¶2012 OG: m10,000–Mo Farah (GB) 27:30.42

[aaronk]

Well, I got it right!!!

I predicted Farah, Rupp, and Bekele would win the medals!!

Er.........look again, Bro!!!

Oh!!

I picked the WRONG Bekele!!!!

[ed gee]

Thoroughness and integrity.

I suspect there's a plan between Farah and Rupp

Thats a salazar 1-2....

Some might wonder what's Salazar's secret.

[Daisy]

NBC commentary so freakin annoying though. they are emotionless, the crowd noise is muted....

NBC obsession with dictating a predetermined narrative is so f*ing irritating.

show some dam emotion

NBC sucks.

Agreed. Someone posted a link to the BBC feed here and I saw the nights action on that instead. It was night and day difference!! NBC really, really, sucks!

[Marlow]

That might have been the best 10,000m I've ever seen.

For the last lap it was. Too bad the first 9600 were interminably boring. It's not even in my top 10.
I want surges. I want breaks. I want a group of 5 or so elite athletes red-lining all the way. It will STILL come down to who can kick at the end, but I'll know the 'honest effort' dictum was followed!

[jeremyp]

Well, I got it right!!!

I predicted Farah, Rupp, and Bekele would win the medals!!

Er.........look again, Bro!!!

Oh!!

I picked the WRONG Bekele!!!!

Been there, done that!

[Conor Dary]

NBC commentary so freakin annoying though. they are emotionless, the crowd noise is muted....

NBC obsession with dictating a predetermined narrative is so f*ing irritating.

show some dam emotion

NBC sucks.

Agreed. Someone posted a link to the BBC feed here and I saw the nights action on that instead. It was night and day difference!! NBC really, really, sucks!

The NBC feed had Stuart Storey and Peter Matthews doing commentary. What a great pair!

[Conor Dary]

That might have been the best 10,000m I've ever seen.

For the last lap it was. Too bad the first 9600 were interminably boring. It's not even in my top 10.
I want surges. I want breaks. I want a group of 5 or so elite athletes red-lining all the way. It will STILL come down to who can kick at the end, but I'll know the 'honest effort' dictum was followed!

If you want red lining I think you need a different sort of Kenyans and Ethiopians, like those guys who run 2:03 marathons.

[aaronk]

NBC commentary so freakin annoying though. they are emotionless, the crowd noise is muted....

NBC obsession with dictating a predetermined narrative is so f*ing irritating.

show some dam emotion

NBC sucks.

Agreed. Someone posted a link to the BBC feed here and I saw the nights action on that instead. It was night and day difference!! NBC really, really, sucks!

I agree.....about NBC!!
Luckily, I had on BBC (through Stopstream).
I LOVED how giddy happy they were over the 3 British Golds!!

BUT......with all due respect to Jessica and Greg......I wish they hadn't interrupted the 10K to show about 3-4 minutes of Rutherford's last jump and a brief interview with Jessica......DURING the 10K!!

Couldn't they have done it after the race.......or split-screen it somehow??

They DID save things, however, by showing the last half of the race intact!!

[guru]

I have never been more proud to be a white, pasty, person.

You have to go all the way back to Seoul for the last paleface 10K medalist(Salvatore Antibo, ITA, also silver)

[Daisy]

The NBC feed had Stuart Storey and Peter Matthews doing commentary. What a great pair!

They're great, but they are limited by the whole production around them. In general the NBC Olympic experience is disjointed and boring choreography designed to show off advertisements.

[110hedgeNYC]

I don't get NBC's approach to track. Seems like the commentators in other sports show a little more emotion. though, this muted dispassionate style of commentary is an American thing.

and, it sucks.

It's as if NBC is trying really hard to make track boring. Craig Masback knows distance racing well enough but he is as exciting as drying paint.

Somebody should have been showing some damned emotion when an American was getting a medal for first time since Mills.

Lame NBC, lame.

