US Men's 800-10,000 picture - Updated post-Occidental

[TN1965]

Re: US Men's 1500-10,000 picture

I don't think Ritz should even think about the double. He should focus on 10000m. For that matter, I think Tegenkamp should seriously consider 10000m. Lagat is almost a lock for 5000m, and right now Lomong and Rupp are likely to take the other two spots.

Rupp is as big a favorite for 10000m as Lagat is in 5000m, but I think the other two spots are wide open.

I am glad both Ritz and Teg did the smart thing. Great minds think alike...

[TN1965]

Re: US Men's 800-10,000 picture - Updated post-Occidental

Rupp said after the Saturday's race that he would definitely double. I think he is the prohibitive favorite in 10000m and a lock on the top two in 5000m.

So the rest of the runners are basically competing for one spot in 5000m and two in 10000m. It makes sense that Teg decided to focus on 10000.

[Dave]

Re: US Men's 800-10,000 picture - Updated post-Occidental

is Rupp going to try to double? With a recent sub 13 5k(third best in the world) and his sub 27 10k, it would have to be tempting for him.

[TN1965]

Re: US Men's 800-10,000 picture - Updated post-Occidental

So now Tegenkamp says he will focus on 10000m.

http://www.flotrack.org/article/12728-T ... -Tegenkamp

This will certainly change the picture both in 5000m and 10000m...

[ExCoastRanger]

Re: US Men's 800-10,000 picture - Updated post-Occidental

Where are the US 800 men (not including college)? The 1:43's are starting to show up in many of the international meets for 1st - 2nd place, 1:44's for 3rd & 4th and there are no US runners in the races. Is it that they will not let them in the meets or they do not want to run in the meets?

Symmonds and KD ran 1:44-low on relay legs at Penn, IIRC.

[TN1965]

Re: US Men's 800-10,000 picture - Updated post-Occidental

They are competing in Eugene this weekend, aren't they?

[Riff80]

Re: US Men's 800-10,000 picture - Updated post-Occidental

Where are the US 800 men (not including college)? The 1:43's are starting to show up in many of the international meets for 1st - 2nd place, 1:44's for 3rd & 4th and there are no US runners in the races. Is it that they will not let them in the meets or they do not want to run in the meets?

[JumboElliott]

Re: US Men's 800-10,000 picture - Updated post-Occidental

Possibly because Ritz is made of glass.

[Dave]

Re: US Men's 800-10,000 picture - Updated post-Occidental

Why would you run this sort of race in flats rather than spikes? I am sure my knowledge on this topic is very obsolete.

[TN1965]

Re: US Men's 800-10,000 picture - Updated post-Occidental

Well, contrast that with women's 5000m.

After Bizzarri dropped at 2800m (with 2 sec. behind the pace), Kastor had to raise the pace and lead all the way to 4600m. If Uhl and Areson had been her teammates, and had been helping Kastor to achieve the A standard, I think she would have got it. Instead, Uhl and Areson had their own reasons to be in the race, and Kastor missed the standard by 3 seconds.

The "pacer" usually works for the entire field, not for an individual runner, and they usually do not stay until the end of race.

[26mi235]

Re: US Men's 800-10,000 picture - Updated post-Occidental

Any time you are time-trialing to get a time you have that kind of luxury if you know the runners and now that they are not flagging. What else do you expect him to say of his training mates doing a credible job?

[TN1965]

Re: US Men's 800-10,000 picture - Updated post-Occidental

After the race, Ritz admitted that he did not pay any attention to racing, or even the pace. He just looked at the backs of Mo and Galen and followed them. Those two were constantly looking back at Ritz to make sure that he was following at the right pace.

How many runners could have luxury like that?

[JumboElliott]

Re: US Men's 800-10,000 picture - Updated post-Occidental

Exactly. He knew the race plan of Mo, and that's what's most important. He didn't have to wait to see what Chelanga, or Barrios or Blincoe was going to do.

[KevinM]

Re: US Men's 800-10,000 picture - Updated post-Occidental

I'm don't know that either the flats or the pacing are really noteworthy here. Spikes don't put him at 13:05 magically, and less pacing doesn't put him at 13:25. Hengelo may not even tell us much more - the key for Ritzenhein, as always, is to get to the trials and then to London healthy. With very few exceptions, even collegiately, that's been a struggle. I know the money is greater, but I do think it's a shame so much time was spent on the marathon.

[Bruce Kritzler]

Re: US Men's 800-10,000 picture - Updated post-Occidental

Really? If he were in a race following two other athletes in general, which he could have been doing as the group in front were running cooperatively, why would it have been any different, really? [/quote]

Because he knew what to expect from the pacers. Even pace, negative split running, instead of whatever the lead pack decided to do.