does anyone else think that the majority of Ryan hall's message was an attempt to be nice? I know the trolls here are ragging on religion and his ability to think for himself, but we are all working on the assumption that what he wrote is factual.
And I think what Hall wrote is genuine. I do think he spent a long time carefully considering what this move would mean for himself, his family, his coach and teammates. But as with public divorces, most likely he is covering several issues.
My translation and summary of Hall's anouncement:
"We are having coach/athlete problems, but I don't want to be Shalane Flanagan. So let me publicly say that its not TM, its me that wants the change. And a few months down the road I may take up a coach, but like a good breakup, I am going to leave a little time in between so it does not look like I am just looking at the greener side of the pasture. I have enough running experience to get by for one training cycle. Thank you to TM for bringing where I am today, but there are some changes I want to make that you will not allow me to do."
And I applaud him for writing politically correct, but it sounds like his reversion to using God as justification is more of a "i don't want to be mean, I am carefully considering this" as opposed to "i was struck by lightning and this is what it meant."