Zurich sucked this year

rest of the results on the 3K aren't up on their website yet... how did Teg do?

1 Lagat Bernard USA 7:38.77 20

2 Soi Edwin Cheruiyot KEN 7:39.02 16

3 Kipsiro Moses Ndiema UGA 7:39.69 14

4 Ebuya Joseph KEN 7:41.05 12

5 Farah Mohammed GBR 7:41.86 10

6 Bekele Tariku ETH 7:42.35 8

7 Longosiwa Thomas Pkemei KEN 7:43.69 6

8 Tegenkamp Matthew USA 7:54.44 4

9 Cheruiyot Jonas KEN 8:04.99 3

10 Cherkos Abraham ETH 8:09.70 3

tegenkamp was there with 500m to go....died hard....too bad...very surprised at this with his recent boost of confidence from his wc paling....

Meet directors Andreas Brugger and Patrick Maygar always used to try to make the up-and-comers realize that Zurich was the see all and be all. They used to rub it in our faces, telling us, in such nice terms, mind you, that Zurich could make you or break you. Better known as the "3 Hour Olympics" with season's best set in all fields, but yeah, this year was about racing. It won't garner any headlines with a 3:38 or a 4:06.

Has Zurich has become a victim of its own success or was it simply a poorly timed date suffering the casuatlies that Osaka rounds and travel will leave you flat?

Me thinks, a little from Column A and a little from Column B.

Moes Tavern wrote:

Meet directors Andreas Brugger and Patrick Maygar always used to try to make the up-and-comers realize that Zurich was the see all and be all. They used to rub it in our faces, telling us, in such nice terms, mind you, that Zurich could make you or break you. Better known as the "3 Hour Olympics" with season's best set in all fields, but yeah, this year was about racing. It won't garner any headlines with a 3:38 or a 4:06.

Has Zurich has become a victim of its own success or was it simply a poorly timed date suffering the casuatlies that Osaka rounds and travel will leave you flat?

Me thinks, a little from Column A and a little from Column B.

Apparently it was very cool there--unusually so. The meet is also about 3 weeks later in the season than usual, thanks to the WCs. In addition, however, the meet directors made a deliberate decision to get away from the supposedly "boring" paced races, in favor of "real racing." Some applauded that decision; I thought it was stupid. The bottom line: the worst Zurich meet in many decades.

According to the Voice of America, Sanya Richards set a world record.

http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-09-07-voa59.cfm

The women's world record is 47.6 by Maria Koch. Sorry, maybe a world's best for 2007, but nowhere close to a WR.

"World's best" does not mean World Record.

49.3 is far from 47.6

to be honest, unless a medal is on the line, I find the tactical jog and kick races to be pretty boring. I mean what is so cool about Baala running 3:38 and outkicking everybody. There was nothing really at stake, and personally I'd rather see a fast race.

It just depends whether you want to see a race or a time trial.

Un-rabbited race, the best racer wins.

Rabbited race, the fittest guy wins.

Personally I'll take un-rabbited becasue it's less predictable and more exciting, especially at the finish.

if I wanted to see a 400m sprint I'd watch the 400.

The jogging for 1200m strategy doesn't make it more interesting, it makes it a joke.

midwaste wrote:

if I wanted to see a 400m sprint I'd watch the 400.

The jogging for 1200m strategy doesn't make it more interesting, it makes it a joke.

If the athletes cared about your opinion they'd ask you for it.

You're the joke.

agree, i care who is the best racer in the WC or olympics. i care who is the fittest in all other races.

who cares who is the zurich 1500 champion? i care more about who ran fast.

horray! time to get rid of rabbits. Races will slow at first but after while athletes will get used to them and we'll see much more variety.

Feeling insignificant? wrote:

midwaste wrote:

if I wanted to see a 400m sprint I'd watch the 400.

The jogging for 1200m strategy doesn't make it more interesting, it makes it a joke.

If the athletes cared about your opinion they'd ask you for it.

You're the joke.

Actually the athletes should care to some extent what the opinions of their fan base are. Their livelihood is in part dependent on the interest of spectators and fans of the sport.

I'm not suggesting fans should dictate the way everything is run but there should be some middle ground. Wasn't the whole no rabbits idea implemented to theoretically make the races more interesting to watch? As a spectator, my opinion is that it made the races less interesting. No joke about it.

If I went to the Indy 500, or Daytona or some big auto race, and everyone drove 20 mph in a big pack until the last lap I'd be pissed. That may not be a perfect analogy, but you get the picture.

what's the difference if there's one guy up front, the same guy lap after lap, driving at 150 mph, with a big pack yards behind driving at 149.5 mph?

The only good thing about rabbits/pacers is that it is a job. And I like the idea of full employment.

Maybe to make it more exciting, pacers and rabbits should not be confined to their rabbit status for the whole the race. That would be one heck of a wild card and a form of respect to a guy who accepts a secondary role. How proud can you be to "drop out" of a race albeit for professional purposes?

If they feel good why should they not be contenders too?

And could it be cool that if they, during the race, say raising their arm, declare that they are going for it, that could carry some extra bonus money in case of a win? Or maybe the fact that you no longer get the rabbit money because you have had the "paid" advantage to drop out?

Just some thoughts.

This would make predictable, boring group tactics (as we know them) less likely, rabbit races less predictable maybe... worth a try, no?

midwaste wrote:

Actually the athletes should care to some extent what the opinions of their fan base are. Their livelihood is in part dependent on the interest of spectators and fans of the sport.

None of their livelihood is dependent on YOUR interest.

Feeling Insignificant? wrote:

None of their livelihood is dependent on YOUR interest.

Well that deserves a resounding "DUH"!!

Of course it's not based on the interest of any one fan in particular.

As for changing the role of the rabbit, I have no problem with that. I think in all the major marathons the rabbits have the option of staying in the race. There is of course the famous day when Pilkington won L.A. (?) as a rabbit.

I get my fill of tactical racing at USATF's and worlds (or Olympics). Personally, I'd like to see some more balls to the wall stuff at the euro meets.