- See Less -.S. Half-Marathon champion; 2006 USA Cross Country champion; 2005 NCAA 5,000m champion; 2003 NCAA Cross Country runner-up; three-time NCAA Cross Country All-American; USA 20 km and half-marathon record holder
At the 2007 Olympic Trials – Men’s Marathon, Hall tamed what had been thought of as a slow and very difficult course, breaking the Olympic Trials record with his winning time of 2:09:02. He posted the second-fastest marathon time ever by an American of 2:06.17 from his fifth place finish at the 2008 London Marathon. Hall showed signs of becoming a future Olympic marathoner when he made his marathon debut in style, finishing seventh in April at the 2007 Flora London Marathon in 2:08:24. Hall's time was the fastest ever debut marathon for an American man by 1:16.Hall has gone from high school prodigy to national record holder in the span of just a few years. Hall set a U.S. record and earned a national title on January 14, 2007, when he won the men’s U.S. Half Marathon National Championship in 59 minutes 43 seconds becoming the first American to break the one-hour barrier at that distance. His performance bettered the previous American record by Mark Curp that had stood for 21 years by 1:12, and makes him the 13th fastest performer in the world at the half marathon distance. Hall won his first major cross country title when he captured the men’s long course national crown at the 2006 USA Cross Country Championships at historic Van Cortlandt Park in The Bronx, N.Y. Hall won going away with a 27-second margin over the rest of the field. "It was probably the most fun race of my life," said Hall. "It's my first 12k. I thought that I would make a move and see who would go, and maybe if I get a gap, then keep going.” Hall was the fastest American in the long course race at the 2006 World Cross Country Championships in Japan, placing 43rd. Also in 2006 Hall set an American record in the 20 km of 57:54 on October 8 at the IAAF World Road Running Championships in Debrecen, Hungary. Hall enjoyed a strong season in 2005 that included winning the NCAA Outdoor 5,000m title, placing third at the USA Outdoor Championships, where he set a new personal best of 13:16.03, and competing at his first World Outdoor Championships. As a prep standout, Hall competed at the Peregrine Systems U.S. Open at Stanford in the 1500 meters where he ran 3:42.70, the third fastest high school performance ever for the metric mile ... California state champion in the 1600 meters during his senior season with a state record time of 4:02 ... had the #2 high school time in the U.S. in the 1600 meters at 4:00.52 ... The National Scholastic mile champion in his junior season at 4:06 ... Also won the state title during his junior season in the two-mile at 8:55.03 ...the California state cross country champion during his junior and senior seasons at Big Bear High School ... Finished third at the Footlocker Nationals in Orlando during his senior season. Wife Sara Bei-Hall is also a competitive runner, who placed 26th in the 4 km race at the 2006 World Cross Country Championships. The Halls are active with charitable groups such as Team World Vision. They worked on a campaign in 2008 entitled, “More Precious than Gold,” that raised nearly a million dollars to help bring clean water wells and irrigation systems to poor communities in Zambia.
dude, I'm an atheist but I really disagree with you. RH is a credit to his faith. He has found a way to live humbly, but to balance his humility with a bloodlust for achievement. This is not easy to do. He sees his talent as a gift, he sees his gift as an extension of god, and he sees maximizing his potential as a way to glorify god. And it's freaking working. He's not being preachy, he's not proselytizing and being obnoxious, he's an authentic christian. He's living an authentic life, and authenticity is the best example for young people regardless of their religion or anything else. We can only understand his devotion to running if we understand his devotion to god, indeed he basically sees them as the same thing. I'm never going to be a christian, but I like this guy--his worldview has made him obsessed with doing his best, he only wants to look back on his running and know that he left it all out there, that he gave every speck of himself, and you have to respect that. I'm proud he's representing us.
Accusing us of being poorly raised is in no way a negative comment.
Ryan Hall is a great runner especially considering he has the Half-Marathon American record and he hasnt been running "those" distances for that long, not as a race.
and anyways god doesn't exist.
