Is it Official? Flagstaff the Running Capital of the US- Congrats to NAU & Eric Heins

Heins interview after winning today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbplB_BmMIE&feature=youtu.be&a

More importantly it is the home of JFK 50 mile record holder Jim Walmsley and ultra stud Rob Krar.

It has been obvious for a long time.

It is not a surprise.

Exempli gratia:

Here are some Flagstaff results for the month of November:

1) Sally Kipyego (2:28)- 2nd at NYC marathon.

2) Molly Huddle (2:28) 3rd at NYC marathon.

3) Abdi Abdirahman (2:11) 3rd at NYC marathon.

4) Jim Walmsley- 1st JFK 50 Mile (5:21, new course record).

5) NAU Cross Country team- 1st NCAA Cross Country Championships.

In conclusion:

1) Flagstaff runners DESTROY the entire world of distance running on planet Earth (except for Kenya, Ethiopia and wherever Kenenisa Bekele is at this moment).

2) TAKE THAT ALL RUNNERS ON PLANET EARTH.

3) OH YEA!!!

(Now I feel more perky.)

33 Olympic medals in Rio?

https://www.facebook.com/hypo2/photos/a.181731141864880.32731.154386924599302/1096897340348251/?type=3&theater

It is just a coincidence.

Don't forget a team from Eugene won today too....

Congratulations to them. They ran a very smart race. Coach Heins's advice to his team was perfect. He said that in a windy day like Wisconsin, you take advantage of the slow pace to get up close to the front in the first third of the race. On windy days it is very difficult to move up a lot against the wind, as well as to lead. So, no sense not getting close to the front and drafting with a slow early pace. Some other teams may have thought they could stay back early and then catch up (Saarel for Colorado, for instance, was 36th at 8k and moved up 15 spots but maybe he was ready to be top 20 at 8k and move up a few spots from there) but this was not the day for it, which makes it even more impressive that Tiernan could run 15:15 or 15:20 and then 14 flat with a last 2k of around 5:28 (Knight 5:33, Cheserek 5:52). It had to have been tough to push through the wind at the end.

wejo wrote:

Maybe I should break these things up into different threads but I'm combining them.

First, great win by NAU and Eric Heins today. Is he even 40 yet? and he's retiring from the sport on top. Pretty cool.

And as a former Flagstaff resident, I remember when Flag was the backwoods of US running. Boulder was where it was at. In Flag, Eric Heins was a (grad?) assistant at NAU and Ron Mann was a legend putting teams on the podium. Fast forward a decade and a half and Ron Mann is still a legend, but now NAU isn't just getting on the podium, they are on top if, and many top pros live in or train in Flagstaff for part of the year.

I think the win today makes it official- Flagstaff the running capital of the USA.

It may be the running capital of USA but it certainly isn't the racing capital of USA.

CONGRATS NAU!!! I love Flagstaff. My wife wants us to retire in the Sedona area, which is OK, but the price/sqfoot of home is a bit pricey. Its a bit cheaper in Flagstaff. So, I'm trying to talk her into moving a few miles north up the ridge into Flagstaff. I'm an old fart, still running 35 mpw, but can still break 20 min 5K!! Anyhow, can't wait to retire near the area and hope to cheer on the NAU guys and gals in the future.

Excuse my impudence, but did any Flag-based runners actually run in Rio? I know there must be one or two, but couldn't name them.

AZ bound wrote:

CONGRATS NAU!!! I love Flagstaff. My wife wants us to retire in the Sedona area, which is OK, but the price/sqfoot of home is a bit pricey. Its a bit cheaper in Flagstaff. So, I'm trying to talk her into moving a few miles north up the ridge into Flagstaff. I'm an old fart, still running 35 mpw, but can still break 20 min 5K!! Anyhow, can't wait to retire near the area and hope to cheer on the NAU guys and gals in the future.

Flagpole, you told us you were retiring to Surprise, AZ where you could buy a 3 bedroom house for under $100,000 in 2009.

Molly Huddle does not live in Flagstaff. Neither does Sally Kipyego.

If you mean 'people that have trained in Flagstaff in the past year,' then yes. But you should've included Mo Farah, Centro and other gold medalists.

pre emptive post: jobs? there are none unless you love retail. Housing? expensive beyond belief for the area. 400k+ for a 90 year old house that is 1100 Sq feet. Locals dont want you to move there, but if you can make it the quality of life is great.

Oh the Sedona area? The locals dont want you there either. Flagstaff times 100. My family owns a house there since the early 70's and we get crap about not being "locals" when we go up there. Unless you are a new age guru or can open an art gallery with the same crappy art all the others have you are not going to feel welcome.

I have a better line up in my neighborhood in Washington Co Oregon than all of AZ. How can you claim Molly Huddle? She is a RI girl

Ringser wrote:

Molly Huddle does not live in Flagstaff. Neither does Sally Kipyego.

If you mean 'people that have trained in Flagstaff in the past year,' then yes. But you should've included Mo Farah, Centro and other gold medalists.

That was just the November results.

I do include Mobot:

and Centro:

...in the 33 Olympic medals at Rio count.

Double Mobot. Oh MoNo.

Where is Centro?

https://www.facebook.com/hypo2/photos/a.181731141864880.32731.154386924599302/1056106101094042/?type=3&theater

Centrist wrote:

Excuse my impudence, but did any Flag-based runners actually run in Rio? I know there must be one or two, but couldn't name them.

Dave Torrence, if you count half or mostly Flagstaff-based.

zzzz wrote:

Centrist wrote:

Excuse my impudence, but did any Flag-based runners actually run in Rio? I know there must be one or two, but couldn't name them.

Dave Torrence, if you count half or mostly Flagstaff-based.

David Torrence is running as an inspiration for children in Peru. He is not on the Flagstaff Olympic Teamâ„¢.

exempli gratia:

Yuliya Efimova (Russian swimmer) was kicked off of the Flagstaff Olympic Teamâ„¢.

(Yuliya had to ef i mova outa the pool.)

Her place on the Flagstaff Olympic Teamâ„¢ was given to the greatest female British distance runner of all time:

Jo Pavey