Scott Fauble has a nasty little problem of staying under the radar. At times, I’m sure he’s been thankful for the lack of fanfare or external expectations. It’s probably benefited him in ways even he is unaware. Maybe his 4th place finish at the 2016 Olympic Trials 10,000-meter wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for most people not giving him a shot in that race. He’s had the unique task, challenge, whatever you call it, of creating his own pressure for most of his career. And god damn. He’s becoming a diamond.

 

 

His recent 7th place finish at the New York City Marathon definitely comes as no surprise to his teammates and close friends, and it really shouldn’t have come to a surprise to the American Marathoning Community. Since I started logging miles back at the University of Portland with Fauble, I can count on one finger the number of “bad” performances he’s had. It was one. I beat him in an indoor 5,000-meter our sophomore year. Chalk it up to tummy issues for Fauble, raise a glass to a herculean performance on my part. Other than that, Fauble has always impressed me with his racing. But even with consistent, solid, and at times downright ludicrous (3rd behind Mo Farah in Edinburgh in 2016) results, he’s never received the acclaim he deserves.

The scariest thing about Fauble is his blend of talent and affinity for training. In running, it can often seem like the talented ones don’t want to work and the workers aren’t that talented. Fauble is right in the middle of that Venn diagram. I’m hesitant to say hard work because I think that connotes a type of mindless training we can all do without, but Fauble puts in all the necessary training he needs to complement his inhuman ability to absolutely grind out a pace.

 

I was lucky enough to see him out there today, never letting an inch go by where he wasn’t working towards the finish line. He pours himself into this life he’s able to lead and while it’s exceedingly rare for running to give something back, today it gave Fauble the opportunity to show the world he can handle the pressure.