Chicago Elites = Disappointment?

We should invite the polish women's TnF team

yepppppppp wrote:

The elites for chicago have been announced and I am very... disappointed. (focusing on just the Men's field).

Kimetto - Best on the planet at one time. Mailed it in the last 2 years. Any reason to expect he'll show up in good shape?

Kirui - Also formerly brilliant, and with a nice reviving win here last year... is this the only top entrant even possibly worth watching?

Tadese - C'mon dude. Let's face it, a stellar marathon just isn't going to happen. No flying V drafting.

So is that it? 2.5 former stars, Sambu the rookie, and a bunch of japanese dudes?

Am i wrong to be disappointed or were my expectations too high? This race used to be so much deeper (and with more US talent). Discus.

Rupp aiming for the win and Derrick's debut don't excite you?

jenapharm wrote:

Set up for rupp - just like his boy mo a soft field for him

He's going to have his work cut out for him to beat Noah Droddy.

Nike wants to see Rupp win a WMM, so this is what happens. Whether or not it will happen is another story.

I think it has more to do with not having pacers.

i was impressed when they announced the American men's field, but the international men's elite field is quite weak. i had hoped that they were stepping up the level this year with the 40th anniversary, but have been proven wrong. I would say that in terms of men's fields, all of the other WMMs, including Tokyo, are now superior to Chicago. They could take advantage of the course and at least have pacers every other year. But really they need more $

And what happens if Kimetto and/or Kirui call out injured?

?????????? wrote:

I think it has more to do with not having pacers.

Yep. The ditching of pacers was kind of the death knell of Chicago as a top major. I think they did it so they'd have more money for appearance fees, but we see the results of that plan reflected in this field.

This is a marathon not a porn shoot.

I wanna see wrote:

We should invite the polish women's TnF team

jenapharm wrote:

Set up for rupp - just like his boy mo a soft field for him

Nailed it!

They probably spent most of their budget on Rupp's appearance fee.

It took a few replies to call out the Rupp omission. I actually am looking forward to counting the hat changes.

Puskedra, Eggleston, Braun, Estrada, Chelanga, Derrick, Droddy are the listed 'Muricans.

A silver platter for the Caucasian NOPer.

The elites for chicago have been announced and I am very... disappointed. (focusing on just the Men's field).

Kimetto - Best on the planet at one time. Mailed it in the last 2 years. Any reason to expect he'll show up in good shape?

Kirui - Also formerly brilliant, and with a nice reviving win here last year... is this the only top entrant even possibly worth watching?

Tadese - C'mon dude. Let's face it, a stellar marathon just isn't going to happen. No flying V drafting.

So is that it? 2.5 former stars, Sambu the rookie, and a bunch of japanese dudes?

Am i wrong to be disappointed or were my expectations too high? This race used to be so much deeper (and with more US talent). Discus.

Maybe they'll shake things up and add Wesley Korir.

soft field for mo? Nearly all World and Olympic championship field over the past several years = weak? Just because he wins, in nearly any situation doesn't mean his fields are soft. Hard to fake soft fields for several years in a row.. You are an idiot. An absolute idiot.

Stupid AF man. This is a world class well rounded field all of these dudes have betters PR's than RUPP by like 5mins, saying that it's set up for Rupp is absurd. And if he loses to a guy who runs low 2:04 you guys will eat your words (and i don't want him to lose).

This f'n forum just wants something to complain about because you guys don't actually follow the sport, you just act like you do.

Why tho? wrote:This f'n forum just wants something to complain about because you guys don't actually follow the sport, you just act like you do.

Marathons are a helluva thing to pretend to follow.

BTW, this field is soft.

It's not a super field but it's not that bad.

Kirui went 2:07 in London this year after competing to win.

Kimetto is the world record holder. He had a bad year in 2016 with a 2:11 in London but could come back and has every reason to want to do well.

Tadesse ran 2:06 at the sub 2:00 event. Even if you add two minutes to the time, it means he could compete in a 2:06-2:07 race,

Rupp has beaten some great runners in his marathons. He probably has better odds here than in most WMMs but its not a lock.