Breaking: Galen Rupp WILL defend his Chicago Marathon title in 2018

No surprise, probably contractually obligated as reigning champion.

Eh. Would rather see him go the route of Berlin but hard to pass up the Big $ that BOA and Chicago threw at him. Plus the weather that time of year in Chicago is always a huge wildcard.

Either way, I will root for him.

MeHereYouWhere?! wrote:

Eh. Would rather see him go the route of Berlin but hard to pass up the Big $ that BOA and Chicago threw at him. Plus the weather that time of year in Chicago is always a huge wildcard.

Either way, I will root for him.

I like seeing people go for fast times, but Berlin isn't the best place for Galen. He's not going to try to run 2:03 next time out, he'll try to run the american record/white man record of 2:05:38.

In Chicago he can once again forget about time and just race. He'll likely win again, and then can chase the AR in 2019 before the 2020 Trials.

I don't usually defend Galen/NOP but this is a smart choice.

This is disappointing, unless Chicago reintroduces pacers and he targets KK’s American record (I won’t hold my breath).

Would have much rather seen him face NYC’s deeper, better international field or go for a PR in Berlin. Chicago has become the weakest WMM by far since they eliminated rabbits.

Good. I was afraid I wouldn't have any competition.

Salazar seems to loath the NYC marathon. Must have to do with the 2:08:13 he ran in 1981 being nullified. Salazar still insists he ran a full marathon on that short course; because the crowds made him run wide on the tangents.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=h2oVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ieEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6883%2C6710521

He'll have to go through me to do it.

Well not really, since he'll start well ahead of me.

If Rupp were to race Berlin, he'd pass half Marathon in sub-62 minutes then drop out somewhere near the 30K mark.

I wonder if Kawauchi will show up again. Definitely not Rupp-certified.

This is disappointing, and this is why he is still in the background of Hall. Hall did London twice by the time he was 25!

And then after Chicago he will do Boston. That will be three straight years without running a major international marathon.

We need another quality american male marathoner ASAP, so that we can have someone who is willing to run some overseas

marathon majors.

He just came off running a 2:06 marathon, and instead of opting to run Berlin, he chooses to run Chicago? It will be another sit and kick fest, and it is not that there is anything wrong with that, but the conspiracy theory it going to start flying for sure.

Is Nike protecting this guy, and keeping him away from marathon races that they can't control like Tokyo, London and Berlin?

Maybe the race directors will bring back pacers just for this year so Galen can break AR on american soil. Chicago is fastest course in America with pacers.

hoping....... wrote:

Maybe the race directors will bring back pacers just for this year so Galen can break AR on american soil. Chicago is fastest course in America with pacers.

This is true, but until then, it is just another 2:09 course.

Easy explanation for this. Chicago is the only Rupp-certified fall marathon course. The others simply don't meet the necessary requirements.

Wow. What a boring wanker.

Scorpion_runner wrote:

Is Nike protecting this guy, and keeping him away from marathon races that they can't control like Tokyo, London and Berlin?

I do believe it's fairly common for a defending champ to try to defend their title when it comes to World Marathon Majors.

I'd be interested in them bringing back pacers -- why not? What sets Chicago apart from NYC and Boston is that it's so flat -- this is a race that SHOULD be organized in a way to compete with London and Berlin on a time basis...

Scorpion_runner wrote:

This is disappointing, and this is why he is still in the background of Hall.

LOL! Hall couldn't carry Rupp's gym bag.

Scorpion_runner wrote:

This is disappointing, and this is why he is still in the background of Hall. Hall did London twice by the time he was 25!

And then after Chicago he will do Boston. That will be three straight years without running a major international marathon.

We need another quality american male marathoner ASAP, so that we can have someone who is willing to run some overseas

marathon majors.

He just came off running a 2:06 marathon, and instead of opting to run Berlin, he chooses to run Chicago? It will be another sit and kick fest, and it is not that there is anything wrong with that, but the conspiracy theory it going to start flying for sure.

Is Nike protecting this guy, and keeping him away from marathon races that they can't control like Tokyo, London and Berlin?

Rupp’s marathon career is leaps and bounds ahead of Hall’s.

Doesn't anybody have an educated guess what type of appearance fee he is likely getting?

anacondarunner wrote:

This is disappointing, unless Chicago reintroduces pacers and he targets KK’s American record (I won’t hold my breath).

Would have much rather seen him face NYC’s deeper, better international field or go for a PR in Berlin. Chicago has become the weakest WMM by far since they eliminated rabbits.

+1