PS: I had BBC streaming at same. Completely different experience.

[Weights&Shoes]

I didn't mind BBC cutting to the LJ and Ennis during the 10k. That's how it should be done, as long as it's not during the last two laps.

[Dutra5]

That might have been the best 10,000m I've ever seen.

For the last lap it was. Too bad the first 9600 were interminably boring. It's not even in my top 10.
I want surges. I want breaks. I want a group of 5 or so elite athletes red-lining all the way. It will STILL come down to who can kick at the end, but I'll know the 'honest effort' dictum was followed!

There were plenty of surges, plenty of "getting together" and a balls out kick. You can't ask for much more. If you want the gravy train around the track then a DL race is the way to go.

Great race.

[Dutra5]

I don't get NBC's approach to track. Seems like the commentators in other sports show a little more emotion. though, this muted dispassionate style of commentary is an American thing.

and, it sucks.

It's as if NBC is trying really hard to make track boring. Craig Masback knows distance racing well enough but he is as exciting as drying paint.

Somebody should have been showing some damned emotion when an American was getting a medal for first time since Mills.

Lame NBC, lame.

PS: I had BBC streaming at same. Completely different experience.

It's odd that with all the flag waving NBC does with the rest of the sports program, they are much more reserved with track and field?

[guru]

It's odd that with all the flag waving NBC does with the rest of the sports program, they are much more reserved with track and field?

You'd think they were the BBC with the track coverage

[Conor Dary]

In general the NBC Olympic experience is disjointed and boring choreography designed to show off advertisements.

NO! I am shocked!

[Conor Dary]

It's odd that with all the flag waving NBC does with the rest of the sports program, they are much more reserved with track and field?

You'd think they were the BBC with the track coverage

I don't think anyone in NBCland thought Rupp had a chance. Let us showcase a winner. Hey, he has an American coach, which they didn't hide.

[Pedal Bike]

I met Alberto, Galen and Mo a few weeks ago in Park City, UT.
I own a bikeshop next to the health club where they worked out while altitude
training. All three were gentlemen, approachable, humble and extremely friendly.
Dallen and Mo actually hung out in the shop for a few minutes one afternoon.
Talk about a fun conversation.

Alberto likes PC because his athletes can sleep at 8000 ft and train at 6000.
They all departed PC about two weeks prior to Oly...evidently they went to
France Mtns. to stay at altitude. From what I can tell they spent a lot of time
fine tuning speed and used the underwater treadmill daily....

[Master Po]

I don't get NBC's approach to track. Seems like the commentators in other sports show a little more emotion. though, this muted dispassionate style of commentary is an American thing.

and, it sucks.

It's as if NBC is trying really hard to make track boring. Craig Masback knows distance racing well enough but he is as exciting as drying paint.

Somebody should have been showing some damned emotion when an American was getting a medal for first time since Mills.

Lame NBC, lame.

PS: I had BBC streaming at same. Completely different experience.

It's odd that with all the flag waving NBC does with the rest of the sports program, they are much more reserved with track and field?

Have to take issue with your comment on Masback: It is unfair to wet paint. With paint that has not yet dried, you know that something could happen -- there is implicit drama. With this sort of announcing, you become convinced that nothing has happened, nothing is happening, and nothing could happen. The paint is dry.

And as for NBC's coverage of T&F, it seems they have endless ways to make it unwatchable. I am so grateful that we now have the means to avoid it in favor of European and other presentations of this sport.

[mcgato]

You have to go all the way back to Seoul for the last paleface 10K medalist(Salvatore Antibo, ITA, also silver)

I think that Shalane Flanagan wants to have a word with you.

[bobguild76]

What an awesome race!!!!! I am SO glad to be in South Africa for the Olympics. They had the entire race, NO commercial breaks, and BBC commentators. No NBC puff pieces, just the race and superb commentary. The race had everything, even if they did jog the first 5k.

