Olympic Trials 1500

[mclen4x8]

It is usually one of the most interesting finals at the trials to say the least. This year is very wide open. Anyone want to suggest some favorates?

[Oletimer]

Re: Olympic Trials 1500

Are you asking us to pick from amoung the "pathetic" runners of which Mr. Lilot writes? Gee, I don't know why they bother to hold the race. Are we not to believe that Brooks Johnson has been coaching all of them and they are not worthy to take their place on the track?

[DecFan]

Re: Olympic Trials 1500

I'm impressed with Lunn. He's got good tactical sense, can run different types of races, and has decent closing speed off of either a slow pace or a fast pace. Furthermore, he seems to have a tough psyche. Some others in the race probably have more natural talent, but it takes a good head to win the Trials. I think he'll do it.

[dawg413]

Re: Olympic Trials 1500

If the race is wide open, I wouldn't count out Paul McMullen, who is making a comeback this year. He used to dominate the 1500 at the national level...we'll see if he can return to his old form at age 32.

[mclen4x8]

Re: Olympic Trials 1500

Seneca was looking like he was ready to do some big things until he fell apart in the final 4 years ago.

[15mph]

Re: Olympic Trials 1500

Lunn is going to win the trials. All he needs is a little more speed. If he wants to be a factor on the world stage he should get his PR down to at least 3:34. Robison is the next favorite because he has world-class speed (3:35.48) that other US 1500-meter runners lack. Berryhill has been a disappointment this year. I knew he was in trouble after that horrible race in Boston. Stember should make the team, but he is stuck in 3:40 gear. In fact he has been stuck in that gear for nearly two years. Perhaps he has not recovered from the foolish weight training he started last year.

Alas, poor Lassiter, the one American 1500meter runner we had the highest hopes for. He is now a shell of his former self running listless 1500 races in the 3:50 range.

I won't comment on Webb until he runs at least the Olympic B standard (3:38). Believe it or not he has not run that time since his historic high school race. However, he has shown a lot of promise this year.

[Coach Barnet]

Re: Olympic Trials 1500

I hope Webb makes the team.

[EPelle]

Re: Olympic Trials 1500

I have no predictions, however things are becoming more interesting with each race, as TFN reported on page 1 that Rupp ran 4.01 in Oregon. Stember (1st), Lunn (2nd) and Riley (3rd) shuffled things up after going 3-1-2 at the Cardinal Qualifier. Riley will likely run the 5 at USATF. TFN also pointed out that Jennings has been training in privacy. Webb hasn:t been in the mix yet.

Update: According to Gabe:s mother, Gabe has been training in Kenya the past several months. Check Jennings update for link.

[dl]

Re: Olympic Trials 1500

I may be critical of today's crop of milers at times, but let me stress that the label "pathetic" was Peter Snell's, not mine.

[Oletimer]

Re: Olympic Trials 1500

>I may be critical of today's crop of milers at times, but let me stress that
>the label "pathetic" was Peter Snell's, not mine.
I object to your creating the "controversy". You chose who to interview and what to write. The fact is, both Spivey and Scott have talked to members of the extended Farm Team. Scotts' main comment was,"I think that I raced too much."
Do you think that these athletes need to work harder? Do you think that they take it easy in races? Did you assess their abilities and decide that they are not measuring up? What more do you want?
The problem is that the readers that are not connected to the athletes and coaches involved will believe the crap that you wrote.

[dl]

Re: Olympic Trials 1500

<<The problem is that the readers that are not connected to the athletes and coaches involved will believe the crap that you wrote.>>

Oletimer-I implore you to write a letter to the editor. Part of the reason for writing the article was to foster discussion.

[malmo]

Re: Olympic Trials 1500

>Oletimer-I implore
>you to write a letter to the editor. Part of the reason for writing the article
>was to foster discussion.

Oletimer has seen the Defcon 1 siren go off at the TAFN bunker when legit discussion is aired. Do you really think that he wants to get caught in the midst of your crossfire?

You know who Oletimer is, in fact, most of us do. Give him a break.

There's nothing wrong with American milers. They're the ones who are toeing the line and chasing the dream. One day this Summer you'll forget all about them, and that same day they'll be plotting and planning their dream for the next year.

[dl]

Re: Olympic Trials 1500

I wasn't trying to muffle discussion. I just think it would be good for everyone if the discussion also took place in the letters section of the magazine.

C'mon, Malmo, don't look for a conspiracy theory where there isn't one. I'll gladly debate and defend my article. Fire away.

[dl]

Re: Olympic Trials 1500

Oletimer - I'm not sure what you're asking. Do you want my personal opinion about US milers? If so, lemme know and I'll spew forth probably more than you want to read.

[Two Tone]

Re: Olympic Trials 1500

The current "crop" is indeed not what it should be, to stay away from harsher description. I'll reserve judgment on Webb, as he has had some physical problems the past two seasons. He does indeed look promising for this season - so far. If nothing else, maybe his confidence is getting a boost.

Snell's comments a while back were spot on regarding American distance runners in general. Forget all the talk about drugs and everything else - they don't train for strength like many of the oldtimers. Sure, laugh at the oldtimers, then look at their times. Liquori was running 3:36 over 30 years ago. Scott's AR in the Mile is 22 years old, I believe. And there were other runners in the US chasing Scott who were running faster than today's bunch of 4 lappers. Maybe Spivey could come out of retirement. Heck, we can even bring up Ryun. Sure he was overtrained. But are today's guys even putting a true 50 - 65 % of what Ryun put in for training?

Forget Lunn, Robison, Stember, etc. winning the race. These guys should be capable of running 3:33 already - or faster. Maybe the US collegiate system is outmoded and ruins guys today. But their sights are set too low. I still have an interview with Marty Liquori from the '92 trials (on tape). He talks about how most of the Americans try to save themselves for the future, trying to build up to being good, not to burn out, to be good at 25 or later. Then they end up mediocre. He was right. That holds for more than the middle distances.