Deena Kastor on the State of US Distance Running

superstar=jenny b??
i think so!

hell yah p-chem is fun

And you seem so much ruder than, well, almost everyone with your classless comment. Dina is beautiful inside and out.

That's your opinion. I actually prefer Ryan and Mark's style.

Women give up control of something ! Ha Ha Ha! It's a DNA thing. Women have to feel that they are in control at all times. Alright! there it's been said let everyone get mad, but it's the truth.

Deena looks sooo much older than she is! It's sad.

PolarBear,
Good take. And I think you will be right. It’s proved true in the past. Due to greater freedom of opportunities, American women athlete’s will be the first sometimes at something and benefit in initial “world standards”, but once the rest of the world catches on, it dissipates. Pole Vault might be a recent example.

Yep, them African women will follow their male counterparts. Their societal situations will open for the women, and more and more of them will go into the pipeline of running talent. And thoroughly kick our butts with the next generations. We’ll be looking at the Galen Rupp’s of American women and congratulating ourselves on even managing to make the show, lol.
Good thing America “imported” some serious Sprint talent several hundred years ago, or we’d end up totally irrelevant on the world track scene.
We could just go "Qatar" and buy our international distance running talent you know.

I like the bit about women govern their training and racing by stopwatch splits. They try to control the race too much. Deena is basically saying that these women need to let go of that illusion of control to truly race well. I believe that is right on. When in a race if I get too wrapped up in split time I race like a pansy. But when I go out and get aggressive and compete with the people around me I usually do a lot better and it's far more fun.

This guy should be Flo Track's primary interviewer. He's much better than the other guys. Composed, concise and well prepared.

didnt like the interviewer....

Sorry to rain on the parade. Kenyan women are begining to train in the camps with the men over in Eldoret (Lorna Kiplagat's High Altitude Training Center and others). Ethiopian women are picking it up as well. Look for a second, much more powerful wave of east African women runners in the next olympic cycle (see New York Reebok Grand Prix 5K). US women are really going to have to pick it up to be anywhere near the front of the pack. As in, 14:30 5 k for a chance at a medal.

Since they have from Jan 1 2008-Aug 2009 to get the standard, Flanagan, Goucher, Rhines, Fleshman and Barringer all have the A standard for the 5k already. Rowbury was 2 seconds off it in her first race this season back in April.

For the 10k Flanagan, Goucher, Huddle, Rhines and Yoder Begley have the A.
For men in the 5k, Lagat, Solinsky, Vaughn, Fam and Rupp have the A. Teg does not yet have the A, but is close with 13:22, so he has the B.
For the 10k, Abdi, Rupp, Nelson, Fam and J. Torres have the A.

In the right race I think Deena, Shalane, Kara, Shannon, or Jenny B could easily get below the A qualifier in the 5K. A few others like Sarah Hall are probably close.

10k A standard : probably just looking at Amy Yoder Begley, Deena, Shalane, and Kara.

I saw an interview with her this weekend, shes shooting for 2:18 in Chicago! I wouldn't be surprised if she gets near that.

She won 2 of her 3 races so far this year, from 8k to 12k and she is always averaging 5:10 to 5:15 in hilly races. She's in great shape.

love her verbage. . grinding vs plodding! Ouch!

Since Athens, and even before, Deena has been an ambassador for our sport. And what a great ambassador she's been. But for those of us who listen to lots of DK interviews, her geared-towards-the-soundbite-or-short-quote-in-a-running-article responses can be a little maddening. I'd LOVE to hear from the real Deena. Selby, you were ALMOST able to stand up to her near the beginning - were almost able to make her answer in a way which was not what she thought we should hear. Keep trying, KS! If anyone can, YOU can! I'd love to see a genuine "Flannagan?! Yeah, that little huzzie is rounding up my records, when this foot heals I'm gonna break it again... Kickin her ass!"

I find kevin's interviewing style to be very good, the questions come without much hessitation...that we kinda see in the other interviews.... which makes the interview more enjoyable.
Deena is truly inspirational, if she can curse a bad running day and lace up the next anyways.... well then so can us other American women :)

This was a great interview. I always enjoy these sit downs. We need more of these.