Why I Love Qualifying Rounds

[gh]

Despite it making it look like we had no idea what we're talking about (except that anybody else who charted it would have had similar results), note that of the 10 women in our formchart picked to score in the discus, 6 of them (!!) didn't make it out of the Q round. Competition, baby!!

Speaking of the qualifying rounds (first time we've had them since '92), they introduced something new. New to the NCAA that is: adoption of the international rule which sets an automatic Q-standard. Reach that distance and you're in the final right away. They're set very high, but some people only have to jump/throw once and they're done. Speeds things up a bit too.

[trackstar]

Re: Why I Love Qualifying Rounds

Speaking of such, another shakeup in the men's 800 formchart: Otukile Lekote (SC) just got eliminated in the semis.

[tafnut]

Re: Why I Love Qualifying Rounds

Wow - qualifying in the 5000. Wouldn't that completely cahnge your training strategy? Now it's more like survival of the fittest, not necessarily the fastest.

Re: Why I Love Qualifying Rounds

Don't beat yourself up over the women's discus predictions. Pat yourself on the back for the women's 100 (where your first 9 all made the final) and he women's 100 hurdles ( where 9 of your 10 made the final, only No. 8 missing)

[gh]

Re: Why I Love Qualifying Rounds

Just through patting us on the back when the men's 110H semis came in: our 10 picks there yielded only 3 of the 9 finalists. Talk about carnage!

[BillVol]

Greer

Anybody know what happened to Jabari Greer? He was dead last in the high hurdles semis. Guessing he stumbled over a hurdle or injured himself somehow. The wheels appear to be coming off. :-(

[Trackshark]

Re: Greer

You can also add Gabor Mate of Auburn to the list -- the collegiate record holder failed to make the finals in the discus!

[Trackshark]

Re: Greer

Just wanted to pass along that in the interest of accuracy, Mate's CR was revoked after it was found that the field he was throwing on was illegally sloped -- regardless, talk about a huge team point swing.

[gh]

Re: Greer

>Anybody know what happened to Jabari Greer? He
>was dead last in the high hurdles semis.
>Guessing he stumbled over a hurdle or injured
>himself somehow. The wheels appear to be coming
>off. :-(

Quick phone call from the track said he just about stopped dead at the fifth hurdle; no apparent reason.

Re: Why I Love Qualifying Rounds

>Wow - qualifying in the 5000. Wouldn't that
>completely cahnge your training strategy? Now
>it's more like survival of the fittest, not
>necessarily the fastest.

What, a runner might have to run TWO 5000's over a 3-4 day period? What about those runners who need a 2 week recovery to run fast times?

While we all prefer to see "fast" times, it can be just as enjoyable to see runners race against each other knowing they ran just as hard a couple nights before to qualify. The bonus is if they turn in a "fast", too.

P.S. I just hope the 5000 final doesn't turn into a tactical race. What's more boring than seeing a dozen or so runners waiting until the last couple of laps to begin racing? It's disappointing to see or read that the national or olympic champion won by running 13:30 or so when most are capable of running much faster.

Re: Why I Love Qualifying Rounds

Anon, To each his own. I respect your opinion, however, I enjoy tactical races far more than single-file time trials. Also, (not directed to you), running a heat should take little from a fit athlete's reserves if there is a day or two rest. I am speaking from my own experience and I was never a 'strong' runner. The more head-to-head 'competition' the better in my eyes and like gh, I enjoy the pre-lims in some ways, more than the finals. It is fun to evaluate who is running within themselves/conserving & who is using everthing just to make the finals. I can't count how many times I've thought runner X looked easy and controlled in the prelim, then fade inexplicably (in my eyes) in the final. For me, this all builds and builds the excitement for the final.

Re: Why I Love Qualifying Rounds

>Anon, To each his own. I respect your opinion,
>however, I enjoy tactical races far more than
>single-file time trials. Also, (not directed to
>you), running a heat should take little from a
>fit athlete's reserves if there is a day or two
>rest. I am speaking from my own experience and I
>was never a 'strong' runner. The more
>head-to-head 'competition' the better in my eyes
>and like gh, I enjoy the pre-lims in some ways,
>more than the finals. It is fun to evaluate who
>is running within themselves/conserving & who is
>using everthing just to make the finals. I can't
>count how many times I've thought runner X looked
>easy and controlled in the prelim, then fade
>inexplicably (in my eyes) in the final. For me,
>this all builds and builds the excitement for the
>final.


I'm wasn't trying to imply that all tactical racing is boring. The sprints are pretty much all-out racing, very few tactic involved... Distance races on the other hand are all about tactics. No human can run 1500 or 5000 meters at a full-sprint. What I don't like to see is a race where the competitors are practically walking around the track until the last couple of laps. Someday, perhaps we could see a 400/800 man win a tile in the 5K or 10K simply keeping up with the snails pace until the last lap when he can finally do what he's trained to do -- run one "fast" lap around the track.

Now, as far as prelims go, the whole point in to get into the final. If that means placing in the top 5, then why try to place in the top 2. That's a tactical decision that makes sense. But, how many top runners have failed to make the final because they let the slow pace get the best of them? Seems to me that if you're pretty confident that you can run a certain time (that's sure to get you in the final) with or without the pack running with you, shouldn't you try to run that time.

P.S. I'm not a distance runner, so I don't know what it's like to run 1500m, 5K or 10K. But, if I were coaching a top distance runner, I would tell him to run the race he thinks he's capable of winning. Not the kind of race his competion is hoping he's lose.

[dl]

Re: Why I Love Qualifying Rounds

Greer was a bit slow out of the blocks, so no one was watching him. By the time my attention turned to him, he was down 7-8m. Probably hit one of the hurdles from 3-6. But that's just a guess. You can find out for yourselves tonight on Sportscenter. Not! :-)

Re: Why I Love Qualifying Rounds

Anon, Realize this is just a single opinion, so take it for what it's worth. I was a fringe guy in my day (make nationals, but only placed once) & that was years ago. The problem with someone simply going out and running the time that they are capable of is that the field is soooo even in ability. Nearly everone could cover your move, and the mental & physical energy needed to lead would leave you as the sacraficial lamb. Your chances of advancing have just went down considerably. Some studies say it takes up to 4% more energy from a physics standpoint to break the air and lead on a calm day. Factor in a breeze and the mental aspect and you are at a big disadvantage. Also, EVERYONE (with very few exceptions) at that level in a 1500 thinks they are fast and can kick better than the majority of the field, so everyone wants to avoid the lead until kicking time. I beat many people who were more talented and with much better PR's when they lead early. Simply put, in most cases, leading prior to a kick is a disaster waiting to happen.

[BillVol]

Thanks for info

Wish it could be on TV, but this sure beats what we had just a few years ago.