A few thoughts on Galen Rupp in the 5000m. Galen Rupp has a master plan, one he and Salazaar have been hatching since the boy was first discovered out on a soccer field, his passion for running still waiting to be brought out. The goal of this plan has always been to turn Galen into one of the world'™s best, a feat measured out in medals of gold, silver, and bronze. It seems that every race Galen runs has a specific purpose, always looking towards preparing for the moment when his hard work will finally pay off. But I can't help but wonder if he missed out on one of those moments in the 5000m championship this time around.

       Galen is a runner who takes a lot of abuse: the breathe right strips, the pollen counts, cross country courses being pristine enough for him to step foot on.  Let me be clear when I say that none of that nitpicking interests me at all. At the end of the day Galen is one of the toughest competitors this country has and as such the spotlight can sometimes shine too brightly on the young man. Originally when I saw Galen was going to attempt both the 10k and the 5k, I was still a fan of the plan. While many of his American counterparts were going to get to experience running at the championship level in their respective events, Galen was going to take on twice as much and therefore be doubly prepared by next years Olympic games. As I watched the American fade from contention at the bell though, I wondered if he might have been able to make this year his year if not for the plan.

       When I hear a lot of runners speak of disappoint in their post race interviews, they always seem to go back to needing more strength. A majority of these runners have run out of gas well before the bell, but Galen it seems is just as strong as anyone in the field and has proven over the last few years that he does have the speed necessary to close with the best. What more strength do you need Galen? I honestly wonder if perhaps it was not a lack of strength but instead the 15,000 meters of world class running he had already put himself through while in Daegu. Not to mention the mental strain of racing, making a final, etc...What if Galen had been fresh going into this race? Could he have had enough left in his tank to really put himself into a spot on the podium? Or even if shy, wouldn'™t a performance that put him within split seconds of a medal establish more confidence for the runner than two performances he was no doubt already aware were within his capabilities?

     Even the prelim, which is obviously unavoidable, seemed to be a hard test for Rupp as he came off a hot 10k. Looking through the list of finishers, there were only four with the bravery to test themselves in the crucible of a 10k/5k double. They were Mohamed Farah (2nd and 1st), Imane Merga (3rd and a DQ but a great performance before the drama), Daniele Meucci (12th and 10th) and Galen Rupp (7th and 9th). I hate to say it, but of the three runners which does Galen most resemble? I don'™t believe that he is good enough to place consistently high in two championship races. Many have criticized Galen for being right there at the bell, but to them I say Galen didn'™t belong up there at the bell in the first place. He shouldn'™t be racing from the front relying on his clout as one of the world'™s best. That title has yet to be earned and quite simply just because Mo and Rupp train together everyday doesn'™t make them the same runner.

       Rupp could however play cleanup and potentially find his way to the top with a bit more patience. I do have the faith that if he finds himself in the right race, he can sit back, wait and close down hard to capture a medal as the overly ambitious runners ahead fade hard off the devastating moves of Mo Farah and the likes. One only needs to look at veteran Lagat as he waited until 80 meters to go, confident that no matter who was ahead of him no one would feel as strong as he did coming down the home stretch because he stayed within his means and exploited his fitness at the best possible moment (although it is probably this miscalculation in addition the drama of the finish that cost him the gold). So while I by no means am trying to inspire the kind of petty hatred Rupp seems to be at the forefront of on message boards, I will say that I wait anxiously to eat my words. Perhaps this master plan will all pay off next year in the grandiose fashion that such care and preparation truly deserve; but until then I'™m tired of waiting for next year. I think Galen was good enough this year. Your thoughts and opinions?