The Face of American Distance Running

​If you ask an individual (presumably a running fan) who is the most well-known American distance runner, you’d be faced with a multitude of answers: a lot of people like Galen Rupp after his indoor season last year; Nick Symmonds is a fan-favorite; Leo Manzano is an Olympic Silver Medalist; older fans might even respond with guys like Bernard Lagat or Alan Webb. If you had to ask me who currently is the most prominent runner, I’d have to say Nick Symmonds. I know this doesn’t prove anything, but Symmonds has nearly 50,000 followers on Twitter, more than any other American runner, meaning he is the most prominent in the public eye. Whether or not Symmonds should be the guy is up for debate, and I’d like to take a dive into who should be the face of American Distance Running.

​There are a ton of reasons why Nick Symmonds is currently so well-known and liked both inside and outside of the running community. First of all, from a pure running standpoint, Symmonds did capture a Silver Medal at 2013 World Championships in Moscow, and is the third fastest American at 800m, with a PR of 1:42.95. In addition, off the track, Symmonds is a very popular guy. He infamously dated Paris Hilton, and has been referred to as the “Brad Pitt of track.” He also made a famous attempt at the Beer Mile World Record, and competed at the Beer Mile World Championships. Symmonds is good looking, humble, well-spoken, and more relatable than a lot of athletes of his caliber. He enjoys hunting and fishing, drinks beer, and isn’t some 6’4” Hercules. Moreover, Symmonds has the underdog appeal; his collegiate career began at Division III Willamette University before he transferred to the University of Oregon. On top of all these great qualities, Symmonds is a flat-out good guy. Personally, I have a ton of respect for his outspoken nature on the rights of sexual minorities, as he dedicated his Silver Medal in Moscow to the gay and lesbian communities in Russia who face an oppression. Symmonds alsowrote a piece for Runner’s World Magazine, advocating for legislation to restrict the use of assault weapons. Athletes, and all celebrities for that matter, who use their influence for good are to be commended, and Symmonds has certainly used his voice to state what he believes in. This past fall, Symmonds’ book, Life Outside the Oval Office: The Track Less Travelledwas published, and was well received within the running community. Personally, I hope to read the book soon. Without question, Nick Symmonds is a talented runner and a good human-being, and can be a great role-model for athletes and non-athletes alike.

​So, given everything Nick Symmonds has going for him, is it appropriate that he is the face of American distance running? As much respect as I have for Symmonds, both as a runner and a person, my answer is no. Now, it’s not that Symmonds should be disassociated from American distance runners, far from it. I just feel that he cannot be the most prominent name anymore when people think of distance runners in the U.S. One glaring reason for this is the second fastest American at 800m, Duane Solomon, is still active. Yeah Solomon hasn’t produced at the big stage like Symmonds, but the guy’s PR (1:42.82) is just faster than Symmonds! What does it say about the running community if we all hail the second best guy at an event? No one says “Yeah, Aston Eaton, he’s pretty good, but how about that Trey Hardee!” (Just for the record, nothing against Trey Hardee, this was for the sake of example. Trey, if you’re out there reading this, no disrespect.) Putting Symmonds on a higher pedestal than Solomon implies shallowness among American running fans; it conveys we value personality, appearance, and dating life more than actual running ability (not that Solomon is a bad guy who is super ugly and can’t get a date). Another reason Symmonds can’t be “that guy” anymore is the sad fact he is on the wrong side of 30. I think Symmonds has had an awesome career, and he certainly has many fast races left in his legs, but I just don’t see him PRing again. It isn’t out of the question, but he no long runs indoor, and his outdoor season last year was simply uninspiring. Nick, you had a good run, you’re a great guy and an amazing runner, but it’s simply time to pass the torch.    

​So, if the face of American distance running shouldn’t be Nick Symmonds, then who should it be? For me, it isn’t a question of who should be the face, but who has to be the face; my answer is Matt Centrowitz. Let me just premise my argument with this: I am not a huge fan of this guy. My feelings toward him can be summed up by what Vince Vaughn says to Will Farrell towards the end of the first Anchorman about respecting Ron Burgundy despite his hate for him. Okay, hate is strong, but I certainly don’t admire Centro. The dude is a sneakerhead (I was lucky enough to have spent a fair amount of time with Steve Finley, and the stories he told me about Centro’s sneaker collection are ridiculous), and I’m sorry, no person as skinny as Centro looks good in Jordans. In addition, collecting sneakers in my opinion is sort of superficial and shallow.Moreover, Centrowitz is friends with Parker Stinson (he and Centrowitz often tweet to each other), and I cannot stand anyone who thinks it is okay to wear suspenders and a belt at the same time (https://twitter.com/parkerstinson/status/434408267716886529/photo/1, picture on the left. Eat your heart out, Parker Stinson. I don’t care if you’re reading this.). Centro has all the things working against him that Symmonds has on his side: Centro is not humble, he is not very relatable, and he doesn’t take to the public eye. Despite all of this, one thing undeniable: the kid has talent. Centrowitz is only 25 years old, and has torn it up despite being so young. He took Silver in the 1500m in Moscow, thesame meet Symmonds took his Silver, and was milliseconds away from medaling at the 2012 Olympics at the ripe age of 22. Centro is also cocky. A lot of people fault overconfidence, but in a sport like running where mental attitude is so important, Centro’s borderline arrogance is perfect. Centro is the type of competitor all young runners should aspire to be like: he is tough, talented, and gets results. Yes, Matt Centrowitz isn’t thegood guy Nick Symmonds is, but come the 2016 Olympics, the time when American athletes will be on display to the world, I’m looking to “Air Centro” to represent the red, white, and blue.