Pre w800

[Half Miler]

I would not be surprised if every second faster than 59 that Price goes out she costs herself 0.5 seconds in total time

By this formula, then, Earl Jones would have run a few 1:41s had he gone out more slowly.

[26mi235]

We (and probably she) have no idea what Price would be like in a high-level race where she did not go out super fast -- she has never ever done that. Why? I do not think that her tender age (with a non-trivial amount of experience, I will grant, but always with the same strategy) she knows enough about her capabilities. I would not be surprised if every second faster than 59 that Price goes out she costs herself 0.5 seconds in total time, although that might be an over-estimate (but if she was not having to break the wind at 16mph for so long (i.e., if she drafted), it might be correct).

Rowbury did run 2:02 earlier this spring.

The race did not go out that slowly, with Price racing after the rabbit and leaving a gap to everyone else. I am not sure what Price's splits are, but they might be 28/29/30/34.5, which is a lot of slowing down at the end. Maybe she is setting up to confuse her opponents for the Trials where she will run differently and they will not know what she can do.

Also, I cannot run the video because it requires installing MS's Silverlight; I cannot do that at work and am reticent to do that at home as well, as MS has been messing up my computer and I cannot now use the some of the software that came with it because they auto-update things that then require getting additional permission from them in an unacceptable manner (one that, if anything goes wrong, can result in you essentially losing our computer and it happens even to MS Board members).

[nevetsllim]

Isn't Schmidt usually a front-runner too?

[Bruce Kritzler]

Alysia Johnson, CAL, likes to lead from the gun, so the Trials should be interesting (and fast)!

[Marlow]

This is a good debate, and one that I've had frequently (back in the day) with myself and my coaches. I really think it depends on the individual athlete. Some runners do better with a fast first lap; others need to keep it more even paced. I'm not convinced that either way is best for all half milers.

I agree - despite her callow youth, I think she knows what's best for her and executes it well. I love her tactic, cuz it not only puts pressure on the others, but it's excellent anaerobic training for her system to run at such a high level the whole way. She'll be the one most used to pushing from the get-go at the Trials. I don't (yet) expect her to make the team, but she sure is ahead of the curve for her post-HS career. She might even be able to 'go pro' after this year, but this is one case where I would like to see her mature in the collegiate system first, although who knows what the short- and long-term future has in store for her.

[Half Miler]

Was anyone else disappointed my the "passive" races of the American's (except for Chanelle Price. They all want to sit back, and go through in 60.

I wish that Price would trying becoming a track runner rather than a time-trialist. She could easily have done 2:00.x if she did not go out so hard.

This is a good debate, and one that I've had frequently (back in the day) with myself and my coaches. I really think it depends on the individual athlete. Some runners do better with a fast first lap; others need to keep it more even paced. I'm not convinced that either way is best for all half milers.

[dl]

Re: nbc has all prefontaine race videos up

The Prefontaine races can be found at the NBC Olympics website:

http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/share. ... eload=true

Looks like there was some jostling going on between Rowbury and Schmidt with about 150 to go. Rowbury was in 7th with 100 to go and managed 4th place in the end so she must have been able to maintain and/or accelerate in the final 100.

Schmidt looked good, powering into 2nd place convincingly.

What do you expect when a Tar Heel and a Blue Devil race? :lol:

[TrackFan 2008]

nbc has all prefontaine race videos up

The Prefontaine races can be found at the NBC Olympics website:

http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/share. ... eload=true

Looks like there was some jostling going on between Rowbury and Schmidt with about 150 to go. Rowbury was in 7th with 100 to go and managed 4th place in the end so she must have been able to maintain and/or accelerate in the final 100.

Schmidt looked good, powering into 2nd place convincingly.

[MCFLY]

I didn't watch the race, but it sounds like it went out slow. Rowbury's got a great kick in the mile, and she can run the 800, but that doesn't mean that she's going to be able to run a fast half mile time off of a slowish first lap. Regina Jacobs had a great kick in the 1500, but she would have to be some distance ahead of Maria Mutola entering the final straightaway if she wanted to beat her in the 800. I also doubt she ran all out. She's got her A qualifier in the 1500, and now it's all focusing towards the Trials and Olympics.

[dukehjsteve]

From my experience, it takes a few races to get your 800 meter legs going. I don't believe Rowbury has run an 800 race in quite some time. I also think it is a bit harder to run an optimal time when you are dealing with a very tight pack of runners. Especially when you are not running the 800 as your primary event. Obviously, based on the fact that the top 2nd - 7th place runners were within 1 - 2 seconds of each other, there clearly had to be some serious jostling going in the final stretch.

Rowbury rarely contested the 800 in college. That's 5 years of mostly strength based training. I would consider a 2:01.03 800 a great accomplishment given all of these facts. And I also think if Rowbury chose to focus her training on the 800, she would break 2 minutes.

All of this is perfect preparation for the 1500 meter race coming her way. Great speed work, great tactical racing experience, smart move by a smart runner.

Well said. My thoughts as well.

Go Shannon !

[TrackFan 2008]

From my experience, it takes a few races to get your 800 meter legs going. I don't believe Rowbury has run an 800 race in quite some time. I also think it is a bit harder to run an optimal time when you are dealing with a very tight pack of runners. Especially when you are not running the 800 as your primary event. Obviously, based on the fact that the top 2nd - 7th place runners were within 1 - 2 seconds of each other, there clearly had to be some serious jostling going in the final stretch.

Rowbury rarely contested the 800 in college. That's 5 years of mostly strength based training. I would consider a 2:01.03 800 a great accomplishment given all of these facts. And I also think if Rowbury chose to focus her training on the 800, she would break 2 minutes.

All of this is perfect preparation for the 1500 meter race coming her way. Great speed work, great tactical racing experience, smart move by a smart runner.

[Riff80]

Was anyone else disappointed my the "passive" races of the American's (except for Chanelle Price. They all want to sit back, and go through in 60. I would pick Price to make the Olympic team, if there weren't rounds at the Trials. She still might pull it off.

No because that's what I expect from the American 800 meter runners, men or women. They sit back and wait and think they can run down the leaders. It works when there are only Americans in the race, but it never works against elite international runners. I would love to see Price make the finals at the trials and take it out hard and kill all the other runners slow pace strategy.

[dukehjsteve]

Now perish the thought that I am biased in favor of Rowbury, but I thought she ran a great race, make that a super speed workout race, setting a 800 pr by over a second. She appears to be The Real Thing for the 1500 at the OT's.

[26mi235]

[re:Rowbury]It:s all good. 2.01,03 for Rowbury by end of july.

So am I the only one surprised she didn't break 2:00 at Pre? I thought that with the 4:01 already under her belt, and the closing speed and strength she showed, sub-2 would have been apiecacake.

I would have been (pleasantly) surprised if she had gone under 2 and was hoping for 2:00.xx and almost got that.

Again, I wish that Price would trying becoming a track runner rather than a time-trialist. She could easily have done 2:00.x if she did not go out so hard.

[EPelle]

A 4:01 for 1500m does not necessarily go hand-in-hand with a sub-two-minute 800m run.

yes, but didn't I read that she was initially an 800 runner, who finally got the strrength to run a 'decent' 1500/Mile?...

She:s always had both cards in her hand. She won the 2002 CIF CA State meet in the 1.600m (4.52,77). She won the 800m title the previous year and was fifth in the 800m as a grade-10 athlete.