Meb in Chicago

[sl]

For a brief report on 10K AR holder Meb Keflezighi's thoughts going into the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, check out this brief report.

http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/genera ... 31009.html

[Guest]

Re: Meb in Chicago

Fast course, will probably have a rabbit, his 20K AR shows he's in decent shape. Does he get the A qualifier? (sub-2:12). Recall he ran 2:12:35 in New York last year, on a harder course. So I guess I vote yes. How about you?

[Guest]

Re: Meb in Chicago

Meb should be capable. He's been handling Dan Browne at shorter distances. Browne has run 2:11. I say he gets the standard and beats Browne again.

>Fast course, will probably have a rabbit, his 20K
>AR shows he's in decent shape. Does he get the A
>qualifier? (sub-2:12). Recall he ran 2:12:35 in
>New York last year, on a harder course. So I
>guess I vote yes. How about you?

[dl]

Re: Meb in Chicago

Meb was with the leaders in NYC up until 20M and on pace for a 2:09 or better before blowing up. Hopefully he'll put it together on an easier course, but I don't know if 6 weeks of marathon-specific work is enough.

[Guest]

Re: Meb in Chicago

My guess is that he and Browne should be able to log a 2:09 to 2:10 at Chicago, if the weather cooperates, but I doubt that'll place them in the top five.

Now a days, in the top 5 or 6 marathons in the world it requires a 2:08 or better to place in the top 5 or so.

Meb seems to be training similar to Salazar and he translated 27:30-28:00 type track speed into 2:08-2:09 marathon speed with a 6 to 10 week transition. But I'd add 1-2 minutes to that time as although Meb is tough, Salazar was very mentally tough and was able to press himself beyond most normal limits during his heyday in 1980-1983.

[Guest]

Re: Meb in Chicago

>Meb was with the leaders in NYC up until 20M and
>on pace for a 2:09 or better before blowing up.
>Hopefully he'll put it together on an easier
>course, but I don't know if 6 weeks of
>marathon-specific work is enough.>>

If I were cruel, I might say that his 28:35 at the Worlds suggests he was already doing marathon-specific work then!

[MJD]

Re: Meb in Chicago

>Meb was with the leaders in NYC up until 20M and
>on pace for a 2:09 or better before blowing up.

A lot of people run NYC that way. Look at the last 10km splits of everyone there last year. Course isn't really that rough until the last 10km and then you get Central Park. The crowds can make up for the level of difficulty. Salazar sure ran well there and that was over 20 years ago.

[Guest]

Re: Meb in Chicago

Meb and his coach seem confident in his fitness. The only concern being the unseasonable heat.

As of today in Minnesota (Saturday), it's drizzly and overcast, temps in the low 60's, with Indian Summer pretty much over. The same is predicted for tommorrow; barring bad winds (there's a reason it's called The Windy City!), I think they'll have perfect conditions for the race...Eugene or Scandinavia weather. Imagine the possibilities!
I wouldn't be surprised to see Browne pop a good one...he has a TON of confidence from his debut last year and has done some nice training in the Swiss mountains over the summer!

[Guest]

Re: Meb in Chicago

Meb did well; Browne flopped. Maybe the Oxygen tent is a silly idea afterall. American's marathon runners should just train harder.

Mebrahtom Keflezighi Mamoth Lakes CA 28 M 02:10:03

[sl]

Re: Meb in Chicago

The oxygen tent is a gimmick. Might help, but it's not going to turn a man into a superman.

It may be that Browne needs to train harder, but it may be that he needs to train and race smarter. He flopped at Pan-Ams and World Champs on the track and at the New Haven 20K. Ninety percent of the time, seems to me, when a runner goes into that kind of a prolonged slump, he doesn't pull out of it in 6 weeks, especially not while doing marathon training.

In short, I'd guess (purely a guess) Browne went over the edge in the summer. More likely trained too hard than not hard enough, and couldn't bounce back.

Still, I agree that many American marathoners, if not necessarily Browne, need to train harder, yet also smarter.

>Meb did well; Browne flopped. Maybe the Oxygen
>tent is a silly idea afterall. American's
>marathon runners should just train
>harder.

Mebrahtom Keflezighi Mamoth Lakes CA
>28 M 02:10:03

[Guest]

Re: Meb in Chicago

Looks like I predicted Meb's race right. 2:10 but no top 5 placing. (see earlier in thread)

As for Brown? Go figure. Looks like Meb and KK are looking good for a spot on the Oly Team but that third spot is up for grabs.