World cross-country comment(s)

[La_Spigola_Loca]

^I can't remember Bekele ever not saying he'll refrain from attempting another double, and he always turned back on his words. Maybe it's just the anti-climax that always makes him believe he'll never be hungry again for the the titles, or maybe it's just his way of sending mixed messages to his rivals..... Or, maybe this time he'll really make good of his word.

[EPelle]

IAAF report has Bekele contemplating xc retirement all together.

[Jnathletics]

Kenyan Men back on top. Looks like they are ready to host.

Long Course
1 Kenya 24
2 Eritrea 28
3 Ethiopia 42
4 Morocco 62
12 United States 206

Short Course
1 Kenya 21
2 Ethiopia 48
3 Morocco 53
4 Qatar 66
5 United States 80

Juniors
1 Kenya 16
2 Ethiopia 24
3 Eritrea 45
4 Uganda 87
9 United States 178

WXC06 results

[ed gee]

I do not see how the 4, 6, 8 and 12 km courses at the US trials in VCP could have been the stated distances. All but the last loop included a 'dogleg' that was skipped on the last lap of each race. That is, the last lap of each race was shorter than the earlier two km loop(s).

[26mi235]

re US xc nationals, I wasn't there, but the impression I got from watching the TV broadcast & reading about those races was that the course was fast -- sub-freezing temps, hard surface. However, I don't know how windy it was, and the temps seemed to me too cold for optimal racing (didn't seem to bother most of those runners, however).

I am under the impression that XC courses are not measured that accurately and that differences in the course and true distance matter. For instance, I seem to recall a comment that there was a turn at the bottom of a hill, which will definitely slow the runners down. Also, didn't it rain a lot overnight?

[Master Po]

re US xc nationals, I wasn't there, but the impression I got from watching the TV broadcast & reading about those races was that the course was fast -- sub-freezing temps, hard surface. However, I don't know how windy it was, and the temps seemed to me too cold for optimal racing (didn't seem to bother most of those runners, however).

[Bob H]

Re: World cross-country comment(s)

I'm assuming the conditions must have slowed the time i.e. windy, muddy, whatever...does anyone know?

It was cool and quite windy out there yesterday. Today (Sunday) it seems milder, but the course may be softer. There was some rain overnight and we may have some more before or during the races.

Edited to add update on weather. It was a little warmer today. The rain cleared out a couple of hours before the first race and the sun even came out. But it was very, very windy.

[BYU grad]

Having just read today's (April 1) world cross results I have two comments...great race by Adam Goucher to place 6th...he beat two guys who just recently ran 12:56 and 12:58 track 5000m....but my other comment is regarding the winning time ...slower than the U.S. winning time (10:50 Vs. 10:54). I would think a guy like Bekele would run around 10:30 in a 4000m...so I'm assuming the conditions must have slowed the time i.e. windy, muddy, whatever...does anyone know?