What do Kenyans think about Rupp?

rupp just a loser to kenyan

The Kenyan's respect performance. And they respect Rupp's palmares.

Beautiful Day wrote:

Yeah.

All those guys who have run 2:02-2:06 will instead run 2:08-2:12. And Rupp, who has hardly broken 2:10 will run 2:06. Right.

1. Rupp bet Meb at the trials. Okay.

2. Rupp won a bronze because each country could only send 3 athletes. Okay.

3. Rupp faded as usual at Boston and still hasn't run fast enough to top the world record from the 60s.

The dude is not a marathoner, though he's run a fair half. That's okay. Lots of guys are fast in the half marathon, and not at the full 26.2. He's pretty much trapped, though. At some point, he either has to win another one, or run a time that your standard sub-27 10K runner might run. Or, just stop running marathons. That's the obvious answer.

Name one american born distance runner in our time who has the same accomplishments as Rupp.

It might take you a while.

An olympic medal is still an olympic medal.

TrackCoach wrote:

An article about Kimetto in Kenya's Daily nation talks about the upcoming Chicago Marathon and doesn't even mention Rupp as one of the top athletes. It mentions Stephen Sambu who has a 2:13 marathon PR and Zersenay Tadese who has a marathon PR of 2:10 and is several years past his prime.

Is this a purposeful omission or just an oversight?

http://www.nation.co.ke/sports/athletics/Dennis-Kimetto-will-lower-my-world-record-again/1100-4113486-mumub2z/index.html

To be honest with you, the regular track fan in Kenya thinks of Rupp as just another white guy who usually toils in the wake of Kenyan running. People know Jager though, because the steeplechase holds a special place amongst Kenyan running fans. But Rupp? Not really. Also factor in the fact that to most black people, white people just look alike (you could claim the same is true amongst whites when they look at East Africans). I remember arriving in the US a few years ago and not being able to remember people's names because I just couldn't distinguish these faces! It took a while.

this post is rupp certified wrote:

Some wish they were him

And many kenyans dont know who he is.

Mkenya Daima wrote:

Also factor in the fact that to most black people, white people just look alike (you could claim the same is true amongst whites when they look at East Africans).

Not really. I can tell which runner I'm looking at without being close enough to see their face, just by their unique form

I’ve told you lot several times that Kenyans only know Evan Jager. But I don’t think it’s just because he runs the steeple, he’s bloody good, has heart and Kenyans respect that.

Big Mazungo was another one.... (Craig Mottram)

They think that he is a soft, coddled American. And they are right.

Most of the best in North America and Europe have taken the opportunity to train and/or race in Africa. Not Rupp.

They see the Robertsons sleeping on cots and taking ice baths in barrels, a bunch of 2:10-2:12 Canadians and Europeans slugging it out with them on the track, even Mo Farah putting in miles in the Rift Valley and Ethiopia. All while Rupp won't leave the lab.

Bad Wigins wrote:

Mkenya Daima wrote:

Also factor in the fact that to most black people, white people just look alike (you could claim the same is true amongst whites when they look at East Africans).

Not really. I can tell which runner I'm looking at without being close enough to see their face, just by their unique form

LOL please. Mkenya makes a good point.

It's probably because his blooper highlight reel earned him the Steve Prefontaine COULDA WOULDA SHOULDA award a few years back.

El Keniano wrote:

I’ve told you lot several times that Kenyans only know Evan Jager. But I don’t think it’s just because he runs the steeple, he’s bloody good, has heart and Kenyans respect that.

I'm sure they know who he is since he's beat the crap out of the Kenyans for years. There is a couple of Ethiopians and a Somalian that have managed to beat Rupp but not so much the Kenyans. They wish they didn't know him. That's all.

think it through wrote:

They think that he is a soft, coddled American. And they are right.

Most of the best in North America and Europe have taken the opportunity to train and/or race in Africa. Not Rupp.

They see the Robertsons sleeping on cots and taking ice baths in barrels, a bunch of 2:10-2:12 Canadians and Europeans slugging it out with them on the track, even Mo Farah putting in miles in the Rift Valley and Ethiopia. All while Rupp won't leave the lab.

Or... and stick with me here... maybe he doesn't want to leave his family for months at a time. But you're probably right, you're the expert afterall.

The Kenyans are well aware of Rupp.

He has a faster 10,000m PR than all active Kenyans along with a Silver meal in that event.

He finished third in the Olympic marathon beating two prominent Kenyans.

And he is really, really white and stands out when running with the leaders.

They're aware of him.

yuki kawauchi is better than rupp.he is not afraid to race with the big dogs.he even race a lot.

KFC wrote:

yuki kawauchi is better than rupp.he is not afraid to race with the big dogs.he even race a lot.

Let me know when Kawauchi gets top 3 at a major marathon.

TrackCoach wrote:

Every thing points to at least 2:07; I don't know how anyone thinks Rupp won't be competitive. Perhaps he'll never be great by world standards, but he's already pretty darn good already unless you think a 26:44 10K, 2 Olympic medals, multiple USA Marathon Championships and a WMM 2nd place was all a fluke. He now has a shot at running a fast time, I can't see why anyone would count him out.

Agreed. I seriously think 2-3 people shit the board up with "Rupp will never ___" sentiment.

It's cute to think that the Kenyans have this mystical aloofness where they train together in some remote vacuum where nothing such as the existence of a glowing-white 6' tall / 26:44 / Olympic medalist mzungu can permeate their collective consciousness (the way they're referred to in this context). 🙄

real question here is... what kind of drug will Rupp use for chicago mrthn?

doot doot wrote:

TrackCoach wrote:

Every thing points to at least 2:07; I don't know how anyone thinks Rupp won't be competitive. Perhaps he'll never be great by world standards, but he's already pretty darn good already unless you think a 26:44 10K, 2 Olympic medals, multiple USA Marathon Championships and a WMM 2nd place was all a fluke. He now has a shot at running a fast time, I can't see why anyone would count him out.

Agreed. I seriously think 2-3 people shit the board up with "Rupp will never ___" sentiment.

🙄

Beautiful Day and mindweak are two of those people. Just ignore anything they say about Rupp being a terrible marathoner.