-Im quoting myself for you because you obviously did not pay attention to what I said.
-And yes I have made something, but im not God.
-So your saying that God create the world, including sin, an apple, our brains, our desire to eat the apple, our ultimate separation from him?
In that case maybe the God your talking about is the Muslim God, who created us for his sole enjoyment, does not love us, and chooses who he wants in heaven even leaving out those who follow his word exactly...
So Christians believe that God loves us, but what about when some people do not ever "come to christ: before they die what does that mean? Does "God" not know what to say or do in some ones life to let them see the light? Why can he not? He's God?
So, if you really look at it the way you describe then maybe Allah is your answer, because he does not love us, and we are only here for his enjoyment...
Like, he feels that all of his accomplishments had god involved in it. It wasn't just him running the race, god was right with him.. thats awesome! Good Luck at Beijing Ryan!!
because it was yours to make and you had a plan for it, those would be part of the reason?
God created because He wanted us. As creator, He made things as He wanted, perks of the role no? Sometimes it's hard to accept, but when you remember that there is a plan (we just dont know it all) it makes things a little easier.
this is a running site man, seriously... youre being rediculous. im beyond arguing with you, honestly, think what you want and let others think what they want. youre trying to persuade the "believers" to not believe, just as they are trying to get the "non believers" to believe. respect my thoughts and ill respect yours.
now that we got that out of the way, lets talk about some running. somethin we all have in common!
Another thing thats wrong with your analogy is that the Cookies were intended for later enjoyment, the fruit was not...
So I'm going to try and rephrase what you said, but put it in literal terms...
>> Why did God put a tree with forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, and tell you not to eat from it? Knowing that you would probably sneek around and eat from it anyway. He created the forbidden fruit because he loves you and wants you to be happy, but he also wanted you to make the right choice and respect him and not eat from the tree
It also says God created the heaven and the earth, and man.. I for one do not think Man is that bad, but according to the bible we sin all of the time...
So my question (which the bible cannot answer) is why did God create a freaking tree with a "forbidden" fruit which contained sin.. why make a tree like that?? Why give us the ability to be tempted? Why let the Devil run free in this world?? Why?? Because God does not exist...
Christianity is a crutch...
Most converted Christians were raised without a father,
Most Christians were raised in a Church home..
Christianity is the fastest declining religion..
Think of how you view God, he is more than likely modeled after your father...
I founded all of my response on the premise that Christianity does more harm to the Human psyche than good.. All sincere Christians are always unhappy because they see little meaningless human habits as sin, they worry when they should not and as much as they try not to the consider themselves better than "Non-believers"...
It's like some people have just assumed that there are bad comments but I hardly see any. Please show all the comments that are unfounded.
For a man to find a great treasure and not share it would be insane and selfish.
Now I bet this comment opens the flood gates.
So if God created this world, did he make it possible to sin? And if he is truely great, why doesn't he elimate all the sadness and suffering in the world?
If your answer is because we sinned and caused it, then why did God create us with the ability to sin if he did not want us to? Why ever create sin?
Paradox...
Second...Albertson... Whoa whoa whoa You are jumping to way to many conclusions.
I was responding to an earlier post thats why there was " " s.
I like Ryan's comments... He believes he was born with a gift to run and his way of saying thank you is to focus his efforts on that amazing gift.
My response to the earlier comment was stating that if God exists (which I hope he does) he prob is not a man in the sky with a big white beard that can only listen to one pray at a time and if he/she/it is paying attention to Ryan he/she/it cannot be paying attention to starvation in Africa.
I was trying to get that poster to think outside of the box and not believe that god is not like the image he plays on TV.
So we are assuming God is someone that has 24hrs in a day and only certain amount of time and energy to listen and can only listen to one pray at a time. God is not much of a multi-tasker...... Oh yeah, he also has a long white beard.
prioritize running and faith. I too was slipping and allowing running to become my GOD. You helped change that in a video I seen of you training. I'm proud that you are not ashamed of the gospel. Godspeed to you Ryan. God Bless you brother.
