Alysia Montaño mad that no women’s races made top 4 in LRC’s race of the decade

rare wrote:

https://twitter.com/alysiamontano/status/1208787431526256640?s=21

She is obviously triggered and probably looking for twitter likes. I agree that Coburn/Frerich’s WC race is probably a better race than some of the others that made it to the final 4, like Solinsky’s 10k, but it wasn’t better than Rudisha’s 2012 Olympic 800 that it was up against in the previous round.

In hindsight, the brojos really set themselves up for these feminist complaints with this competition. Separate genders would have probably been a better idea.

I'm a man. I don't think her complaint is "feminist". I think her point is quite legitimate. But the fact is that most readers and voters are men - and they identify more with the male runners.

What can one say about the majority of voters making choices that others think are wrong. At least be glad that the majority aren't overruled by an outdated electoral college.

Anyway, let's have separate male / female categories in December 2029.

Don't be a snowflake wejo. Let her on the podcast! You admitted yourself that her unconscious bias statement was a good statement, who cares if you're offended about being called a misogynist? If you're not one, it shouldn't bother you.

You guys frequently have controversial views and argue unique points on this website, what's the problem with adding someone else who isn't afraid to cut the BS either?

If you aren't going to add her, at least add SOME female voice.

Side note: it's insane that a 2:14 women's marathon didn't make the final 4. Who cares about the shoes? That record was deemed untouchable and she crushed it. I know you guys have a deep respect for Paula so at the very least it should have been in the mix.

At first I kind of thought the 2017 women's steeple was my favorite performance, but since we're bring up unconscious bias I have to admit that is simply the American in me being a homer. Same goes for Shalane's NYC win and Linden's Chicago win.

Well, the 2:14 is just an improvement of 81 seconds in 16 years, which may well be what the shoes gave her. So I am not surprised that people here aren't that impressed. At the same time, the men have improved by over twice that margin.

Shalane's win was great for us, but the race itself was nothing special from the international/neutral point of view: slow start, the leaders together until what, 37, 38k, and then one pulled away for the win in a high 2:26. There have been more exciting ones for sure.

(And Des was second in Chicago, not first, but first and second in Boston.)

casual obsever wrote:

Well, the 2:14 is just an improvement of 81 seconds in 16 years, which may well be what the shoes gave her. So I am not surprised that people here aren't that impressed. At the same time, the men have improved by over twice that margin.

Shalane's win was great for us, but the race itself was nothing special from the international/neutral point of view: slow start, the leaders together until what, 37, 38k, and then one pulled away for the win in a high 2:26. There have been more exciting ones for sure.

(And Des was second in Chicago, not first, but first and second in Boston.)

Yep, got it mixed up talking about the 2:14 in Chicago. Of course it was Boston.

Anyway, what you're saying is misleading. Here are the top 5 men's marathons:

Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) 2:01:39

Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia) 2:01:41

Birhanu Legese (Ethiopia) 2:02:48

Mosinet Geremew (Ethiopia) 2:02:55

Dennis Kimetto (Kenya) 2:02:57

Women:

Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) 2:14:04

Paula Radcliffe (Great Britain) 2:15:25

Mary Keitany (Kenya) 2:17:01

Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) 2:17:08

Worknesh Degefa (Ethiopia) 2:17:41

So yes, 81 second improvement but if you take out Paula there is a massive gap to the next. For the men, it would be more like if the third best time was a 2:04:30.

Also, Bekele is 2 seconds behind the record. Where's the other 2:14 female? Yes, the shoes were around for both.

This race should have at least made the top 4. I didn't say it should have won, but it's light-years ahead of even our domestic achievements by women. How did it not make it?

I think because of the shoes and the timing. It came the day after Kipchoge’s run.

And Kosgei isn’t as well known as some of the others. In some ways it is a popularity contest.

Great point. The timing was tough with it coming the day after. I just don't think shoes are a good enough reason since Kipchoge had those shoes as well. I think this performance should have at least made the elite 8 even thinking about the shoes.

Do the results of voting by the users/voters indicate a bias of men? I suppose. I only voted in the first round honestly. But the field to start was pretty diverse.

The whole execution of this contest was not well conceived. It was utterly ridiculous to put high school races and even NCAA races into the mix. For one, they are highly Ameri-centric, secondly, they are not the pinnacle of sport. How can something be the best unless it's at the pinnacle?

Then next issue is mixing distance races with sprints. I can't speak for everyone, but I'd bet that most here are distance focused and as such, not as knowledgeable in the sprints.

Distance running is what the masses do, this site was created by distance runners, and the vast majority of conversations are distance related.

As such, the contest should have been distance events, professional only. The top two prove my thoughts to be true. From the very beginning the majority could have figured the final two to be Rudisha versus Kipchoge.

Also, Kipchoge's run is so much more superior to Bekele's because 1) it's the World Record and 2) at the time it was the #1 time by over a minute.