Vipam,
You were quite adament that Paula was going to get a beatin at London last year.Didnt happen, did it?List all the stats you want,Paula is the still the best.
Vipam,
You were quite adament that Paula was going to get a beatin at London last year.Didnt happen, did it?List all the stats you want,Paula is the still the best.
MackK wrote:
if Paula is to win the 10000 this summer she will have to contend with 4 ethiopians since Tulu gets the wild card. With that many people in the race they can mess with the pace, slow it down, speed it up, much as the ethiopian men did in the 1980 10000m. Paula is on her own against savvy runners with great finishing kicks. I would not write them off yet.
Nor me, and certainly not Paula who has always said that 10k is her main event 2003.
But it don't matter how many runners the Ethiopians field, they can't split the race between them if Paula goes all-out from the start -- last time they beat her because she wasn't strong enough (least not mentally) to go from the start like she did in Munich last year after running Tulu out of sight in London Marathon.
Husband had a word with Paula and now she behaving good!
Edith and Mr DL
You have no arguement with me by saying Paula dominated the marathon in 2002 or that she is capable of running 29:45-29:50 or slightly faster; however, are you two saying that Gete, Derartu, and Sun aren't capable of running that fast. If all are healthy its ANY (including Paula) of those ladies race to WIN!!! Paula deserve to win from all her gutsy 10000m race previously (my opinion), but I think the other ladies have enough talent to run just as fast in the 10000m if it is neccessary.
Vipam
Vipam wrote:
Edith and Mr DL
You have no arguement with me by saying Paula dominated the marathon in 2002 or that she is capable of running 29:45-29:50 or slightly faster; however, are you two saying that Gete, Derartu, and Sun aren't capable of running that fast. If all are healthy its ANY (including Paula) of those ladies race to WIN!!! Paula deserve to win from all her gutsy 10000m race previously (my opinion), but I think the other ladies have enough talent to run just as fast in the 10000m if it is neccessary.
Vipam
Vipam
I just don't see point of guessing who will win, not unless you are betting money on a horse or something.
--Edith
Pepsi-Twist,
You are right of course that everyone can have their own opinion, but Vipam has a history of this kind of behavior. It is always slanted away from runners who are white, and I'm not the only one here who has picked up on this, race isn't a hot button for me, I'm about as liberal as they come, and yet I see this in Vipam.
It is true of course that they run the race because you never know what might happen, but Vipam gave past performances as an indication that Paula might lose, and by looking at those past performances, they don't indicate that at all.
Again, I don't know what Vipam's deal is. Either he is trying to provoke (I think at least there is a little bit of that here) or he has some prejudicial leanings or something. Usually these Vipam threads are started by him with a bold usually incredible stance - he isn't simply answering a question in a thread started by someone else.
Do I think that Paula could lose? Yes. Do I think that she could be on the top of her game and lose? Yes. That would require though that another runner in the field has a breakout performance and not equal to anything she has done before. Everyone is entitled to their opinions - it's just that some opinions are not as worthy as others. In the U.S., Senator Trent Lott recently gave one of his opinions, and it cost him the Senate Majority Seat.
Personally I think that Vipam has a bit of a race issue to deal with, and that he likes to provoke just a little bit. He's not the classic troll because he isn't relentless in it, but he has something in the way of him looking at the ability and performance of a runner and making a reasonable pick.
Flagpole Willy
Why not read my last post before concluding such a statement as I may be alittle prejudice! Paula's a tremendous talent and I think she about as UNTOUCHABLE in the marathon as they come right now; however, I don't think she is head and shoulders above everyone else in the 10000m. The four (4) ladies I think have an nearly EQUAL
chance of winning are:
Gete Wami (Eth)
Derartu Tulu (Eth)
Sun Yungje (Chn)
Paula Radcliffe (GB)
NOTE: It would be rather silly to overlook the fact that Gete and Derartu always show up to run at the MAJOR 10000m. They both RUN ONLY TO WIN (not interested in time) and still have Personnal Best under 30:25, with Wami's 5000m PR at 14:30 (faster than Paula's).
