Kyle Merber does not make it to NCAAs!

Nick Willis rabbited it.

Kid just needs the right coaching, after college he should get it together if he joins the correct training group. Which group is best for 1500m runners though? No one stands out - maybe one should be formed. Lagat could coach a group like this once he retires...

Merger does not belong in the meet. If so he would have qualified and made it. If you can't line up and finish in the top 12 too bad.....you lost. Quit crying!

Why does everyone hate NCAA Regionals? Compare it to the NCAA Basketball tourney. There are six (four in track) rounds and the best teams (runners) have to compete every round. Did Louisville (Lalang) and Rick Pitino falter?? No, they played every game well and took home the trophy. Just like a great team (runner) should. On the other hand, you had Indiana (Hasay) who didn't show up for one game and got knocked out by some under-dogs. The regional system rocks! It gives people like the discus thrower from Western Kentucky, who was ranked like 70ish in the country prior to regionals, a chance to make something amazing happen!

Congrats to all the big game players who don't "shy" away from rounds. Olympics has 3 rounds... NCAA's has four, not too much difference.

NCAA B Ball Tournament is not the same thing. We know based on time who should be in that race. Hasay should be in race at Nats. Merber too. We want to see who is the fastest! We don't want someone to say well Merber could have one that race. REGIONALS SUCK

REGIONALS SUCK wrote:

NCAA B Ball Tournament is not the same thing. We know based on time who should be in that race. Hasay should be in race at Nats. Merber too. We want to see who is the fastest! We don't want someone to say well Merber could have one that race. REGIONALS SUCK

Perhaps you should do the fastest AVERAGED time in each of the events before allowing people to qualify for nationals, with the condition that the athlete compete in that event at least 3 times over the season.

Merber has a chronic lower leg/foot problem that impacts his training therefore his fitness levels. Once his MDs solve it and his training becomes normal again I have no doubt we will see better results.

It seems like they put a patch on the tire and it works for awhile then it blows out again and it's back to looking for another patch from the innertube repair kit.

They need to fix the whole wheel not patch the tire. Until then it is like he is trying to tap dancing on quick-sand.

most opinions seems to indicate that most letsrunners don't care about times, that it's about racing.

calling a trowel a trowel wrote:

Merber has a chronic lower leg/foot problem that impacts his training therefore his fitness levels. Once his MDs solve it and his training becomes normal again I have no doubt we will see better results.

It seems like they put a patch on the tire and it works for awhile then it blows out again and it's back to looking for another patch from the innertube repair kit.

They need to fix the whole wheel not patch the tire. Until then it is like he is trying to tap dancing on quick-sand.

Or he's just soft

ladedah wrote:

Perhaps you should do the fastest AVERAGED time in each of the events before allowing people to qualify for nationals, with the condition that the athlete compete in that event at least 3 times over the season.

This would be grossly unfair, as it gives major advantages to athletes who have access to time trial races in highly favorable conditions over athletes who can compete head to head in any and all conditions.

For a strong athlete it's a simple three point process:

1. You get a mark among top 48 athletes in your region (and if you're at a good level, that's a snap)

2. You place among the top 12 in your region. If you can't do that, how much of a threat are you at the championships?

3. You go to the championships ready to show you're among the best.

If an athlete or a coach gums that up, then they've no one to blame but themselves.

Merber ran 3:49.x in the first round of regionals and 3:49.x in the next round. what makes you think he would perform any better at nationals?

"track was short" said by people who are jealous of Merber's time and stupidly think that if they never heard of the school (Swarthmore) then clearly it is not a real track.

Ask any Div III runner what Swarthmore is and enlighten yourself.

Bottom line for this type NCAA qualifying system , is screw the times , you have to race to make it and understand that.

Poor coaching can leave you sitting at home no matter your talent or seasons best.

This isn't meant as a shot to Merber, but how does a runner in his shoes continue on in the sport. I see so many other guys as good or better to be honest who have no shoe company support. Do they just work in a running store or have rich parents? How do the pay the basics like housing and food and gas for their car (much less travel to meets or gear)?

Did he run it at Hillsdale? Officials there are notorious for miscounting laps...

Boltonxc wrote:

ermerbz wrote:

Unfortunately that 3:35.59 for Merbz seems like a lifetime ago and was setup at both the wrong place and time to record a performance like that.

]

Short track

The basketball analogy might work if you could have the top 12 teams on the court at the same time competing like you do in a 1500m race.

But they have to compete against one team at a time.

Regionals not only adds an additional burden to top runners who have to run two additional races but it also takes a weekend of racing away from people just going for fast times. In good weather, too.

A cool part of track is where you set up races to go fast, where you can test yourself.

With relay meets, conference meets and the NCAA finals, there are plenty of opportunities already to have just pure racing for place.

The Merber situation just seems like a guy that didn't do what he had to or wasn't good enough this year.

And he didn't have a top 12 time this year anyway (18).

This is more of a story where the guy with the fastest PR in the country just wasn't as good this year.

can someone hlep explain? wrote:

This isn't meant as a shot to Merber, but how does a runner in his shoes continue on in the sport. I see so many other guys as good or better to be honest who have no shoe company support. Do they just work in a running store or have rich parents? How do the pay the basics like housing and food and gas for their car (much less travel to meets or gear)?

I guess he can go pro now since that was his last college race. He might get some kind of shoe company support but that's a long shot.

He's an Ivy League grad with a Masters* I bet he can figure out what he wants to do in regards to running in the pro ranks.

But you are correct for athletes running at the USATF semi-finalist/also ran finalists level it is very hard to keep plugging away. If there was an easy answer you would not have to ask.

... with family support and part-time work is one way to do it.

Hey one gal kept her career going by being sponsored by family, her church, donated air miles, a number local small businesses and civil groups in her town 100,200 bucks at a time.

* not sure if he has completed all his masters requirements but he's well on the way no doubt.

I appreciate all the support on Letsrun.com. My foot has been bothering me and compromised my training. I will be back and to those who think I am a choker ,I got something for you to choke on.

the Merb

Kyle Merber wrote:

I appreciate all the support on Letsrun.com. My foot has been bothering me and compromised my training. I will be back and to those who think I am a choker ,I got something for you to choke on.

the Merb

Still from the cut on the sole of your foot?

Finding shoes that can handle complex orthotics is a bitch in the real world must be even harder finding the correct running shoe set. You need for a set of spikes for racing on track, XC, road racing shoes plus the associated training shoes.