Sara Hall - how do you explain her comeback?

On one of the Run Free podcasts, Ryan talked about how she was very athletic and quick when she was a kid, but that it took her years and years to keep increasing her mileage to that of a marathoner. He was comparing to himself as someone who was very endurance built from the beginning. Basically saying he thought she had the bigger upside.

She also said on a different episode that now that she has the kids and family, she came to this realization that regardless of what happens, she is worthy of love and family, so she may as well lay it all out there racing now. May seem funny to non religious types, but that mindset is probably pretty powerful.

ishdndidn wrote:

On one of the Run Free podcasts, Ryan talked about how she was very athletic and quick when she was a kid, but that it took her years and years to keep increasing her mileage to that of a marathoner. He was comparing to himself as someone who was very endurance built from the beginning. Basically saying he thought she had the bigger upside.

She also said on a different episode that now that she has the kids and family, she came to this realization that regardless of what happens, she is worthy of love and family, so she may as well lay it all out there racing now. May seem funny to non religious types, but that mindset is probably pretty powerful.

So you don't discover your competitive potential until you become a parent? Pardon my scepticism.

Joan Benoit ran 2:21 thirty-five years ago. Her track PRs were 15:43 and 32:07. Her half best was 1:08:34. When one stays healthy, trains consistently, and maybe add to that trains continuously at altitude, maybe it's not a surprise when a clearly talented runner produces something good.

She's cute and her partnership with Ryan, both in lore and financial support, helps attracts more sponsor dollars than other athletes with similar talent.

Montesquieu wrote:

Joan Benoit ran 2:21 thirty-five years ago. Her track PRs were 15:43 and 32:07. Her half best was 1:08:34. When one stays healthy, trains consistently, and maybe add to that trains continuously at altitude, maybe it's not a surprise when a clearly talented runner produces something good.

Sure but Joan also didn't spend 10+ years running races on the track. She also didn't drop 4 mins off her marathon PR at age 36 after running them for 4+ years.

Do I think Sarah is a doper? Not really. I think the Asic prototype shoe might be really good though:) It also isn't abnormal for a runner to have some outlier performance on the day when everything lines up.

If she was not America the forum would be screaming PED, as she is America is great training from a committed athlete.

Think US anti doping need to hand over her out of season samples to be sure like the mo thread.

You can’t have it both ways. Looks like she has put a lot of work but so does everyone else. Well done to her and may it continue and she stays injury free.

Jordan is in NOP denial. She saw no cheating at NOP & still supports the convicted drug cheat Salazar.

I would rather see Sara Hall make the Oly Team

Not being coached by Magness.

Sloinnorcal wrote:

The Ghost of Brian Sell wrote:

Consistency is the most obvious explanation, silly rabbit.

Consistency, and never overtraining (maybe thats the benefit to staying on the track longer ---- easier to not get in recovery debt).

How do you define overtraining?

Three weeks before Berlin she ran three 22+ milers in a span of 7 days. Most people only do one long run to set up a marathon. She ran 70 miles a week in high school.

Last winter she was sidelined for seven weeks with a stress fracture and tendon issues but rather than being cautious about recurring injuries she is all in on high mileage and frequent races. Maybe she thinks that's her only shot at making the Olympics.

dadsfadsfdasfdsafdas wrote:

Montesquieu wrote:

Joan Benoit ran 2:21 thirty-five years ago. Her track PRs were 15:43 and 32:07. Her half best was 1:08:34. When one stays healthy, trains consistently, and maybe add to that trains continuously at altitude, maybe it's not a surprise when a clearly talented runner produces something good.

Sure but Joan also didn't spend 10+ years running races on the track. She also didn't drop 4 mins off her marathon PR at age 36 after running them for 4+ years.

Do I think Sarah is a doper? Not really. I think the Asic prototype shoe might be really good though:) It also isn't abnormal for a runner to have some outlier performance on the day when everything lines up.

"She also didn't drop 4 mins off her marathon PR at age 36 after running them for 4+ years."

