Who is the runner you most look up to?

runningman1980

...

Ger the man

Paula Radcliffe

RealistSpy

2 young and coming Chris Russel and Steven colvet also Usain and Powell

thirstywork

Paul Tergat;)

ecoli

Mottram...... man who not afraid to mix up with africans

mrak

Keith Kelly.

runningman1980

Ger the man wrote: »

Paula Radcliffe

Yes, a good choice she was so successful while being an asthma sufferer also., commendable

runningman1980

mrak wrote: »

Keith Kelly.

Keith Kelly from drogheda?

mrak

runningman1980 wrote: »

Keith Kelly from drogheda?

Yeah - because of his attitude to injury.

runningman1980

mrak wrote: »

Yeah - because of his attitude to injury.

Just read rte sport article about him, a good article, he never gave up where others surely would it seems

buck65

Tergat is a hero of mine, John Treacy, Bill Rodgers

Running Bing

mrak wrote: »

Keith Kelly.

I knew very little about him before I started reading his blog but his attitude to some absolutely heartbreaking set backs is tremendous. I wince now when I read about him doing a 20 minute jog with a bit of bone floating in his knee:eek:

Mine would probably be Bannister, his determination and belief in breaking the 4 minute mile is something anybody could learn from.

Eamonn Coghlan and Sonia Osullivan too, its always special to have an Irish athlete mix it with the absolute best in the world (and some of Coghlans achievements were immense. I think he is still the only person over 40 to run a 4 min mile?).

There's a few runners now who I always look out for but I suppose the main one's would be Martin Fagan, Anthony Famiglietti and Ryan Hall.

shels4ever

mrak wrote: »

Keith Kelly.

+1

ecoli

Running Bing wrote: »

I knew very little about him before I started reading his blog but his attitude to some absolutely heartbreaking set backs is tremendous. I wince now when I read about him doing a 20 minute jog with a bit of bone floating in his knee:eek:

Mine would probably be Bannister, his determination and belief in breaking the 4 minute mile is something anybody could learn from.

Eamonn Coghlan and Sonia Osullivan too, its always special to have an Irish athlete mix it with the absolute best in the world (and some of Coghlans achievements were immense. I think he is still the only person over 40 to run a 4 min mile?).

There's a few runners now who I always look out for but I suppose the main one's would be Martin Fagan, Anthony Famiglietti and Ryan Hall.

Interesting.
His determination one could argue was nothing compared to the the likes of Landy . He adhered to a strict amateur philosophy believe than running should not become the focus and should be seen as recreational sure he stopped running for a while after the 3.59 mile only to come back to challenge Landy in the Empire games once his record had been beaten

Frank3142

Jeremy Wariner- he's white, he's fast and he's cool
(i dont mean white as in "i hate blacks" i mean he is a white guy beating all the black people at sprinting)

thirtyfoot

Frank3142 wrote: »

Jeremy Wariner- he's white, he's fast and he's cool
(i dont mean white as in "i hate blacks" i mean he is a white guy beating all the black people at sprinting)

He isn't beating LaShawn Merritt (at least when it mattered last season)!!!

Running Bing

ecoli wrote: »

Interesting.
His determination one could argue was nothing compared to the the likes of Landy . He adhered to a strict amateur philosophy believe than running should not become the focus and should be seen as recreational sure he stopped running for a while after the 3.59 mile only to come back to challenge Landy in the Empire games once his record had been beaten

Fair point. Its more the mental aspect I admire, that setting of a goal and pursuing it with such single minded determination and having the belief to pursue it when everybody tells you its impossible.

Was it not Landy who said a few months before the record fell that a brick wall has been hit and its impossible only to run it himself a couple of months afterwards (I could be getting the quote mixed up).

Cant say I am hugely knowledgeable about the sport but it seems to me the 4 minute mile was the biggest barrier ever broken and it completely opened the floodgates and set the trend.