After what the Kenyans said in the preceding month, I kept waiting to see what team tactics they would employ. When Tadesse took the race by the scruff early on, I thought it would be a repeat of the 2009 WC, and when he slowed back down, I thought the Kenyans would work as a team, either to keep the pace fast or to take turns surging. But it was not to be.

Farah was amazing. No panic. Stay out of trouble. Don't worry about early breaks. Be ready with 2k to go. Lay it down w/ 500 to go.

And how about Rupp?! Yes, he gave some ground with 400 to go, but not much. Hey, to run past the Bekele brothers in an Olympic final - it just doesn't get any better.

And props to Cam Levins. Methinks the last 600 he felt the loooong collegiate season in his legs. He should improve a lot in next year's WC. All in all, a great race. I only wish NBC were this good with its coverage.

[guru]

You have to go all the way back to Seoul for the last paleface 10K medalist(Salvatore Antibo, ITA, also silver)

I think that Shalane Flanagan wants to have a word with you.

I thought this was the mens 10K thread, but Ok I'll clarify - last paleface MALE 10K medalist

[Dutra5]

It's odd that with all the flag waving NBC does with the rest of the sports program, they are much more reserved with track and field?

You'd think they were the BBC with the track coverage

I don't think anyone in NBCland thought Rupp had a chance. Let us showcase a winner. Hey, he has an American coach, which they didn't hide.

The fact that the considered favorites....the Ethiopians, Kenyans and to a lesser degree Eritreans.....didn't follow the script at the end threw NBC.

Why someone...particularly Masback...wasn't armed and ready to fire with the news that Rupp could be or was the first male American medalist since 1964 in the event is baffling. Masback shouldn't need anyone telling him this.

[Dutra5]

And props to Cam Levins. Methinks the last 600 he felt the loooong collegiate season in his legs. He should improve a lot in next year's WC. All in all, a great race. I only wish NBC were this good with its coverage.

When I saw him up there with 600m to go I was thinking he might have a shot but I think at this level you'd have to be a 27min guy to have the right zip at the end of a race run as this one was. He's not quite there yet.

[fromage]

We have waited forever to see a Brit win a 10K and Mo clearly learned from last year's defeat. Thrilled to see Rupp prove that East Africans are the the only guys that can medal in the 5/10K. Well done, Galen!!!

A great race of its kind ; fast races don't really matter when its the Olympics; it certainly aint the rabbited DL as someone said; my heart bleeds for you guys having to watch commercial TV; we saw the shit commercial TV can achieve when our Channel 4 did the World Champs in Daegu.

[bobguild76]

And props to Cam Levins. Methinks the last 600 he felt the loooong collegiate season in his legs. He should improve a lot in next year's WC. All in all, a great race. I only wish NBC were this good with its coverage.

When I saw him up there with 600m to go I was thinking he might have a shot but I think at this level you'd have to be a 27min guy to have the right zip at the end of a race run as this one was. He's not quite there yet.

True Dat! Maybe next year. I wonder if he would consider joining Salazar's group.

[Master Po]

We have waited forever to see a Brit win a 10K and Mo clearly learned from last year's defeat. Thrilled to see Rupp prove that East Africans are the the only guys that can medal in the 5/10K. Well done, Galen!!!

A great race of its kind ; fast races don't really matter when its the Olympics; it certainly aint the rabbited DL as someone said; my heart bleeds for you guys having to watch commercial TV; we saw the shit commercial TV can achieve when our Channel 4 did the World Champs in Daegu.

You have no idea how bad it can be! Just watched the entire race again, on the NBC stream, w British presentation/commentary. Great presentation, and a great race. Even knowing the results, it was dramatic racing. Even though I knew the result, I could almost see Rupp fading away from the leaders. Great running by him -- and of course by Farah. Glad to see T. Bekele get an OG medal.