Flagpole Willy note that I also included PAULA AS A STRONG FAVORITE; however, she isn't the only runner capable of running sub 30 minutes and winning.
Vipam
Okay let's look at the evidence.
Paula is in fantastic shape, both physically and mentally - she's knows it and so do her competitors.
Paula always runs well - even when she doesn't win she never runs 'badly'.
Paula never gives up - whether leading or chasing she runs as fast as she can, for as long as she can, right through the line.
Having learnt from her experience in 2001 World Champs it is almost certain that she will take up the pace from the beginning - if she is going to lose, she would rather lose with all guns blazing rather than go out with a wimper.
If anyone tries to 'mix-up' the pace it won't affect her - she will carry on doing her own thing.
No one can run away from Paula - if someone else goes out fast, she will go with them.
It is very likely that Paula will run at sub-30minute pace for most, if not all, of the race.
Paula can only be beaten in a sprint finish - so somebody is going to have to be on her shoulder with 400m to go. To be in this position, Wami, Tulu, Yungjie or whoever will almost certainly be running faster than they have ever run before.
I think it's going to be an exciting race. Of course Paula may not win - no one is unbeatable - but as things stand at the moment she is clear favourite.
Vipam,
Regardless of any out you leave yourself, your intention is clear to me, and again, I'm not the only one who has picked up on your bias. I have already stated possible reasons for why you post as you do, so you can go back and read it if you like, but none of those reasons are "because Vipam's picks are fundamentally sound".
I'm not going to have an ongoing feud with you Vipam. I'm sure you are a good guy. I just think you have an issue here that you may or may not be aware of. I could be wrong, but obviously I don't think so or I would't have said it.
Flagpole Willy
You are MOST DEFINETLY WRONG, nuff said on subject!
Vipam
Bazza
I totally agree with nearly every word you said, its just that I think one of those ladies will be able to hang with Paula and outkick her. I may be wrong but I think it will be a great race with Paula getting a medal just not gold.
Vipam
Flagpole Willy wrote:
Vipam,
Regardless of any out you leave yourself, your intention is clear to me, and again, I'm not the only one who has picked up on your bias. I have already stated possible reasons for why you post as you do, so you can go back and read it if you like, but none of those reasons are "because Vipam's picks are fundamentally sound".
Vipam may be biased but it's towards African runners. That doesn't mean he's 'prejudiced'. He has rooting interests as we all do.
Paula - I'd love to see her run away from everyone but I doubt it happens. I suspect that she will be outkicked by one of the dreaded African runners after laying her tail on the line.
Jeff,
A good point you make about Vipam - I will consider it. As I said in my first post, I stop short of saying he is prejudiced. He has some leanings as I've said, but it is unclear to me EXACTLY why those leanings exist. I also mentioned that it could be out of control fandom, so it is entirely possible that you are correct that he just has a special rooting interest.
[/quote]
Paula - I'd love to see her run away from everyone but I doubt it happens. I suspect that she will be outkicked by one of the dreaded African runners after laying her tail on the line.[/quote]
Mister, you are talking pre-marathon Paula. People said she would lose to Tusu in London also but she lost Tusu by 10minutes. Marathon running lifted Paula on the track so she goes from the start and don't leave no slack time. That is what's changed, for the better!
from
Paula Radcliffe has pulled out of Saturday's View From Great North Cross Country in Newcastle after picking up a bacterial infection.
Radcliffe's manager and husband Gary Lough informed Peter Elliott, the elite athlete co-ordinator for the meeting, of her decision on Thursday morning.
It is the third major blow in a week for the meeting after Ethiopians Deratu Tulu and Gete Wami vacated their starting slots because of lack of form and injury.
"She is disappointed at having to pull out because she was looking forward to racing in front of the crowds in Newcastle," Lough said of Radcliffe.
Elliott, already chasing suitable replacements for the Ethiopians, is now involved in a race against time to sign a world-class substitute for Radcliffe.
"Of course I am disappointed but what can you do? Paula is a highly experienced athlete and knows what is best for herself," said the former Commonwealth Games 1500m gold medallist.
"Now I have to pull out all the stops. It is going to be a very busy day for me."