Kara Goucher to run Leadville!!!

Kara Who?

Checking reality wrote:

Looks like she was a pretty good runner.

Personal best(s)

1500 meters: 4:05.14[1]

3000 meters: 8:34.99[1]

5000 meters: 14:55.02[1]

10,000 meters: 30:55.16[1]

Half marathon: 1:06:57[1]

Marathon: 2:24:52[1]

This will be fun to watch when she will crush the trail races.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kara_Goucher

How do you figure? Injury prone already, racing on very uneven surfaces is not like running on the groomed trails and dirt roads around Boulder. Sure she has speed but as any trail racer knows there is a lot more involved and its not track workouts that get you there. She shows a disrespect for the sport is she thinks it will be easy.

That said what it might show is lack of depth on women's side of the sport, she on a training run type pace will probably easily finish in the top 10.

oke wrote:

Well Are We wrote:

This the same route Magdalena Lewy Boulet, an Olympic marathoner, took as she was nearing 40 and shes's done quite well for herself. Kara G may have the same kind of success. Or not.

Yes on the Magda shout-out. Goucher is doing the same thing, and it's a brilliant move.

It's pointless for anyone to call her "washed up" when everyone ages out of their peak competitive years eventually. It's not like she was stupid and flamed out young like Hall or Webb. Goucher had a long and pretty successful road/track career, and she's obviously still keen to compete but knows she can't keep up in the same events. Perfect time to see if she clicks with trail racing.

no, not that successful at all. above average, but no successful.

Train wreck in the making wrote:

Checking reality wrote:

Looks like she was a pretty good runner.

Personal best(s)

1500 meters: 4:05.14[1]

3000 meters: 8:34.99[1]

5000 meters: 14:55.02[1]

10,000 meters: 30:55.16[1]

Half marathon: 1:06:57[1]

Marathon: 2:24:52[1]

This will be fun to watch when she will crush the trail races.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kara_Goucher

How do you figure? Injury prone already, racing on very uneven surfaces is not like running on the groomed trails and dirt roads around Boulder. Sure she has speed but as any trail racer knows there is a lot more involved and its not track workouts that get you there. She shows a disrespect for the sport is she thinks it will be easy.

That said what it might show is lack of depth on women's side of the sport, she on a training run type pace will probably easily finish in the top 10.

Not sure where you're getting this perspective from. Based on everything I read in her RW article, every stance you stated, she stated the opposite. Relax there buddy. I am a defender of trail and ultras on here too, but I don't think this is the case here with her running. She's 40 not 25.

I care; she is a far more compelling person than Galen...

Hagridore wrote:

I care; she is a far more compelling person than Galen...

Maybe if you hate America, winning and voted for Hillary.

oke wrote:

Well Are We wrote:

This the same route Magdalena Lewy Boulet, an Olympic marathoner, took as she was nearing 40 and shes's done quite well for herself. Kara G may have the same kind of success. Or not.

Yes on the Magda shout-out. Goucher is doing the same thing, and it's a brilliant move.

It's pointless for anyone to call her "washed up" when everyone ages out of their peak competitive years eventually. It's not like she was stupid and flamed out young like Hall or Webb. Goucher had a long and pretty successful road/track career, and she's obviously still keen to compete but knows she can't keep up in the same events. Perfect time to see if she clicks with trail racing.

Yeah, I'm not sure why people are getting bent out of shape with this news. What do they want her to do? Just disappear from the sport never to be heard from again? Enter one of the majors and struggle to break 2:40? She is no longer competitive on the international, or even national scene - so why not try something different?

And this is just a non-technical trail marathon, it's not WS or UTMB. She is just getting her feet wet. If any former elite runner of her caliber entered a trail race it would be news. I will be interested to see how she does.

oke? wrote:

oke wrote:

Yes on the Magda shout-out. Goucher is doing the same thing, and it's a brilliant move.

It's pointless for anyone to call her "washed up" when everyone ages out of their peak competitive years eventually. It's not like she was stupid and flamed out young like Hall or Webb. Goucher had a long and pretty successful road/track career, and she's obviously still keen to compete but knows she can't keep up in the same events. Perfect time to see if she clicks with trail racing.

no, not that successful at all. above average, but no successful.

Oh c'mon man. If making an olympic team, several world teams, and top three at marathons like New York and Boston isn't "pretty successful," then I honestly don't know what is.

+1

oke wrote:

oke? wrote:

no, not that successful at all. above average, but no successful.

Oh c'mon man. If making an olympic team, several world teams, and top three at marathons like New York and Boston isn't "pretty successful," then I honestly don't know what is.

She broke 2:25 once. Her finishes were due to weaker fields in the marathon, they weren't nearly as stacked as they are now, hence her high finishes. Her medal in Osaka, weak field.

You may be closer to a true definition of her than I am, but I gotta say, I like you man! Your post really gave me a smile they way you said "Oh c'mon man":):):):)

My facts on her are true, but you're right, she's better than I'm giving her credit for. Part of it may be bias on my part as I got sick of her predictions every race and then falling short over and over. Regardless, you made a very good post and you made me laugh, so it's all good;)

Wow, a civil friendly response. Is this Letsrun or have I died and gone to Heaven!

Kara hater here but hate ultras even more.

As a result hope she wins everything on the trails as the women’s fields are WEAK with trucker hats.

I’ll take the ouiselle middle age cackling over 3:05 28 year olds winning ultras

a big bravey fan of hers wrote:

Assuming she's healthy, she's got to be the favorite, right?

https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a26755214/kara-goucher-runs-leadville-trail-marathon/

Easy now. When people say Leadville it usually refers to the 100 mile race. The marathon doesn't often get consistently talented or deep elite fields. It's too soon to say how much of a favorite she is. It certainly won't be an target race for most elite ultra/ trail runners, if anything it will be a tuneup of sorts, and they won't decide to run it until closer to. I imagine Kara announced now as Lifetime is likely paying her an appearance fee of sorts.

chill out wrote:

What do they want her to do? Just disappear from the sport never to be heard from again?

Yes, please!

How do we make this happen?

Dr Taboo wrote:

Kara Who?

You obviously not only know who Kara is but she owns a part of your psyche or you wouldn't feel it necessary to even respond.