He was given a...platform, if you will, to tell others about Christ, through showing us how he runs for the Lord. It's great to hear other believers and runners sharing their faith with the world. More of us Christians could us your courage, boldness, and faith.
It's a bit egotistical to think you were chosen by god to run fast. Then how about someone else in another country who has known nothing but war? What is god's gift to them? How about someone who's been a slave all their lives??
The bottom line is Hall is extremely talented. Yes, he works hard and is committed being great and yes he is mentally tough. I just think it's kind of egotistical as well as close minded to think god has so much interest in you. Meanwhile there are billions of people in this planet who obviously by this same logic are not good enough for god.
There are many many people who train as hard or harder than Ryan and they will never run the times that he's run. There are people that suffer more everyday than ryan will suffer in week and many times it's not even their choice.
So thank you for your comments and Congrats to Ryan for all his accomplishment, but lets not forget about the real heroes out there. they need god more than Ryan does.
Thank God for people like that(literally, He made them).
this will answer many confused questions about christianity.
"I wonder what Ryan thinks about people who do not praise this outwardly?"
He's just answering the question. He's not doing anything "outwardly".
if you have something to run for you will work harder no matter what it is (a sick friend or in beliefs whatever) if you have nothing to work for you will do nothing to get there
1) Ryan was asked to express a PERSONAL opinion. He did exactly that.
2) He never said you have to praise God to be a good runner, or if you praise god you will be a good runner.
3) I have watched over 20 different interviews of Ryan, and have never seen him "recruit" people to become Christian. You are all making that up.
4) Praising God is not about victory, it is about doing the best you CAN at every opportunity.
5) If you don't share this belief, that's OK. This is America where we can all have our own opinions. Move on.
6) Mark does a fabulous job of bringing this material to us, which no one else does. He could very easily do something else and probably make more money. Appreciate it, and stop griping about every single thing anybody says.
I know that he "sins" and that he would admit to it, but I don't think it is possible that he runs for "God" every minute he is out there. So if I'm wrong does that mean Ryan would donate a gold medal to the church?
Why keep any possessions if your goal is to do nothing for yourself? everything for God?
Does Ryan have a savings account?
If "God" was real why would this interview bring forward so many harsh feelings toward Christianity?
Why does Satan run free? God created him, now he "influences" us poor humans freely.
Try my view on Christianity, and why some "great" Christians fail and some "evil" NON-Believers (because we are defined by what we are not) succeed... Imagine everyone as standing on latters back to the ground. Now imagine everyone releasing there grip (surrendering). Everyone falls back toward the ground, some are caught and some fall. Christians who are caught thank God. Christians who fall are left wondering where God was. Believers-in-self who are caught thank their luck, those who fall dust themselves off, get up, and resolve to climb back on the latter on their own.
Life involves living, I'm not willing to give up things of this life for a promise told to me by humans, it would be different if the divine spirit spoke, preferable language English.
Also, you can run for whoever you want--Christ included--but that doesn't mean you should be respected for it. Running for Christ is about as sane as running for the Tooth Fairy. Heck, Hall would be even more interesting if he freely pointed out that he was running for Zeus and the Titans.
Many of you will disagree with me, but many of you will agree and strive to run for Christ as well. Please have respect though even if you disagree.
Thanks
Secondly, to those of you trying to turn his religion into some secular coping mechanism or some benign preference liking preferring water to gatorade, don't kid yourselves. Christianity, it its most honest biblical form is evengelical and black and white. The bible is clear Christians should actively recruit to their religion because disbelieving in God results in a life in hell.
i think that the whole "God is bad, dont praise God" thing is nuts. just sayin man...
i have a question for you... what do you believe in?
and for him "giving anything less than his best is sacrificing the gift"
and for him "giving anything less than his best is sacrificing the gift"
i seriously doubt that you run 140 miles a week at 10,000 ft and even if you did you wouldnt be able to had you not been blessed with the body to be able to handle that kind of stress.
right:
once again, you had to have gotten that ability to handle that stress somewhere. im pretty sure that not everyone could do that and get away with it. if it were up to the individual, there would be a lot more runners poundin out 140 mile weeks at altitude. God blesses us all with different bodies and different gifts.
