Amy MF Cragg!!!

Obese America wrote:

tracknutz17 wrote:

Not that this takes anything away from her performance, but I was wrong about the PR -- she was just off her 2:27:08 PR from Chicago in '14.

She first made a US team in '11 and between this, her Rio 9th and her London 11th in the 10k in '12, her major meet resume has become pretty solid.

Not quite like Rupp and some of the other superstars, but better than I'm sure many imaged for her several years ago.

The Shalane effect. Has a training partner changed the career trajectory of any runner more than Amy Cragg?

Why aren't there more posts on this thread? Is this all there is?

Go Amy Cragg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Amy Cragg is a member of the Flagstaff Runner Teamâ„¢ in the special Irish runner division, because she trains with Shalane Flanagan and is married to the speedy Irish leprechaun Alistair Cragg.)

Amy Cragg just won the 2017 World Championship Bronze Medal in the marathon.

It turns out that all the years of hard work doing high volume/high intensity training...really worked.

Very well done Ms. Cragg.

derper wrote:

1955 wrote:

Fabulous run, although I have to admit I was pulling for Alyson Dixon due to her gutsy her solo effort.

Why is it gutsy to run faster than you are capable of finishing for the sole reason of getting a lot of camera time?

So many assumptions, so cynical. She was running at or slightly below PB pace so you're wrong on that count. She wasn't going fast, the others were going slow. And how do you know she was doing it solely to get camera time, did you talk to her afterwards? Wrong on that count too. Maybe she planned to run at PB pace regardless of what else happened, in which case why did the others run slower than they were capable of for the sole reason of avoiding camera time?

metrician wrote:

derper wrote:

Why is it gutsy to run faster than you are capable of finishing for the sole reason of getting a lot of camera time?

So many assumptions, so cynical. She was running at or slightly below PB pace so you're wrong on that count. She wasn't going fast, the others were going slow. And how do you know she was doing it solely to get camera time, did you talk to her afterwards? Wrong on that count too. Maybe she planned to run at PB pace regardless of what else happened, in which case why did the others run slower than they were capable of for the sole reason of avoiding camera time?

Somewhat lost in this debate is the top UK finisher today was not Alyson Dixon in 18th, but Charlotte Purdue, who finished almost two minutes ahead of Dixon in 13th place.

Great run by Cragg, BTW!

I have visions of female club runners all across America eagerly heading out for their long runs on Sunday after being inspired by Cragg's kick ass performance. Ranks right up there with Kastor's bronze in 2004 and of course Joanie's gold in '84.

Skyrunner.at.Altitude wrote:

(Amy Cragg is a member of the Flagstaff Runner Teamâ„¢ in the special Irish runner division, because she trains with Shalane Flanagan and is married to the speedy Irish leprechaun Alistair Cragg.)

Hes not irish, hes south african. He just chose to represent Ireland because it was easier/his ancestry.

trails for life wrote:

Consider this: Is she just a really good warm-weather marathoner?

My hypothesis: American marathoners on a flat course in cool conditions just are not going to run as fast as the Africans (male and female), but put Americans on a tougher course and hotter weather and that gap narrows.

While the East Africans should have an advantage in the heat with smaller bodies, I suspect Americans do a much better job of acclimatizing. This first came to mind in Athens where Meb and Deena were very fastidious about preparing for the heat. I am pretty sure Rupp was just as prepared in Rio.

I also think there might be a mental aspect to running in the heat and a strategic one. Understanding that you have to slow down might help. I wonder if other runners just go with the pace and ignore the conditions.

Congrats to Amy, also the pride of Leavenworth KS! I'd give credit to her seeking the absolute best out of herself, and her making the decision that she wanted more, thus, going to train with the Bowerman Track Club/Schumacher group and saying, in effect, "give me the hardest, longest, most challenging workouts you've got" and being willing to invest all she had. Heart, soul, spirit, you name it. And it's not like she hadn't had success, a 2nd in her first marathon in 2:27 in LA, winning the Trials 10,000 in 2012, etc. Yes, she had the support of her family, husband, coach, Shalane, NIKE, but Amy did the work.

And this is not to disagree or criticize the other posts, this is just a big cheer for her, way to go, Amy, so awesome and inspiring!

It seems like Kenyan and Ethiopian runners always run really early in the morning even though the climate of, say, Eldoret is already cool. Americans train when it's hotter outside. As to why Rupp is a great warm weather runner? You tell me. I don't have a clue.

Galen trains on a treadmill in a sauna. Africans aren't doing that.

Awesome performance ....if she started her drive to the finish 5-10 seconds earlier she may have nabbed the silver...