Brett Gotcher = Marathon Trials Dark Horse

old guy 70 wrote:

I run in Aptos and my training (though only 30 miles a week) hasn't been hampered much at all. I've had to run (2-4 times) in some light rain the past month, but only once in rain of any significance. El Nino hasn't hit the area yet. Some rain, but nothing steady. There's always breaks during the day.

Naw, El nino definitely has hit. It just has been really good timing of rains for training. It has almost all been at night, plus a few days with rain in the morning.

I've also been very pleased with the number of clear afternoons to train. I do the dec, so rain pretty well diminishes my practice ability in the throws, hj, and pole vault. It's not too fun doing pretty much any of the event work in the rain. This winter I've only had to reschedule maybe two days to get a running workout in during rain instead.

So called has been having lots of rain of course too, as evidenced by the flooding.

I like Bret, but wrote:

Can you think of anyone who's gone 4 years between good marathons?

Masakazu Fujiwara. 2:08:12 debut in 2003, zero marathons until a 2:12:07 in 2008, four more from mid-2:11 to mid-2:16 through 2012, then a 2:08:51 in 2013.

sdmiler wrote:

Meb ran 2:09 in NY in 2005 and 2:09 in Boston in 2006. His 2:15 at the trials was due to a broken hip, not training issues. I would call that a damn impressive time while hurt. So not 3.5 years. Let's not forget Meb ran the 10,000 at the 2008 Track trials and he had that bout of food poisoning in NY in 2006 where he ran the 2:20 something. I don't recall a Spring marathon in 2007 (or what that the year he DNF'd in London with the blisters?)

It was 3.5 years between good marathons. Not good for being injured, not good 10000m races, good marathons with no qualifying statements.

No, everyone is not forgetting. There are a dozen plus dark horses entered in the race next Saturday. Your pick may be 3rd, or 14th, or dnf. Your guess is merely a guess and nothing more. I picked the top 3 in 2007, including Sell. I was lucky. If you'd really like to make a bet, as you stated, please respond with your email address and I'll gladly take that bet.

Mouse Speed wrote:

Everyone seems to forget he was 5th at the Trials 4 years ago.

He hasn't done much since, BUT his workouts are on point right now and he's healthy. When he's got both those things going for him, he's in the mix. I'm placing bets on Brett for the 3rd spot. GO Brett!

messi wrote:

Mouse Speed wrote:

Everyone seems to forget he was 5th at the Trials 4 years ago.

He hasn't done much since, BUT his workouts are on point right now and he's healthy. When he's got both those things going for him, he's in the mix. I'm placing bets on Brett for the 3rd spot. GO Brett!

If you want a realistic & practical dark horse look no further than Jared Ward = the millennial Brian Sell.

Ward a darkhorse? He's on a lot of people's lists to make the team...

I like Bret, but wrote:

Can you think of anyone who's gone 4 years between good marathons?

as a matter of fact, I can... wrote:

Waldemar Cierpinski.

Abebe Bikila