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That was a gutsy run by Richards. I don't know anything about this stuff so here's what I'm trying to figure out... Wouldn't it stand to reason that Uhl, Cheron-Bawcom, or even Flanagan had a disincentive to run the A standard yesterday and strategically not push that slightly faster pace earlier on in the race when it would have been necessary?
That was a gutsy run by Richards.
I don't know anything about this stuff so here's what I'm trying to figure out... Wouldn't it stand to reason that Uhl, Cheron-Bawcom, or even Flanagan had a disincentive to run the A standard yesterday and strategically not push that slightly faster pace earlier on in the race when it would have been necessary?
When does the window for the Olympic A-standard close? The 2nd-place girl -- (Natosha Rogers) -- doesn't she have all the incentive in the world to go try to run the fastest 10K of her life somewhere, anywhere, next week?
But they were acting like the team is all set by these results. If the Olympic A-standard window has already closed, then were the results foreordained before the halfway mark? I mean, before halfway, it was pretty obvious no one was hitting the standard last night -- and there were only 4 people with the standard, and Shalane Flanagan had said she wasn't going -- so would the outcome be the same even if some or all of the women stopped running entirely? Was there any uncertainty at all? Would Janet Bawcom (7th place) go even if she didn't finish the race at all?
It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.
The deadline for running the A standard is the date of your event final at the trials. I think they changed that from the last Olympics. For the most part, yes, the team was chosen as soon as it was clear that nobody was going to run the A standard, as long as 3 "A" qualifiers finished the race. But it was still a national championship race so there was plenty on the line.
Runners run
Thanks.
One more question -- does that ("national championship race") mean that Amy Hastings now deserves the title "current American 10K champion"?
This would be analogous in some sense to Abdi Abdirahman being the current American Half-Marathon champion then, right?
Deb Maier of Cal from letsrun thread
This is what happened during the commercial break.
One major development in the first three laps, however: Nike’s Lisa Uhl shoe came untied. Afterwards, said she asked Shalane Flanagan for advice and Flanagan told her "Lisa you've got to tie it" and added "I'm going to the front and going to slow it down for you." Uhl would drop nearly a straightaway behind at the mile mark.
With Flanagan slowing the field up front as they neared the mile, a pile-up was not entirely unexpected and Rogers went down hard to the track just before 1600. Rogers bounced back up quickly in a heart-beat and surged very quickly to regain her spot near the front, although she had a visible welt on her hip. Farther back, Uhl was moving back into contact more patiently, her shoe laces now tied.
They never explaid the Uhl situation. One minute you see her. The next you don't. Then there she is again.
Damn commercials!
In the post-race interviews, I heard Lisa Uhl say something like "I knew I couldn't run 5 miles with my shoe untied", and I wondered at the time what happened.
Why is it sideways?
I was a bit irritated by the whole Rupp "helping" Ritz thing though. Typically if you are trying to help someone achieve a certain time, you actually get in front of them and do some of the work. Rupp followed on his shoulder almost the whole race, and never took a step in front until he passed and immediately pulled away. Ritz earned that A standard all by himself.
This isn't quite right. I think they traded 800s through 5k, then Ritz took over for a mile (which maybe he was more comfortable doing), then Rupp took over and made the decisive break that dropped the stragglers. Sounds like pretty good help to me.
How does a national caliber runner allow her shoes to come untied? I have never known a double-knotted shoelace to come untied, ever. I'm 44 and it has never happened to me a single time. I've been coaching a large high school XC and Track program for 13 years and the only untied shoelaces came from single knots. Not crucifying the woman, I am just surprised.
Yeah, well...sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
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Dude, your avatar is creepy.
Feeling the growl again
Like I said, perhaps I missed it. Between commercial breaks and a couple screaming kids, it happens. Every time I looked it appeared Ritz was in front.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
I didn't even watch the race! But listened to the post race interviews and it was clear that they had a strategy. Ritz thanked Rupp for the help.
"If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus
Well, a post-race interview doesn't tell you how the race actually played out....what if Rupp hadn't helped as planned, do you think Ritz would call out his training partner afterwards? I highly doubt it.
I did not DVR it, but I'll buy I just missed it.
I think you just missed it. Rupp helped him, and I think he gets way too much crap, so I am quick to defend him.
MTA: 10k splits and leaders:
64.5 (Rupp)68.5 (Rupp)67.8 (Ritz)67.2 (Ritz - 4:28.0)67.1 (Puskedra- 5:35.1)67.7 (Puskedra/Rupp)67.0 (Rupp)66.2 (Rupp) (8:56.0)66.5 (Ritz)66.3 (Ritz)66.1 (Rupp/Puskedra)67.6 (Puskedra - 13:22.5, 4:24.5 for 1600)13:56 at 5K66.6 (Ritz)65.7 (Ritz)65.5 (Ritz)66.0 (Ritz - 17:46.2, 4:23.7)63.8 (Rupp)65.5 (Ritz)65.5 (Ritz)65.8 (Ritz - 22:06.7 - 4:19.5)65.1 (Ritz)64.6 (Rupp)62.4 (Rupp)63.1 (Rupp) (26:21.9 - 4:15.2)63.2 (Rupp - 27:25.33 - OT Record)
Anyhow, Ashton Eaton just set the WR, running 4:14 for the 1500 a couple hours after pole vaulting 17'4"... wow.
Just watched the women's 100 hurdles. Those women are fast. But they said Allyson & Carmelita are next, so, now we're really going to see speed.
I think you just missed it. Rupp helped him, and I think he gets way too much crap, so I am quick to defend him. MTA: 10k splits and leaders: 64.5 (Rupp)68.5 (Rupp)67.8 (Ritz)67.2 (Ritz - 4:28.0)67.1 (Puskedra- 5:35.1)67.7 (Puskedra/Rupp)67.0 (Rupp)66.2 (Rupp) (8:56.0)66.5 (Ritz)66.3 (Ritz)66.1 (Rupp/Puskedra)67.6 (Puskedra - 13:22.5, 4:24.5 for 1600)13:56 at 5K66.6 (Ritz)65.7 (Ritz)65.5 (Ritz)66.0 (Ritz - 17:46.2, 4:23.7)63.8 (Rupp)65.5 (Ritz)65.5 (Ritz)65.8 (Ritz - 22:06.7 - 4:19.5)65.1 (Ritz)64.6 (Rupp)62.4 (Rupp)63.1 (Rupp) (26:21.9 - 4:15.2)63.2 (Rupp - 27:25.33 - OT Record) Anyhow, Ashton Eaton just set the WR, running 4:14 for the 1500 a couple hours after pole vaulting 17'4"... wow.
I can understand that Rupp catches a lot of flack and that can be annoying. But this isn't letrun either, he doesn't catch too much of anything here. My comment was more to Ritz not getting enough credit for getting himself there vs "needing help" to do it.
Thanks for the splits, this is interesting. I will note that for 10 of the 13 laps before Rupp took off....half the race...Ritz was leading. Ritz apparently led two full miles with Rupp only leading one lap in the middle of that stretch? That's not quite alternating 800s. If one were...oh, changing a diaper or carrying an over-tired 2-yr-old back to bed during Rupp's one lap, it's easy to see how the impression of the race could be altered.
Not that there's anything wrong with the race Rupp ran. They all did a bang-up job. Ritz is a big boy and he was going to get it done either way after the marathon experience, I truly believe that. We're sending the best 10,000m team we could put together and I have high hopes for them.