I also think Bannister was a product of his time. When he was running athletics truly was an amateur discipline. I suppose what I find most fascinating is it does'nt always come down to who is the strongest physically or who puts the most training in, sometimes the mental aspect is the most important thing and I dont think there were many mentally tougher than Bannister.

ss43

Hicham El Guerrouj - world record holder at 1500m, mile, 2000m and second fastest erver orver 3000m. Olympic Gold at 1500m and 5000m in 2004 and 4 consecutive World Championships over 1500m.

I liked the way he raced, winding up the pace as the race went along taking away everyone's kick. Naturally enough he seems to have been very dedicated but maybe that was an excuse to get away from the wife. He used only see her a few times during the year when he was in training.

Of current runners, I probably admire Shaheen the most. His world championship win from 2003 was epic - probably the best race I've seen. I like the way he's able to come back after two years of being injured and be almost at his best. Hopefully by the end of the summer he will be.

Pisco Sour

Sonia O'Sullivan without doubt for me. Watching re-runs of all her races on youtube etc in january 2008 inspired me to get out and run myself. I was always a massive fan of hers, my biggest idol in any sport, but hadnt seen her races in years. When I watched them I got inspired to stop being so lazy and actually do something with my life. I didnt do any sport in college really and got quite lazy and just drank really.

Since deciding to get out and train I have done the following:

5km Road: 21:46
10km Great Ireland Run: 46:59 and 47:29
Half Marathon Wexford: 1:49:06

and have also completed both a Sprint and an Olympic Triathlon.

I know these results are no great shakes by any means, but I'm very proud of them, and its because of Sonia that this happened.

Foreign athletes I admire would be Paula Radcliffe, Carolina Kluft, Steve Backley and Colin Jackson among others.

dna_leri

Not sure about looking up to anyone, but most admired...
in the past Carlos Juantorena - 400/800m double in 1976; Eamon Coughlan, Ed Moses, Carl Lewis & Michael Johnson. Now Paul Hession - shows what can be done with the right approach and dedication.

Andrewf20

Rui de Silva - the guy who won the great Ireland run in April. Watching him in action has been an inspiration. Great to watch him pull away from Tergat on the final straight. Such determination.

cickimc

I know this is a who do you most look up to in running but out of irish/international athletes I would have to give an acknowledgement to Jamie Costin the 50k racewalker the nod

He broke his back in his last training session before the Athens Olympics and was told he would never racewalk again
He still came back and through his hard work and determenation he came back and qualified for Beijing and this year he took back his National 50k record ....... he is the best example of a truly world class Irish athlete right nw

others coughlan, o'sullivan, gerbrasellasie, bolt, bannister

Hard Worker

ss43 wrote: »

Hicham El Guerrouj - world record holder at 1500m, mile, 2000m and second fastest erver orver 3000m. Olympic Gold at 1500m and 5000m in 2004 and 4 consecutive World Championships over 1500m.

A fabulous athlete. I met him in Belfast at the World Cross Country. It was one of those courses where you were not confined to a particular spectator area. You could follow the race. El Guerrouj wasn't on the team. He ran around, like any other spectator, to cheer on his countrymen. He later spent time signing autographs for hundreds of kids.
I also remember Paula Radcliffe presenting a bouquet of flowers ( her own idea ) to each member of the British Junior Womens team after the World Cross Country Championship in Ostend. They were chuffed. It was probably almost like a medal for them.

walshb

I would say Carl Lewis simply because of all the runners I have ever seen, I have never seen such a graceful and natural runner in my life. Absolute poetry in motion is Lewis in full flight. Meant to be a right arrogant sod and lacking a lot in humility!

Rineanna

04072511 wrote: »

Sonia O'Sullivan without doubt for me. Watching re-runs of all her races on youtube

You took the words right out my mouth.

Whenever I need reminding of how much I love the sport, I watch this tribute to Sonia on youtube. The parts at 1.50 and 3.21 of the video send shivers down my spine. She was majestic over the last 120m of both races. When she kicks past Szabo and Ribiera, it seems like she covers 10 metres in a split second. Unreal stuff.

