Could the Americans have done more in 5k? I don't think so

I think they did very well and am happy we had 3 guys in the final.

Still, I feel like I would tell my two 13:20 guys to go out and alternate laps through some 4:12 miles...just to give yourself a chance at pring.

Like I said, I like both solinsky and teg and feel they did a good job, but they will never be able to close in 53 off of 13:40 pace or better. Why play the same tactics and watch the africans run away from you time after time? Mix it up a bit why don't ya? What exactly did they have to lose?

they closed in 53 at USAs and ran 13:22. come on, man.

After the prelim Teg said a couple of things that I thought totally came back to haunt him in the final.

Whoever interviewed him said "you must have closed in about 54" to which Teg replied "oh I've shown that time and again, that's not really very difficult for me any more."

Also, in reference to the final he said he couldn't spot world class guys a few meters in the last 200 of a kicking race.

Well today Teg was more than a few meters back throughout a very slow race, and had he been nearr the lead and produced one of those standard 54's he would be wearing a medal right now.

All of the top 8 could run a 53 second last lap of a reasonable pace. Today the difference was the pace had been variable throughout the race which would have taken the sting out of the finishing kick of most.

Teg has done quite well over the last few years. He has run 13:04 and made both an Olympic and WC final. Right now he could be the best 5k runner in the world who is not from Africa.

all of that is true, and please don't take my responses as criticism of the men, or of US distance running in general. I think they ran hard, and they ran well, and I enjoy watching them run, and will continue to root for them.

but...wouldn't it dawn on you the 3rd, 4th, 5th time through this whole global finals thing that, no, you can't kick down a 53 off 13:20-25 pace to get that 13:13 it would take to win? If there are 2 of you, why not go for the pr? I just don't think you get any more "experience" from getting your doors blown off in the last quarter every time out.

What did Teg and Solinksy have to lose by trading 62's or 63's to start out?

It's not like they were sleeping until 1 lap to go and ran 53. Bekele actually ran the last 1000m in 2:24. This in turn took the sting out of everyone's legs.

You can do that sort of thing when your PR is 12:37. I think the boys need to concentrate on getting their PRs well below 13:00 next year. This is the only way one can hope to have the stamina to hang with a long kick (from 1000m out).

I agree with asdasd., Teg and Sol can't run a 53 when the previous lap was 57. Still, they ran a terrific race.

Maybe if they would have ran faster than 4:25 per mile for the first 3000m then they wouldn't have had to run 57's and 53's at the end.

Teg's PR shows he can average 13 seconds per mile faster than he ran the first 3000. He should have known he didn't really have a shot at a medal with that company running that slow for that long. He and a few of the other guys with slower PRs could have at least made the others earn their medals. Lemmings following Bekele. It would have been a more interesting race if he was just given the gold and didn't have to run. The other runners wouldn't have known what to do without suckering on Bekele.

This race was significantly slower than Bekele's world record at twice the distance (4:16.5 per mile vs 4:13.7 for his 10,000m WR).

If Teg and Sol pushed the pace the result would not have been any different. Most of the runners in the final have run faster than both of them (I do not mean for this to disrespect either of these fine runners), it is just a simple fact. So they alternate laps with the pack gathering behind them and then when it comes time to kick they get their doors blown off because they had to LEAD a race @ 13:00 pace.

some guy in a cube wrote:

If Teg and Sol pushed the pace the result would not have been any different. Most of the runners in the final have run faster than both of them (I do not mean for this to disrespect either of these fine runners), it is just a simple fact. So they alternate laps with the pack gathering behind them and then when it comes time to kick they get their doors blown off because they had to LEAD a race @ 13:00 pace.

...but at least they would have run a fast time which has to be some kind of consolation. Otherwise, why bother (I'm serious)? Are they just hopeful all the planets will align and Bekele will trip (ala El G in 1996) taking down half the field and they'll squeak in for a medal.

Yup, the americans could have used team tactics so that Lagat could have nipped Bekele at the finish......but no~

exactly Lemmings. They aren't gonna run away from 12:50 guys, the OP was correct with that.

some guy in a cube; what is better for those two, doing the same old thing and getting hammered the last 4/8 or going out and trading laps at 13:00 pace or so and getting hammered the last 4/8? Results would be no different, I agree, but what would be better in the long run? Clearly they've gotten the "experience" of staying in a tight group through 4k and then blasting away. Maybe now its time to find out what happens when your running pr pace and it comes time to blast away.

If they were solo, I would understand. Complete suicide to go out and try to run 15 seconds under your pr. But they train together all year, and have done so for quite a few years now. Why not try and run FAST? Try and pr? What would be the harm in that?