Flanagan/Puskedra To Lead US At 2012 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships

Shalane is terrific. I love the way she will run international cross and things like the world half. Who was the last big name from the US to run this? Ritz?

People probably forget that Shalane won bronze at World Cross Country in 2011. She's in the mix.

She is in the mix because everyone is running a fall marathon.

I hope she's fully recovered from London which left her unable to walk at the finish without Kara's assistance. With such a crappy course surface and with all the turns, she no doubt suffered some long term muscle damage with all the gear changes. A courageous run nonetheless. She was going for a medal instead of a time trial and paid dearly for it.

Big Shalane Fan wrote:

Shalane is terrific. I love the way she will run international cross and things like the world half.

Yeah, because we all know that those don't mean anything. It's great of someone big like Shalane to stoop to run those little races.

Big Shalane Fan wrote:

Shalane is terrific. I love the way she will run international cross and things like the world half.

Yeah, because we all know that those don't mean anything. It's great of someone big like Shalane to stoop to run those little races.

older than most of you wrote:

She is in the mix because everyone is running a fall marathon.

she is in the mix because she is legitamely a great runner, olympic bronze, world xc bronze, atime in the 10000 that is # 17 on the all time list. legit superb runner,

if she medals here she will have medaled globally on all 3 surfaces road, xc and track.

Shalane won't run Portugal half marathon after winning lisbon?

Has Ed Moran run a race yet this year?

troof be told wrote:

Yeah, because we all know that those don't mean anything. It's great of someone big like Shalane to stoop to run those little races.

Actually big names from other countries run, but usually not from the US.

In 2010 World Half was won by Florence Kiplagat, in 2009 by Mary Keitany, and in 2008 by Lorna Kiplagat, with most of the other top finishers at a comparable level. Those aren't meaningless races, but usually the US doesn't send its best runners. Amy Y-B ran for the US in 2008 and Ritz in 2009 but its usually not someone who would you would say is in the top 3 in the US.

So I like it that Shalane is willing to run for the US team and against top international competition, especially when I assume the financial rewards are not as great as, for example, just getting an appearance fee for cruising through a Rock 'n Roll half marathon or something like that.

I like that she is doing these too.

But I wonder if there are contract kickers with Nike for winning national and other championship races and how much this might play into her decision (and not feeling like doing another whole marathon this fall)

Should be exciting to see what Krifchin can do after the first two marathons of her career -- 71:04 coming out of nowhere last September and 70:46 finishing 2nd to Goucher at the US Half early this summer. Can she scare the 70 minute barrier? Seems odd to think of that as possible for a no-namer.

[quote]I

Kastor,Goucher, Benoit, O'Brien and Flanagan are our sub 70s I think and Joanie's PR is 29 years old and Cathy's is 22.

@ust reminds us how great a talent Benwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa was

Hope she does it, she is a real competitor. She went after Goucher at the half pretty hard. obviously isn't taught to me timid. Arises are known for making the best out of no names.

Anybody know why Tegenkamp isn't running this? Im pretty sure he said he was planning on doing it after his USA 20k win. Seems like he is passing up a good shot at medaling (or at least performing well) in a World Championship race.