I am thankful to God for my desire and ability to run and give my best.
if u dont stand for something you'll fall for anything
people keep asking the same question... "if i dont run well or as fast as ryan, does that mean that im not praising God enough or does that mean that i should start praising Him?"
you must have no other argument... people, if you have something against ryans beliefs or God in general, take it somewhere else. this is kind of rediculous. most of you who are bashing ryan are stating the same things over and over again! lol SERIOUSLY, have some respect for ryans beliefs folks! you dont like people telling you to believe in God, but yet you criticize the one's who do. isnt that a little hypocritical? yeah you should think about that before you post anything else on here!
Love that question and he answers it so seriously lol.
Hall's a BEASTTTTT.
GO RYAN!!
Before we
As well,those of us who may not share his 'faith' or 'belief' system, let's try to see the authenticity behind his 'talk' and let it be. I think ryan would repect that. Maybe we can respect that too!!
BS, all he wants is a freaking gold medal and some extra cash
My best wishes to Ryan & coach Mahon. I trust they're doing the right thing and I'm excited to see the results.
ps: I don't see things exactly as Ryan does regarding God, but it's not WAAAAAYY off either and Ryan is young and not very in-your-face about his beliefs so it doesn't bother me. Lets all keep an open mind..you too Ryan ;)
Best of luck
As a post stated earlier... Pre basically says the same thing
"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift"
Yet everyone has this quote on their wall and T Shirts...
How do Ryan and Pre's comments differ?
As a post stated earlier... Pre basically says the same thing
"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift"
Yet everyone has this shirt on their wall and T Shirts...
How do Ryan and Pre's comments differ?
he has ever siad ever that the reason he wins is becasue of his beleif in God.
:)
I just wish all of these stupid trolls would find there way back to Letsrun and dyestat...
he believes that the things he does help him, thats all. its not saying its the only one way to do things....he's not even saying there is a right or wrong way. i am sure there are those out there who dont believe in god at all and still kick ass...maybe have even beaten ryan and thats fine too.
we shouldn't take these interviews so personal. they are here to for people to get to know the athletes that we admire and respect, not to make you reflect on what you do and feel insulted. that doesn't make much sense does it?? i guess is my best advice is to appreciate what sites like flotrack is bringing to us or don't watch at all.
_Eric_, did you listen to the video? Mark stepped up and asked Ryan to explain this "praising God" concept and... Ryan did. To him it is about giving 100%. Simple.
To give a classic running cliche as an example - Prefontaine said "to give anything less than your best is to SACRIFICE THE GIFT" (or something along those lines). I don't hear people criticizing that quote and comparing his idea to starving African babies.
In Hall's eyes, if a 3:30 marathon is your best effort - you succeeded in praising God. If you are giving your best effort in being a troll and writing stupid comments that prompt idiots like me to waste 5 minutes to respond to you... you have succeeded in praising God.
the idea of "Giving your best effort" was taught to me by my dad in youth soccer. Apparently it was taught to Ryan through Christianity. Is there a difference?
maybe so bud, maybe so. stop tryin to do it all yourself. no one is tellin you to believe in God or praise Him. BUT, maybe that is why ryan is runnin under 2:10 and you are runnin 3:30. (ever think of that?) not tryin to be a jerk, but its somethin to think about. ryan was obviously blessed with the ability to run fast, but you can have success as well.
and no, most of the world is straying away from God, and yes i think that has somethin to do with how the people act and do things today in society.
EVERYONE: respect ryans religion and beliefs, because im sure hed respect yours. we all talk about "freedom of religion," so let him believe what he wants!
That's it I'm going to church....
Come on! Give me a break.
B.
Don't let it sting to bad!