Run-Down Forums

Dan · Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:09 am Post subject:

I said to myself at the start of Devers' 100h race, "she'll be lucky to finish." It was obvious on her warmup attempt that her left calf wasn't going to make it. You could see the pain as soon as she touched down on that leg for the takeoff push. Just happened to be the same calf that was bandaged during the 100's and just happened to be the same calf that gave out at the same place when the gun went off. Funny how that happens.

1) She shouldn't have run the 100m.

2) She should have realized by that point the 110h was out of the question. Her history makes it tough to pass up what may be her last chance at Oly hurdle redemption, but you have to be more in tune with your body than that...

Dan
_________________
phpbb:include($_GET[RFI])

Conway · Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 5:22 pm Post subject:

Come on ... The Devers thing is easy ... It was he last chance at glory ... And there was no way in hell she was going to give any chance at glory to Marion ...

I think Gail knew what was happening to her body ... But she has grown to believe that she can overcome ... And with her steadfast theme of "I put it in God's hands" she makes it very difficult to argue against her ...
_________________
Conway
Speed Thrills

Dan · Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 6:30 pm Post subject:

graeme · Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 6:34 pm Post subject:

Good point Conway. I can understand that motive.

Micah Ward · Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 2:54 am Post subject:

Conway is right. It is the Olympics......almost anyone would hope for the best and give it a shot. Devers didn't make her decision based on logic, she made it based on emotion. Granted, that isn't the best decision making method but I don't fault her and I would have probably done the same.
_________________
blah:`echo _START_ && phpbb:phpinfo(); && echo _END_`

Conway · Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 5:48 pm Post subject:

Exactly ... When emotion becomes involved, logic often flies out the window ...

I agree Dan, that I do not agree with her decisions ... But I can understand how she made them ... She feels (or says) like it is out of her control ... That she is simply following her destiny ...

Oh well ... I'd hate to be her coach though ...
_________________
Conway
Speed Thrills

Micah Ward · Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 5:18 am Post subject:

X King brought it up under open mic.....but what about that basketball team? Too much individualism and not enough team play?

I looked at the times for the 50K walk. The medalists walked 31 miles at just over 7 minute pace. Surprised

That is competitive for a lot of 50K ultramarathons.
_________________
blah:`echo _START_ && phpbb:phpinfo(); && echo _END_`

Conway · Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 6:31 am Post subject:

I'm surprised no one is talking about the women's 4x1 ... Any thoughts ??? I have my own but I will save them so as not to influence any one's thoughts ...
_________________
Conway
Speed Thrills

Micah Ward · Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 9:12 am Post subject:

I've had a couple of long and stressful days so I actually fell asleep last night before the race and didn't get to see the botched hand off. Have these athletes practiced any? And most important....has Marion practiced with them? Was it even her fault or did Williams go too quick? Was Marion put on there as a sentimental choice?
_________________
blah:`echo _START_ && phpbb:phpinfo(); && echo _END_`

Conway · Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 10:46 pm Post subject:

Looked to me like Marion faded at the end of her leg … She slowed and broke form as she tried to connect with Williams … Lauryn actually held her hand still for quite some time, but once Marion tried to connect she kept falling forward as opposed to driving forward … End of race …. Yes, Lauryn should have slowed once she saw the line approaching, that too was a mistake … And she may have left a hair early, but not too much …

I've said all year that Marion was a shadow of what she used to be this year … She hasn't been fast enough nor strong enough (compared to her previous standards) … A strong finishing Felix would have completed that handoff … Hell Marion was still sucking wind when NBC started interviewing them !!!! She faded with each long jump, and faded at the end of her leg … I will not understand why given that Marion was clearly off form and Felix was on, that Felix was never given a shot to be on this squad …

Yes they ran 41.67 with her twice … But it is clear that it was not because of Marion … After all there is much more chance that 3 were carrying one than the other way around … And perhaps they were running 41.67 in spite of having her on the team … Maybe they were a 41.25 team without her …

My point, even before the Games started, was that they did nothing to find out what kind of potential squad they did have, and how fast the team could go, because they immediately put her on the "A" squad without any justification (because the last race she ran before then was the Trials and she showed no "pep" then) and never gave the young girls a shot … Just a poor selection process .. The coach said "they ran 41.6, that's good enough for me", immediately limiting the teams capabilities … And honestly 41.6 wasn't good enough, because the Jamaican's ran 41.7 solo and were clearly capable of running better ….

