That's the problem. Everybody thinks that they're so special. A true distance runner
enters the real race (12K) because they want to see what they can do against the best
runners in the world. Remember Steve Jones, he said he'll run any distance because
he's just a runner, not a marathoner. The sport needs more runners who are not afraid
to mix it up. Let's face it, if you can't run a 12K you're not a runner anyway. So
again, stay home and wait for track season. You won't be missed.
Dina.
--
On Sat, 17 Feb 2001 08:08:57
R.T. wrote:
>Except that the world of specialization has grown in the last
>couple of decades.
>At the top level (not at collegiate where you do whatever your
>coach tells you, for team points), if all they have is a 12K
>race, everybody from Steeple specialists and shorter (middle
>distance) simply won't run. They view it as a distraction
>to adjust their "off-season" training for such a different
>distance. Even some 5K runners may be tempted to skip it.
>
>I looked at the entry list yesterday for the U.S. 4K, and
>saw that it is full of prominent Steeplers (Croghan and Dobert
>for instance) and Mile/1500 types.
>
>You assume that if the 4K race were not offered, these people
>would be in the 12K.
>
>I think not.
>
>The people in this 4K race don't claim to be "king's of cross
>country", any more than a shot put champ could claim to be
>the "king of throwing events" just by winning the one event.
>[now the lady that won BOTH XC races last year is certainly the
>"queen"]
>
>By the way, I'd like to see a 1000m XC on a muddy course
>with tight curves and small rolling hills. The speed of
>the runners would make tactics very interesting. Not much
>time to correct for a mistake...errors in judgement are
>unforgiving...
>
>Now Mo Green sprinting a 100m XC course through a gully and
>over a hay bale might be taking things too far... :-)
>
>RT
>
>
>On Sat, 17 Feb 2001 10:15:50 EST, you wrote:
>
>>Ditch the 4k.
>>
>>The appeal of the World XC Champs is the bringing together of the world's
>>best distance runner's over one race. Everyone from 800m runners to
>>marathoners battling it out. Who is the current men's world xc champ? It's
>>Mohammed Mourhit not whoever won last year's 4k.
>>
>>Steve S.
>
>
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