All that glitters is not Gold, and balls-out effort on a tough course counts for a lot more in the eyes of the runners of the USA. 9th in THE WORLD is a damned good thing indeed.
Also congratulations to Clint Verran on a very strong 22nd place.
Good job guys, enjoy the rest of your European adventure and the trip home....
--Crazy Jason talkin' at ya live from Lijiang, China.