She was 3rd last year, has always been a contender. She’s said she’s mixed up her training to get out of her recent plateau and i dont doubt the Hanson’s ability to train an athlete of her caliber. She hasn’t been as ambitious in her goals this year yet... maybe she can get it done!
Desi Linden Boston marathon champion, chances?
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Maybe if Jordan Hasay and Shalane Flanagan both are out with injuries.
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I think after Shalane's NYC win, there is likely to be more a sense of belief in the Americans that they can win, and not just podium. Similar to how Freirichs hung with Coburn because she knew Coburn was capable, and therefore she might be capable as well. So I think Desi's chances may be even better this year.
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I said it in another thread, but as good as Desi is at running her own race and pacing perfectly, that's not necessarily gonna put her in contention for the win. I'd love to see her really mix it up at the front.
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Fitness is important. But at their level, knowing how to win is at least as important. Name one major race Linden has won since she became world-class in 2009. Don't say "she almost won Boston in 2011." She didn't win that race. Name even a medium-level victory.
Look, Linden is hitting her watch every mile so afterward her coaches can analyze what a good job she did pacing. Flanagan didn't even know what pace she was running when she put away the others to win NYC.
This isn't meant as a knock on Linden. But her approach to racing isn't how you win at her level. Again, name one medium to big race she's won against a world-class field. -
I don't think her chances are quite as high as some of the others.
But, I don't think they're all that low, either. She's one of my favorite racers, and I'm super happy to see her in this stacked field.
I'm also curious to follow her buildup. Do you know about any of the changes she's made to her training? Maybe it will be less metronomic pace focused and more about racing and surging and going after it. -
I expect big things. Her and Huddle didn't run a fall marathon plus anytime the Hansons have a full year to prep an athlete they seem to show up with a new sense of purpose. Go Desi.
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I think the foreign contingent is expected to not be super competitive, so I will tentatively pencil in Linden at #4 overall on the womens side, which is a fantastic result. Of the elite US women I think she has a chance of running down Huddle possibly
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I give her a 50% chance of winning. Either she does or she doesn't.
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Brian Sold wrote:
Fitness is important. But at their level, knowing how to win is at least as important. Name one major race Linden has won since she became world-class in 2009. Don't say "she almost won Boston in 2011." She didn't win that race. Name even a medium-level victory.
Look, Linden is hitting her watch every mile so afterward her coaches can analyze what a good job she did pacing. Flanagan didn't even know what pace she was running when she put away the others to win NYC.
This isn't meant as a knock on Linden. But her approach to racing isn't how you win at her level. Again, name one medium to big race she's won against a world-class field.
I'm pretty sure that pacing perfectly and running as fast as you possibly can is the absolute best way to win races. Usually the winner is the person that runs the fastest.
And I think Desi knows how to win. I think everybody knows how to win. You don't need to have won races to know how to win. Run faster and you will win. -
I predict Jordan wins and takes everyone to the woodshed. Then it’s crickets chirping on the internet cause of all the jealously.
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reed wrote:
Brian Sold wrote:
Fitness is important. But at their level, knowing how to win is at least as important. Name one major race Linden has won since she became world-class in 2009. Don't say "she almost won Boston in 2011." She didn't win that race. Name even a medium-level victory.
Look, Linden is hitting her watch every mile so afterward her coaches can analyze what a good job she did pacing. Flanagan didn't even know what pace she was running when she put away the others to win NYC.
This isn't meant as a knock on Linden. But her approach to racing isn't how you win at her level. Again, name one medium to big race she's won against a world-class field.
I'm pretty sure that pacing perfectly and running as fast as you possibly can is the absolute best way to win races. Usually the winner is the person that runs the fastest.
And I think Desi knows how to win. I think everybody knows how to win. You don't need to have won races to know how to win. Run faster and you will win.
Thanks for that lesson. But you didn't name even a semi-important race Linden has won in the last eight years. -
I don’t think Desi has another fast marathon in her, and I think that’s what it will take to win.
But boy, I bet Shalane is angry that Jordan entered just to make Shalane look slow. -
Kid Dynamo wrote:
I expect big things. Her and Huddle didn't run a fall marathon plus anytime the Hansons have a full year to prep an athlete they seem to show up with a new sense of purpose. Go Desi.
