Run-Down Forums

[Leech Boy]

I was disappointed with the marathon perfomances of the Americans at the World Championships. KK dnf. Cox 2:26. Heddy trailing him. Dudley 2:30. Morris DNF. Bummer for those guys. This was a good opportunity to keep things going after the very succesful world cross country meet.

Now everyone is going to rip into KK and say he dropped out so he can get more money at another race. Or say he shouldn't have run the tune up races he ran. I hope it doesn't happen but I know it is going to happen. They guy is the best we got. We shouldn't rip him for this. He will be back and we should get behind him, so he will want to repesent the US in the furture. We shouldn't be such fair weather fans.

Cox - not too surprising to me that he didn't run that well. He needs more time to get his training under his belt. People have made him out to be the next great one but he really hasn't shown that he is that great. He ran just under 2:14 at Chicago. There were something like 20 guys who had gone under 2:08 in this marathon and that is a whole nother world. Not meaning to bag on him. I don't think he is saying he is the best guy out there. It is other people hyping him on websites.

Morris hasn't been the same since 99. Eddy, well, the guy is a master. How can you tell me the 2nd best marthoner in the US is a master. He must have had a bad day though. He ran faster in Kona where it is hot and humid and he ran all alone. Dudley, don't know much about him, I do know he hung on after hitting the wall hard at Vegas last year to win that marathon. He may be maxing out his talent. Who knows.

Lets hope for some better performances this week and try not to tear these guys up. I am sure they already feel aweful. When you work hard and don't get results, that is one bad feeling.

[Dan]

Dudley was a local guy a couple years ago, before moving to Colorado. Good runner, but hardly struck me as a guy that would catch the attention of top-tier competitors at the world scene.

I've said it before, and it's especially applicable to championship marathons: Why is it that every person in the field thinks they have the best kick? Certainly, after years of training, someone must be intelligent enough to realize that only one person can have the fastest kick, which means everyone else is either racing for second or they'd better run their own race. The fear of dictating the race simply results in a slower time for everyone and lots of what if's afterward. People say championship tactical racing is much more exciting than the rabbited time trials on the European circuit, but I'm often less than impressed with the end result.

Due to that and Khannouchi's injury streak of late, I can't really say I expected him to be much of a factor. How much experience does he have winning in slow times?

Dan

[graeme]

I feel sorry for the guy who had to drop out to take a bathroom break while he was in the lead. (he was being swallowed by the pack anyways).

It was a good race to the finish though.