Her battle with Szabo down the home straight in Sydney counts as one of my favourite moments in sport, even if the end result wasn't ideal. I remember listening to it in Primary School (due to the crap timing of the Olympics that year :mad:), and nearly being moved to tears .

And to think she ran a 3.58 1500m. Breath taking.

I'd agree with Carolina Kluft too.
[/Ends emotional blabbering] :P

Woddle

Rineanna wrote: »

You took the words right out my mouth.

Whenever I need reminding of how much I love the sport, I watch this tribute to Sonia on youtube. The parts at 1.50 and 3.21 of the video send shivers down my spine. She was majestic over the last 120m of both races. When she kicks past Szabo and Ribiera, it seems like she covers 10 metres in a split second. Unreal stuff.


[/Ends emotional blabbering] :P

Cheers for that, really enjoyed it

shels4ever

Rineanna wrote: »

You took the words right out my mouth.

Whenever I need reminding of how much I love the sport, I watch this tribute to Sonia on youtube. The parts at 1.50 and 3.21 of the video send shivers down my spine. She was majestic over the last 120m of both races. When she kicks past Szabo and Ribiera, it seems like she covers 10 metres in a split second. Unreal stuff.

Her battle with Szabo down the home straight in Sydney counts as one of my favourite moments in sport, even if the end result wasn't ideal. I remember listening to it in Primary School (due to the crap timing of the Olympics that year :mad:), and nearly being moved to tears .

And to think she ran a 3.58 1500m. Breath taking.

I'd agree with Carolina Kluft too.
[/Ends emotional blabbering] :P

Thanks, havent seen that in a while now, Everytime i watch it I hope she gets it on the line, she just didn't give up ...

Pisco Sour

Rineanna wrote: »

You took the words right out my mouth.

Whenever I need reminding of how much I love the sport, I watch this tribute to Sonia on youtube. The parts at 1.50 and 3.21 of the video send shivers down my spine. She was majestic over the last 120m of both races. When she kicks past Szabo and Ribiera, it seems like she covers 10 metres in a split second. Unreal stuff.

Her battle with Szabo down the home straight in Sydney counts as one of my favourite moments in sport, even if the end result wasn't ideal. I remember listening to it in Primary School (due to the crap timing of the Olympics that year :mad:), and nearly being moved to tears .

And to think she ran a 3.58 1500m. Breath taking.

I'd agree with Carolina Kluft too.
[/Ends emotional blabbering] :P

Hehe, I actually made that video! No joke. I made a longer one aswell "Career Highlights - Barcelona to Sydney" but youtube disabled the sound off it because of me using a song that they didnt want used!

Rineanna

04072511 wrote: »

Hehe, I actually made that video! No joke. I made a longer one aswell "Career Highlights - Barcelona to Sydney" but youtube disabled the sound off it because of me using a song that they didnt want used!

Well if it was you then thanks!

limerickleader

Rineanna wrote: »

Her battle with Szabo down the home straight in Sydney counts as one of my favourite moments in sport, even if the end result wasn't ideal. I remember listening to it in Primary School (due to the crap timing of the Olympics that year :mad:), and nearly being moved to tears .

Haha, I remember watching that Olympic final in our assembly hall in secondary school and everyone roaring and shouting for Sonia down the home straight. When the race finished, everyone was deathly quiet for about 2 seconds before collectively going absolutely ape and jumping up and down on tables. Our greatest athlete ever.

ecoli

limerickleader wrote: »

Haha, I remember watching that Olympic final in our assembly hall in secondary school and everyone roaring and shouting for Sonia down the home straight. When the race finished, everyone was deathly quiet for about 2 seconds before collectively going absolutely ape and jumping up and down on tables. Our greatest athlete ever.

haha yeah i was "sick" for the duration of the olympics from primary school and as such spent all time in front of the tv watching every event...... Eight years on and workin nights i decided to do overtime as the mens marathon had started half an hour before my shift finished..... Glad some things never change haha:P