American Distance Running

[abinferno]

Why are American women so much better comparatively to the men in distance running?

[Guest]

Re: American Distance Running

Because American football programs at the college and professional level take interest and resources away from track and field.

American football sucks away the resources from other international sports played in this country. Football may play an indirect role in the decline in American athletics.

[Guest]

Re: American Distance Running

good question no obvious answer. i think a few us women have nabbed a few medals here and there or had a great performance on the road like drossin and runyan to make news. i think that the us men are used to running slow tactical races (like today's 1500) in the domestic meets, so when they go to europe and they crank up the pace they get disheartened running 3.35 and finishing 11th.

[abinferno]

Re: American Distance Running

Yes, but there aren't going to be any emerging American distance runners playing football. Soccer may take some talent away, but I doubt any runner who has a chance to a world class distance runner is going to be the type of athlete to play football.

[Guest]

Re: American Distance Running

abinferno, I'm startin to think we think along the same lines. Roger Craig, Michael Vick, or even Jake Plummer, would have nothing to offer the world of distance running.

[Guest]

Re: American Distance Running

I should have said NCAA Football is taking away financial resources away from college athletics.

The Seton Hall track coach made a similar comment in the Star Ledger a few weeks ago.

West Virgina announced last month that they are ditching their track and field program.

[Guest]

Re: American Distance Running

part of it may also be that the East African women haven't risen up - to the same extent - that the men have. Yes, you have Tegla, Tulu, Queen Catherine and other stars, but not the THRONGS that you do for the men. If and when that happens, times like 14:25-35, low 30s and 2:17-20 might be much more commonplace.

[Guest]

Re: American Distance Running

Yeah, but US milers are also falling behind their European contempories.

How long do we have to wait for the next American sub 3:50 mile.

Bring back Jeff Atkinson.

[Guest]

Re: American Distance Running

Women's running, both domestically and especially abroad, is much easier to dominate than men's running is, due to a number of factors. For example Khannouchi has a gaggle of male runners on his heels while behind Radcliffe there are no women in sight.

[abinferno]

Re: American Distance Running

I'm sorry, but I don't know if I can believe Radcliffe is 100% clean. After suddenly dominating the scene, nothing in her previous career exploits would have suggested she could run 2:15. I have to say that compares directly to Michael Johnson's 19.32.

[Guest]

Re: American Distance Running

Then who of those at the top of the sport do you believe IS 100% clean?

[abinferno]

Re: American Distance Running

I believe most of the people in this sport are clean. It's the ones that all of a sudden start to dominate within one year that should probably have the most suspicion. Take Tim Montgomery, before 2001 season he was struggling to break 10, and his pr was about 9.96. Then in 2001 he is challenging Maurice and running 9.84. Then of course last year he breaks the world record. Radcliffe's rise has been at least, if not more, remarkable and quick.

[Django]

Re: American Distance Running

Think back to when you were a young kid, and just starting to have some interest in sports. You'd be inspired by the feats of the leading athletes of the day, and want to emulate their feats.
Currently, distance runners in the US may get zip coverage from TV. I'm thinking about the 10K at USATF which, apparently, was a tremendous battle, and must have been a great race to watch--- and might have inspired some of today's youngsters. Yet, we saw absolutely none of that race on TV!

[Guest]

Re: American Distance Running

id have to agree with that. the said that alan culpepper burned up the last lap to catch and pass meb but we didnt c that. must have been a heck of finish since he won b 2 seconds.(hey at least they had the courtesy to show the times)

[Guest]

Re: American Distance Running

"I'm sorry, but I don't know if I can believe Radcliffe is 100% clean. After suddenly dominating the scene, nothing in her previous career exploits would have suggested she could run 2:15. I have to say that compares directly to Michael Johnson's 19.32."

I have to disagree, strongly. IF ANYONE at the top level of the sport is "clean" it is Radcliffe. She absolutely has NOT come from nowhere! I watched her win the 1992 World Junior X-C title in Boston and--having spent lots of time in England in 1993-96--have paid close attention to her career ever since. In England, for years, her first name practically came with "Poor" attached--"Poor Paula"--for having trained so hard, run so valiantly, and still getting 2nd, 4th, whatever. (She ran herself into the ground in the '95 World X-C race at Durham.) Injuries aside, her improvement has been relatively steady--even granted that 2:15 is a FABULOUS time. We may need to all agree on the meaning of "clean," but I repeat, if any top athlete in the sport is clean, it's her.