I love the Hanson's and Desiree as well but I disagree with your premise. I think their decision to skip a fall marathon screams of desperation. She is at the stage of her career that she should be running 2 marathons a year and paid accordingly. I follow her on social media and she has dramatically changed the way she talks about things. I predict that she and Molly run together at 2:25 and are about 2 minutes back from the leaders. Molly will pull away late. -
Brian Sold wrote:
reed wrote:
Brian Sold wrote:
Fitness is important. But at their level, knowing how to win is at least as important. Name one major race Linden has won since she became world-class in 2009. Don't say "she almost won Boston in 2011." She didn't win that race. Name even a medium-level victory.
Look, Linden is hitting her watch every mile so afterward her coaches can analyze what a good job she did pacing. Flanagan didn't even know what pace she was running when she put away the others to win NYC.
This isn't meant as a knock on Linden. But her approach to racing isn't how you win at her level. Again, name one medium to big race she's won against a world-class field.
I'm pretty sure that pacing perfectly and running as fast as you possibly can is the absolute best way to win races. Usually the winner is the person that runs the fastest.
And I think Desi knows how to win. I think everybody knows how to win. You don't need to have won races to know how to win. Run faster and you will win.
Thanks for that lesson. But you didn't name even a semi-important race Linden has won in the last eight years.
Same can be said for Hasay but that doesn't stop people from predicting her win. -
Poppy Syndrome. wrote:
I predict Jordan wins and takes everyone to the woodshed. Then it’s crickets chirping on the internet cause of all the jealously.
First sentence correct. Second sentence wrong. Desi and especially Shalane will complain about cheating with drugs AGAIN! -
joho wrote:
Brian Sold wrote:
reed wrote:
Brian Sold wrote:
Fitness is important. But at their level, knowing how to win is at least as important. Name one major race Linden has won since she became world-class in 2009. Don't say "she almost won Boston in 2011." She didn't win that race. Name even a medium-level victory.
Look, Linden is hitting her watch every mile so afterward her coaches can analyze what a good job she did pacing. Flanagan didn't even know what pace she was running when she put away the others to win NYC.
This isn't meant as a knock on Linden. But her approach to racing isn't how you win at her level. Again, name one medium to big race she's won against a world-class field.
I'm pretty sure that pacing perfectly and running as fast as you possibly can is the absolute best way to win races. Usually the winner is the person that runs the fastest.
And I think Desi knows how to win. I think everybody knows how to win. You don't need to have won races to know how to win. Run faster and you will win.
Thanks for that lesson. But you didn't name even a semi-important race Linden has won in the last eight years.
Same can be said for Hasay but that doesn't stop people from predicting her win.
If Hasay were the topic of the thread, I'd say the same thing.
One difference: Hasay might still get faster, and could conceivably be in a big race where she's simply the fastest one there and able to run away from everyone else. That's never been the case with Linden, who therefore needs to be able to outrace people with better PRs, like Flanagan has done. -
MeHereYouWhere?! wrote:
I give her a 50% chance of winning. Either she does or she doesn't.
That's not how odds work. Giving her a 50% chance of winning means that you feel she would win once if she had two chances at the exact same race. -
Desi's elite marathon history -
2010- 2:26:20 Chicago
2011- 2:22:38 Boston
2012- 2:25:55 Houston O. Trials (followed by injury)
2013- 2:29:15 Berlin
2014- 2:23:54 Boston
2015- 2:29:39 Boston
2016- 2:28:54 Los Angeles O. Trials
2016- 2:26:08 Rio Olympics
2017- 2:25:06 Boston
Lots of fodder for discussion there. She has been wonderfully consistent in her marathon performances, but never in the hunt for a win since 2011. Her times have been coming down again since 2015 and two of those have been in tough hot weather races in LA and Rio. I am a huge fan of Desi, but my best guess is second American behind Shalane or Hasay, with one of them having an off day. If it was a half marathon I would put my money on Huddle, but I think she may not be ready for a breakout marathon performance yet. -
Nope, unfortunately it would be difficult for her to win. I like Desi, but Hasay has shown she will race anyone. Desi can throw surges or fast miles, but Hasay will be there. Even if Desi has developed superior speed, Shalane will just crush a slow race like in NY.
Fast Race: Jordan, Shalane, Desi
Slow, Tactical- Shalane, Molly, Jordan
