100M

200M

300M

400M

U.S. Races Regional: Breakdown (Voting)

By Stephen Kersh

March 13, 2017

The 2017 Footrace Fever bracket challenge is underway on Citius Mag and we’re calling on you to help us decide what is the greatest race ever. We have pop culture, Olympic, U.S. and classic race separated into different regions.

We ask that you download and print out a bracket, Fill it out and tweet it @CitiusMag with #FootraceFever in order for you to submit your bracket and be eligible for a surprise.

Unlike the NCAA basketball tournament, where you sit and watch the outcome out of your control, you have the power to rock the vote and help your favorite races advance. Vote in the polls below. Voting for the first round will end on Saturday. We will craft the next round of the tournament on Sunday and then voting will re-open for the following round on Monday.

Download your bracket now! Tweet it. Vote. Vote. Vote.

If I asked an average American to name the best races ever run on home turf, they’d respond with a gaggle of answers. Some would mention the race between Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire to hit a boatload of homers while juiced to the gills, others would hint at the proverbial Rat Race, but not many would reference the incredible foot races we’ve hosted over the years. Plus, as shocking as it may sound, they all weren’t run under the innovative light pollution near Palo Alto. For the sake of transparency, I had to re-visit some of these races before providing insight. So let’s hold hands as I walk us through some completely subjective comparisons and knee-jerk reactions.

Domestic Races

The American Mazungo vs. an Impressive Second Place

2010 Chris Solinsky’s 26:59 vs. Ryan Hill’s World Indoor Championship 3,000-meter Silver Medal

I was a senior in high school when Solinsky ran this race and I had no idea it even happened until my freshman year at Portland when I was surrounded by running nerds. It’s a shame because it is a really inspirational thing he did because he is too big to run that fast but he did it anyways and maybe I would have been inspired to run faster had I seen this performance sooner. Random aside: Solinsky was in our fantasy football league when he was an assistant at Portland and he would shit talk us from his altitude tent while he ate pizza and made better draft picks then us. The dude rocks.

Ryan Hill got second place in a race run under a roof. I’m not sure about this one but it snuck in with our committee as a 16th seed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ke34rkz1XR0

[polldaddy poll=9692486]

Meb wins vs. Ryan Hall Catching a Vibe and a Nice Tailwind

Meb winning the 2014 Boston Marathon vs. Ryan Hall running 2:04 at the 2011 Boston Marathon

Not going to watch either of these, just going to go off memory. Meb won because Ryan Hall slowed everyone down (I think) and Ryan Hall ran well because a nasty tailwind and the hand of God pushing him over (down??) Heartbreak Hill. Alright!

[polldaddy poll=9692488]

Fingernails vs. a Fast Collegiate

1996 Gail Devers Olympic Gold 100m vs. 2009 Jenny Simpson runs 3:59 1,500m at Pre Classic

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS?! Even if Devers loses, she wins a “Ripley’s Believe it or Not” title. That being said, it’s hard to not will every being in your body to root for Smilin’ Jenny. This was the pre-Simpson days, but she runs with so much joy it makes me want to vomit.

Visit this RunnerSpace link to watch Jenny’s race.

[polldaddy poll=9692491]

The First Fast High Schooler vs. Kissing Cousins

Jim Ryun runs 3:59 in High School vs. 1984 Olympic Trials Men’s 800-meter tie!

Before running sub-4 in the mile was the latest fad to sweep our nation’s teens, Jim Ryun did it. He was probably ostracized and “owned” because he ran a whole lot back in the days when that wasn’t cool, but when we look back on his accomplishments, it is clear to see he was a good teen. The other race was recommended to us by our buddy Dan Lilot and he knows his stuff.

[polldaddy poll=9692493]

A super fast mile vs. A super tight finish

2007 Pre Classic – Komen 3:48 Mile vs. 2008 Olympic Trials Men’s 800-meter race

Unless you’re sipping a bit too much promethazine, thus throwing your body into a bumbling stupor, then you understand a 3:48 mile is FAST. Even though this happened in Eugene – which is a hellscape full of allergies – it was cool. On the other side, we got ourselves a race featuring a 2008 6’5” track giant Andrew Wheating, the ghost of Khadevis Robinson and, as my girlfriend just put it, a Ken Doll (Nick Symmonds).

[polldaddy poll=9692496]

ANOTHER FAST HIGH SCHOOLER vs. Sweet, Sweet Revenge

2001 Pre Classic – Alan Webb HS Mile Record vs. 2001 US Champs 5,000-meter – Bob Kennedy Gets Scalps

My friend showed me this Alan Webb race in high school and we’d watch it before we raced senior year. As someone who never watched track in high school, but still managed to see this race via YouTube, I’d say that qualifies as *tRaNsCeNdEnT*. Lilot also passed along the Bob Kennedy joint. Apparently Kennedy had lost to Goucher a few years earlier and went Omar Little on him. Also in my five-minute search for a video, I couldn’t find one but I did find a LetsRun photo essay which seems way more important and historical.

[polldaddy poll=9692499]

El G Goes Down vs. A Dead Heat!

1996 Olympic Men’s 1,500 Final vs. 2012 Olympic Trials Women’s 100-meter Fiasco

The World Record holder falls down, my friend’s dad (Abdi Bile) is in this race, and the singlets are all dope. Quite the ordeal! Trying to compete with this race is a weird situation where Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh starred in a Requiem for a One Hundred Meter Dream.

[polldaddy poll=9692501]

A Beautiful Man Sets a WR vs an Oldish Man Runs 3:55 in a 5K

2007 100-meter dash WR by Usain Bolt at Reebok Grand Prix vs. 2013 US Champs 5,000-meter – Bernard Lagat closes hard

Watching Bolt run is art. He covers 100-meters in nine, perfect strides and then spreads joy and love into the ether. He is a treasure. The Bernard Lagat race is cool too, though. They racewalk for two miles and then he rips everyone’s face off with a 3:55 last mile. Galen Rupp is seen smiling at the end of this race. Rare.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vno5qQmE6qk

Click here to watch that bizarre 2013 U.S. Championship 5,000m race, which also sneaks into the bracket.

[polldaddy poll=9692504]

Do not forget to vote in the Classic Races, Olympic Races and Pop Culture Races brackets. Tweet your bracket to @CitiusMag and use #FootraceFever.

Stephen Kersh

Former collegiate runner for University of Portland and Georgetown, currently a professional runner weighing sponsorship offers from no one. Enjoys using the internet to message Scott Olberding and Paul Snyder about bad story ideas. Does not assume he will work at Citius much longer due to the bad story ideas. He once gave a TED Talk titled "Twitter: How We Are All Just Shouting into a Vacuum" to his best friend and his girlfriend on the beaches of Connecticut.