The amazing Anna Willard

[Half Miler]

For my money, Anna Willard is the most surprising athlete of 2009.

She will almost certainly end up with a higher ranking in the 800 than in any other event. At the start of the season, we were drooling about her upcoming clashes with Barringer in the steeple. No one, not one of us, would have predicted a sub-4 1500 (and placing 6th in the Worlds final) combined with a fairly dominant campaign at 800, with a shot at winning the WAF.

When was the last time any athlete (male or female) made a switch down in distance with such success? I'm not talking about dominant distance runners (see Aouita, Geb) who find they can still smoke some speedsters at shorter distances. In Willard's case, she really appears to be better suited for them.

Looking forward to her trying out the 400H next year.

[lovetorun]

Exactly how I have been thinking of Willard...a remarkable season. But I have to admit, I'd like to have seen what she could have done in the steeple...if she had concentrated on it...but then, she wouldn't have done the great running in the 1500m and 800m...

[Half Miler]

I honestly feel the shorter distances are more suited to her. Even if she focused solely on the steeple this year I don't think she would have topped Barringer's 9:12. As it was, she placed 6th at Worlds in what was likely her 2nd best event. I can't see her finishing that high in the steeple.

[Bruce Kritzler]

Willard ran 800-1500 all through high school and college.

[Ned Ryerson]

Re: The amazing Anna Willard

When was the last time any athlete (male or female) made a switch down in distance with such success?

This guy did it:

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/olympics/i ... 5b001a.jpg

[nevetsllim]

Re: The amazing Anna Willard

When was the last time any athlete (male or female) made a switch down in distance with such success? I'm not talking about dominant distance runners (see Aouita, Geb) who find they can still smoke some speedsters at shorter distances. In Willard's case, she really appears to be better suited for them.

Tomashova. She was a good 5000m runner in 2000-1 but then moved down to 1500m and always finished with a medal.

I guess Jen Rhines is another example. She was quite a good marathoner but her times on the track over 3000/5000m over the past three years have been much better.

[7-sided]

Re: The amazing Anna Willard

When was the last time any athlete (male or female) made a switch down in distance with such success?

um ... uh ...

[nevetsllim]

Eunice Jepkorir is another example. Before her switch to the steeplechase, she was primarily a road-racing specialist and I think she had also run a marathon before turning her trade to the steeplechase.

[trackonthebrain]

It's not just Anna Willard.

While everyone lambasts the Jamaicans for their meteoric rise since 2006, the American middle distance runners have experienced the same "jump" in performance over essentially the same period. It is odd, to say the least because it's never been seen before.

More particularly stated, if you can run a 4:00 1500, your leg speed (200, 400, 800) should have revealed itself in high school or college. Speed usually reveals itself before distance exploits. So now we have runners who never showed the leg speed to run what they are running. Until now. It runs counter to the normal progression of a track athlete (much like Bolt's improvement).

I'd like to know these athletes times (200,400,800) in high school and college. Because if you can start out "slow" and then run these kinds of times later in your career, then, ladies and gentlemen, we have a "breakthrough". We have invented the computer, the gatling gun, the airplane, etc.

IMO, if anyone jumps on the Jamaicans, please address the American middle distance improvement at the same time. Anna Willard, Wurth-Thomas, Barringer, Rowbury, Vescey, Symmonds, Teg, Rupp, Tim Nelson, Solinsky and the list goes on.

All have experienced unprecedented performance spikes in the last few years - not unlike the achievements of the Jamaicans, the Kenyans and some of the women's 800 runners around the world. With the usa runners, it started in 2005-6 (Colorado after 2006), while the jamaicans began to improve in 2006 and the Kenyan women, more recently. With the Jamaicans you've got MVP and Mills camps, while the usa runners have Wisconsin, Colorado and Oregon.

And like the Jamaicans, it's not necessarily suspicious, but if we are concerned about winning, then these types of improvements should be studied, because, if nothing untoward is going on, herein lies the key to the success of many other hopefuls.

Not trying to hijack the thread, but just pointing out the similarities and that Willard is not alone in her unprecedented feats.

[Dutra]

Not trying to hijack the thread,

Well....then why did you?

The premise of the thread is wrong in the first place.

[rgjp]

Barringer's breakthrough this year is more impressive than Willards

Wurth Thomas has been a strong runner for years but she has really achieved another level this year

Rowbury had a huge breakthrough last year and is running as strong as ever this year.

Vessey has huge potential and simply needs to get her head to believe what her body is capable of

[trackonthebrain]

Not trying to hijack the thread,

Well....then why did you?

The premise of the thread is wrong in the first place.

Because, my friend, IMHO, the Anna Willard unprecedented improvement is part of a larger pattern of unprecedented improvement among usa middle distance runners and maybe we should be talking about all of it. That is because the resulting discussion may be instructive of what needs to happen with even more usa middle to long distance talents.

Get it?

[Half Miler]

Willard wins the WAF.

The rankings will be interesting.

[7-sided]

Because, my friend, IMHO, the Anna Willard unprecedented improvement is part of a larger pattern of unprecedented improvement among usa middle distance runners and maybe we should be talking about all of it. That is because the resulting discussion may be instructive of what needs to happen with even more usa middle to long distance talents.

Get it?

TOTB, often times at TFN.com, unfortunately, there is much speculation that is heaped on ANYONE but the American distance runners. This was a point of contention by "Powell" about a month or so ago. However, your point is extremely valid and it suggests that many of the "non-professional", non-shoe company coaches have underperforming athletes.

[Dutra]

The premise that Anna Willard moved down in her event specialty is incorrect.