Someone noted above the cuts on Rupp's legs -- a good measure of the kind of race it was. I have to think those great East African runners -- with all that tradition behind them -- couldn't believe that Rupp was for real. I'm sure they knew Farah was for real, and just couldn't figure out a way to defeat him. Many commentators on here over the years have observed of this event that the best, in a given championship, win off any sort of pace or any sort of tactics. Farah and Rupp showed that today. Great race. Couldn't be happier for Farah & Rupp.

[Randy Treadway]

The NBC feed had Stuart Storey and Peter Matthews doing commentary. What a great pair!

That's what *I* listened to live although I *COULD* have turned on the TV to hear the American announcers. Storey and Matthews covered everybody but of course focused on the crowd hero, Mo. They mentioned Rupp's name a few times, but most often referred to him as 'Mo's American training partner', and they delighted in the result for both of them and their coach Salazar.

Unfortunately, being a British feed, the post-race celebrations had the camera focused tightly on Mo and his family (which was good to see), and we never even got a glimpse of what Rupp might be doing. Did Rupp take a victory lap?

[bruce3404]

I too saw SEAGREN run a 2:00 880 @ Pierce summer meets. He also ran the 440 IH while @ SC. Quite the athlete. Surprised me as well, although Igloi's boys frequented those meets as well. Don't Remember Seaman running there - but that was a few days ago! I do remember shadowing their warm-ups. It was not unusual to see quite a few national and international level athletes there.

I can vouch since I ran against Seagren in a meet at Pierce in 1967. I went into it thinking I could beat a famous athlete...ha! He smoked me. Not sure if he ran 2:00 that day, but he wasn't far off.

[Randy Treadway]

...Cam Levins. ...

True Dat! Maybe next year. I wonder if he would consider joining Salazar's group.

I'm sure Salazar will be swamped with requests to join, and he's going to have to use a lot of discretion to keep his group a reasonably coachable size. He's going to have to say sorry to a lot of folks.

The USATF (if they can get their head out of their you-know-whats) would be wise to arrange some kind of stimulus to replicate such a group elsewhere in the country- maybe like Wisconsin or Vermont or something, so that more athletes can be brought into such an environment.
Like Mo, top foreign talent should not be excluded- they may be integral to group success.
(think back to Bob Kennedy joining such a group which happened to be based in the UK if memory serves, which included Kenyans)

[basehead617]

Amazing run for Rupp. I don't know why the board isn't going crazy.. he's the guy we've been waiting for (in the U.S.)

[Conor Dary]

I'm sure Salazar will be swamped with requests to join, and he's going to have to use a lot of discretion to keep his group a reasonably coachable size. He's going to have to say sorry to a lot of folks.

I don't know how replicable this program is. From what has been described it sounds like Salazar has spent a boatload of money. Obviously well spent, but there are limits, even for Nike.

[Conor Dary]

Amazing run for Rupp. I don't know why the board isn't going crazy.. he's the guy we've been waiting for (in the U.S.)

Did you just wake up or what?

[odelltrclan]

Hope to see the feed again. Watching the NBC broadcast online only to have it freeze up with 9 minutes to go in the race. Had to reboot. Then could only get the long jump feed. Finally with only two laps to go I got the 10k feed. Thanks goodness! Wondering how the laps went for the 2 1/2 miles I missed.

Great to see the duo work well. I think Rupp is ready to beat even Farah, but he needs to believe he can win and change up his tactics a bit. Cannot continually spot Farah a meter or two with a lap to go and expect to win. Rupp is still on the way up. Would not doubt for a second to see him win a WC in 2013 or 2015, though I don't think he will ever win an OG championship.

Exciting day for U.S. distance running, 40+ years in the making!

[TN1965]

I'm sure Salazar will be swamped with requests to join, and he's going to have to use a lot of discretion to keep his group a reasonably coachable size. He's going to have to say sorry to a lot of folks.

He has already turned down both of Bekeles (via Hermens), but left the possibility that he might take on them in future.