Running Log 2012

Thursday, September 30, 2010

mister we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again

This whole thing with Ryan Hall pulling out of Chicago has me remembering Evel Knievel.

It was back when Evel tried jumping thirteen buses in Wembly Stadium. The take off ramp was too short and Evel knew it. He knew he wasn't going to have enough speed, but away he went. Later he explained "I knew I wasn’t going to make it, but what was I supposed to do – give ‘em their money back?” Crazy I guess. Stupid? I don't know. It's what made Evel great. It's what made people love him.

2 comments:

  1. wow i couldn't disagree more.

    ok, i WILL disagree more.

    Hall gets paid to run elite times. he has two great marathons in him a year. This wasn't going to be one of them. Do you waste it? It's the same reason smart elites drop out at 22. No point finishing if you're not going to smoke it. Make that race into a tempo training run and come back two months later to race hard.

    It's his job. Knievel had nothing to lose on that jump. Hall has everything to lose.

    Can I post this on Loop? I'm posting up for people who aren't able to get through. Seems like you qualify ...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Posting from exile sounds great! You can explain that this was the kind of wrong headed thinking that got me kicked out.

    Yeah. If anything, Evel had everything to lose if he did not make the jump. Busting his ass only increased the value of his brand.

    This is perfect for the loop because it's an example of what might pop into the mind of a novice that does not understand the sport. And then somebody like you can slap me down like the punk I am.

    ReplyDelete