Total red-flag. What would people make of a top African runner - male or female - achieving the same at the same age? If Kipchoge were to carve a similar chunk off his previous best times everyone would be wondering how he did it (and, no - the shoes don't make that much of a difference).

matbar wrote:

If she was not America the forum would be screaming PED, as she is America is great training from a committed athlete.

Think US anti doping need to hand over her out of season samples to be sure like the mo thread.

You can’t have it both ways. Looks like she has put a lot of work but so does everyone else. Well done to her and may it continue and she stays injury free.

If she was Kenyan, she would be running for a country with over 50 drug busts in the past year. How many U.S. distance runners busted last year? I don't remember any.

bloviating wrote:

Not being coached by Magness.

Indictment lol.

Armstronglivs wrote:

dadsfadsfdasfdsafdas wrote:

Sure but Joan also didn't spend 10+ years running races on the track. She also didn't drop 4 mins off her marathon PR at age 36 after running them for 4+ years.

Do I think Sarah is a doper? Not really. I think the Asic prototype shoe might be really good though:) It also isn't abnormal for a runner to have some outlier performance on the day when everything lines up.

"She also didn't drop 4 mins off her marathon PR at age 36 after running them for 4+ years."

Total red-flag. What would people make of a top African runner - male or female - achieving the same at the same age? If Kipchoge were to carve a similar chunk off his previous best times everyone would be wondering how he did it (and, no - the shoes don't make that much of a difference).

By the way, did you post anything in 2018 when Amy Cragg ran 2:21 and improved five and a half minutes? A curious case of nothing fails like success--or, nothing indicates genuine failure but great success. Hall ran the 33rd best time in the world that year. Where's your concern for 2:14?

In your "expert" opinion is someone who has had a long and successful track career who bumps up to the marathon in her 30s not allowed to show any improvement year over year but for PEDs? Like would you say that her PR should have been capped 1 year into her marathoning career absent PEDs?

Montesquieu wrote:

Armstronglivs wrote:

"She also didn't drop 4 mins off her marathon PR at age 36 after running them for 4+ years."

Total red-flag. What would people make of a top African runner - male or female - achieving the same at the same age? If Kipchoge were to carve a similar chunk off his previous best times everyone would be wondering how he did it (and, no - the shoes don't make that much of a difference).

By the way, did you post anything in 2018 when Amy Cragg ran 2:21 and improved five and a half minutes? A curious case of nothing fails like success--or, nothing indicates genuine failure but great success. Hall ran the 33rd best time in the world that year. Where's your concern for 2:14?

2.14 is doped.

Rupp Fan Boy wrote:

In your "expert" opinion is someone who has had a long and successful track career who bumps up to the marathon in her 30s not allowed to show any improvement year over year but for PEDs? Like would you say that her PR should have been capped 1 year into her marathoning career absent PEDs?

Improvement is not the issue; it is when improvement is very big in a short period of time for an already highly-trained and experienced athlete - particularly well into their 30 s. It isn't proof but an indicator of possible doping in a sport that is rife with it.

Who cares

Married to the most unprofessional stickup condescending looser of all time

By association

Who cares

Sad too because she seems very unlike her looser jerk husband!!!!!!

dadsfadsfdasfdsafdas wrote:

Rupp Fan Boy wrote:

marathon results:

2015: 2:48 (debut with cramps)

2016: 2:30 (London)

2017: 2:28 (Tokyo)

2018: 2:26 (Ottawa)

2019: 2:22 (Berlin)

I don't think you could have a marathon progression that says "no PEDs" any better than that one. It looks like someone who has been relatively injury-free who has been putting in the work for years and making slow but steady progress. She was great in high school and won Foot Locker so it's not like it's crazy that someone that talented would eventually be a great marathoner.

The 2:22 is a bit of of an outlier for a person who has been a 4:10/15:20/70:00 hm person for a while. It is easy to say that going from 2:30 to 2:26 is just learning the event. The break through to 2:22 is a level that she has never shown. Maybe it is more consistant training. Maybe it is better shoes. Maybe that was just the race of her life.

Her PBs at the shorter distances are not much different than Hasay’s