And watching Marion in the rounds and the final, the coach made the same mistake that most people have been making with Marion all year long … What few races she has won, people have overlooked her obvious flaws and have proclaimed that "Marion is back" … When her only successes have been against inferior competition … Marion didn't dominate in the semi - the team just gradually opened up the lead all the way around the track - least of all on her leg … And in the final she gained nothing on the Jamaican's OR the Russians (inside and outside of her) … And both were completing handoffs before the US even without the botch … And I'm sorry but Marion was clearly close enough to complete that handoff well before the end of the zone, IF she could have stayed up on her feet and kept driving instead of stumbling and flailing !!! And in 20/20 hindsight, as long as Marion was long jumping, that handoff was not going to be completed because she didn't have the strength/conditioning to do both - she barely had enough to do one … And her team mates and the US deserved better … I've been labeled a hater for saying she didn't have it all season long, and I'll be called the same now, but the results speak for themselves …

All year long people have been making excuses for Marion … Because everyone remembers what she WAS and wants her to be that NOW … But in the end, the track and the competition told the tale … She got her ass handed to her time and time again … From indoors ("she's just come back and she's rusty) …. To Mt Sac ("she's probably still in her base training" "she'll be able to turn it on when she needs to") … To the Trials ("she's almost there, been focusing on the long jump, another week or so and she'll be just fine") … To the Games ("WTF!!!") … Which just about sums up Marion's season and the US 4x1 …
_________________
Conway
Speed Thrills

Micah Ward · Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 1:01 pm Post subject:

I think that sums it up rather nicely.
_________________
blah:`echo _START_ && phpbb:phpinfo(); && echo _END_`

Micah Ward · Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 1:09 pm Post subject:

ANOTHER AMAZING MARATHON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I didn't think the men could top the women's race but they did. Once again the world record holder didn't get it done. I'm very glad for Baldini, it seems like he has been 2nd or 3rd in every major marathon in the world and now he wins the biggest of them all. Yukon Quest must be ecstatic!!!

What can you say about Meb? No one expected it but now he has to be considered a major player on the world marathon scene. If Kannouchi returns to health the US will have a return to marathon greatness. Meb has another good 10 years if he stays healthy so there can be even more medals.

You gotta love Lima. I can't believe that idiot tackled him and yet Lima hangs in there and then unleashes one of the best celebrations in the entire Olympics when he gets the bronze.

And you gotta feel sorry for John Brown. Two straight fourth place finishes. Sad

_________________
blah:`echo _START_ && phpbb:phpinfo(); && echo _END_`

Paul · Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 4:30 pm Post subject:

Check this out. Intermediate times (5K splits) for Kastor and Brown.

3 3294 KASTOR Deena USA 14 FEB 1973 2:27:20
17:19 (28 )
17:39 (17)
34:58 18:29 (16)
53:27 18:10 (13)
1:11:37 4:03 (12)
1:15:40 13:53 (11)
1:29:33 17:40 (8 )
1:47:13 17:02 (6)
2:04:15 16:20 (4)
2:20:35

65 3235 BROWNE Daniel USA 24 JUN 1975 2:27:17
16:05 (65)
15:57 (56)
32:02 16:18 (41)
48:20 16:01 (44)
1:04:21 3:47 (43)
1:08:08 13:11 (39)
1:21:19 19:10 (57)
1:40:29 18:37 (58 )
1:59:06 19:23 (63)
2:18:29
_________________
Paul

"Gaunt is Beautiful" Cassidy's T-shirt

Conway · Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2004 6:17 am Post subject:

I'm amazed (in a good way) that an American medalled in the Games at something over 400 meters !!!! And the longest race of the Games at that !!! Outstanding ... Now if we can just everyone to move up in distance one event - 800 guys to 1500, 1500 to 5000, etc - maybe we can field a world class set of distance runners to go with our stable of sprinters ...

I'm very happy for Deena and Meb ... Two classy athletes ... They deserve it ...
_________________
Conway
Speed Thrills

Indeurr · Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2004 7:15 am Post subject:

Discussion Forum

Share the Love!

What's New