the US team for Rio, I'll have to hand it to him but I think we'll look back at the end of the year and realize he pulled it out of his *** last year and got lucky and the writing was on the wall.

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Jason Priestley wrote:

Nick Symmonds has done more to affect positive change in the sport of track than any other individual athlete. He deserves a lot of credit and I hope he keeps putting pressure on the entrenched interests of the USATF and IAAF. Whether he's a PR man or not doesn't matter. In fact the fact that he's good with PR is a bonus because it makes his efforts more effective.

If you think that new income sharing arrangement with the USATF would have happened without Nick Symmonds you're dreaming. Lets hope he keeps pushing.

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I think it is safe to say that Nick has been struggling with some injuries since US Champs last summer. Also, with guys like Donavan coming up, Nick probably realizes that this is his last shot at the Olympics and retirement is coming up. He will put all his eggs in the US trials basket this year and skipping indoors is the right way to make sure you are healthy and able to peak properly.

Nick is also a busybody. He cannot sit still. Even when he was running well and training hard, he was writing a book and pulling stunts like going out on a date with Paris Hilton. So, his new calling is to be the gadfly of UST&F. He has a lot of good points. I would only debate whether he would do more good working from the inside like Deena Kastor does or by filing lawsuits and stirring up the pot by skipping worlds because of disagreements over USATF ad/sponsorship rules. I guess there is always more than one way to skin a cat.

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symmonds don't do indoor wrote:

There's your answer.

http://www.flotrack.org/video/738028-nick-symmonds-announces-retirement-from-indoor

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Ever since he started referring to his race at 2012 london as "a product" I knew he was done and then some. Dude cars more about his twitter account than he does putting in the miles.

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lrclowend wrote:

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symmonds don't do indoor wrote:

There's your answer.

http://www.flotrack.org/video/738028-nick-symmonds-announces-retirement-from-indoor

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Is that why this happened?
http://www.flotrack.org/video/760847-nick-symmonds-runs-820-and-pleased-with-3k-strength-work

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An indoor season is the kiss of death for athletes hoping to compete at high levels in the Summer. Good chance of getting injured. Nick got smart.

Indoor is crap.

Symmonds needs to point for the trials and Olympics.

What an absurd allegation!

Symmonds has been first (6) or second (3) in the US Championships ever since 2006 (missing in 2014 due to injury and did not compete), as well as second in the world in 2013. They don't let non-athletes limp around the track to such a record. His successes on the track are even more notable in that they are accomplished without doping (a FACT), as compared to most (if not all) the competitors in front of him in London. Once you can get off your butt and crank out a 1:44, which Symmonds can still do, you don't have any standing to label him a non-athlete. He has the most experience of any US runner in the 800 and will be a major factor at the Trials this summer, and is highly likely the make the Olympic team.

The efforts he is putting in to improve the financial situation for all US athletes should be applauded. Using his notoriety for the betterment of the sport and aiding other less fortunate athletes should also be applauded, encouraged and supported by all T&F fans.

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800 follower wrote:

http://www.oregonlive.com/trackandfield/index.ssf/2016/01/thursday_morning_news_notes_li_29.html#incart_river_index

What's up with that line of thinking?

In 2014, he competed indoors but not outdoors. In 2015, he competed hardly at all (a little indoors and outdoors). Now he's not doing indoors in 2016.

So he's missed at least half of 2014, 15 and 16. Is he hurt? Focused on PR? Or being smart given he's 32?

I will have to admit he surprised us all by winning USAs outdoors last year but I'd think given how little he's raced in recent years, he'd want to get going again.

If he makes the US team for Rio, I'll have to hand it to him but I think we'll look back at the end of the year and realize he pulled it out of his *** last year and got lucky and the writing was on the wall.

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