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Conway · Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 9:36 am Post subject: Stephanie Graf Retires ...

http://www.canada.com/sports/story.html?id=26ca13dd-c3d4-4345-bf0e-e8357eccb626

Ok ... Am I the only one that finds this weird ... No motivation in an Olympic year ??!! Am I missing something ???
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Conway
Speed Thrills

Dan · Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 9:56 am Post subject:

Hmm, that is wierd. She should have plenty of motivation after narrow misses to Mutola and coming back from injury.

Let the HGH testing rumors begin...

By the way, that link didn't work for me. Is part of it missing maybe?

Dan
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Conway · Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 10:00 am Post subject:

Hmmm ... That's the link ... I just tried it and it worked ...

I hate to say it but it does smell awefully bad ... I'm sure the whole THG thing has a lot of people scared ... But of course the only reason tehy found THAT was abecause someone turned it in ... Otherwise no one would know ...

I thought Steph was one of the few with a chance at gold in the women's 800 ... Too weird for me ...
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Conway
Speed Thrills

Dan · Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 10:11 am Post subject:

It's working now. Just a temporary problem.

THG talk seems to have died down the past couple months. I'm keeping my fingers crossed it'll stay that way over the next couple...

Dan
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Conway · Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 1:36 pm Post subject:

Talk has been quiet ... And if the testers are smart they'll keep it that way ... Only serves to give notice to those who are using to lay low ... Sort of defeats the purpose ...

Just very surprised that a gold medal contender would just up and leave the sport on the eve of the biggest competition every four years ... Goal in site ... Go home and sit down !!! Just doesn't make any sense ... But what do I know .... Makes Mutola's road a lot clearer ...

Wonder if this is the start of a trend ???
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Conway
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Micah Ward · Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 6:23 pm Post subject:

This really stinks! I agree with the sentiment that you don't lose motivation in an Olympic year. There is more to this story than what is being told!
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Paul · Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 7:40 pm Post subject:

Maybe we should just take it at face value. The cut on her foot may have affected her training a lot more than we realize. Sometimes we lose sight of how hard it is to train at that level. Most of us are at the 7 to 8 minutes per mile range here. She might be at 2:15 shape right now, and saying to herself, "I just don't want to do this anymore". For an in depth thesis on the running woman's psyche, I would recommend "The Silence of Great Distance" by Frank Murphy, a penetrating book into women's distance running.
Micah, your daughter didn't continue her college XC career. A point comes when its not the driving force anymore, even for an Olympian.
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Dan · Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 7:54 pm Post subject:

There's certainly some validity to that point of view. If this is an isolated incident, I would leave it at that. But if it's the start of a trend, then I think it cannot be taken at face value. Time will tell.

Dan
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Paul · Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 9:08 pm Post subject:

Good point. Agree 100% !!
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Paul

"Gaunt is Beautiful" Cassidy's T-shirt

Conway · Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2004 11:18 am Post subject:

Agreed with both of you ... It is hard to train at various levels - elite, collegiate, high school - depending on where you are ... And if you can't be competitive sometimes you don't want to compete ...

Having said that, let's see if anyone else decides that it is time to retire this year ... Because if there is ever a year to "take it to the limit" and push yourself to the edge and try, its the Olympic year ... And my biggest problem with Graf's leaving at this time is that there is soooo much time left to get ready ... Its the beginning of January and the Games are in August ... Even if you are "only 2:15" right now you have months to get it together ...

But, as has been said, time will tell ...
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Speed Thrills

graeme · Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2004 5:59 pm Post subject:

Remember, Graf knows what it takes to prepare for a major event and compete at a high level. So it's quite possible that she thinks she won't be ready, and is right.

It doesn't shock me too much that someone would quit running with a chance to medal at the Olympics. With the experience she has, major competitions may not excite her anymore.

Micah Ward · Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2004 5:25 am Post subject:

Maybe I jumped to cynacism too quick but I still wonder how a professional runner has motivation problems when they are less than a year from the ultimate competition in track and field. And Graf is only 30 years old. It's not like she is way past her prime or retiring on top. I would think that with a silver last time she would want the gold this time.

The daughter had more understandable reasons to quite the college team. She was not a professional and not even on scholarship. She was struggling to just stay out of last place in every race so she decided to move to more relaxed running so she could concentrate on academics.

But maybe Graf is just burned out. Can't understand it but I'll accept it.
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graeme · Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2004 10:22 pm Post subject:

We'll probably never know.

Dan · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:59 am Post subject:

Add Kevin Toth to the list.

http://www.trackprofile.com/tpr80.html

Neutral

Dan
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