How does a second tier US runner become a 13:02.80 performer?

Mead is not an American so it doesn't matter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hassan_Mead

you might want to know something about the runner before you call him second tier idiot. He ran through college with multiple injuries and still posted some good times. The fact that he posted a 13:02 with lung surgery is proof hes not "tier two".

He ran 13:28 in 2009 when he was 19 years old. You're surprised he dropped 26 seconds in 5 years when he started hitting his prime years with collegiate/professional training regimes and training partners?

He ran 8:51 for 2-miles in HS on very low mileage. Then 13:44 for 5000m as a freshman, 13:28 as a soph. Lottttts of talent, and a great person as well.

While you're at it, look up some of these former athletes from the heartland and a bygone era. None of those guys was considered "great" in college, by your standards 2nd tier or lower.

Mike Durkin - 2 time Olympian

Mark Nenow - 27:20 10000 m

Greg Meyer - 2:09:00 at Boston

Dick Beardsley - from 32 min 10K runner to 2:08:53

Phil Coppess - didn't even go to college, self-coached/single dad/factory worker that ran 2:10:05

Mead is incredibly talented and an incredibly nice guy. As mentioned by other posters, he had a lot of injury issues in college (major Achilles injury, collapsed lung, some other stuff). But he persevered and has consistently improved.

It's not like this was completely out of the blue either—the guy ran 13:11 last year!

Maybe Rowland isn't a bad coach either. All the press goes to Al and Jerry, very little to Rowland. Thankfully there are more than two choices, as as it should be or there are going to be problems more often.

Who says that 13.00 is really that good anyway. Moorcroft had poor coaching (IMO) or would have been far more consistent and likely sub-13.00 since he did that basically by himself. What it means is that if enough quality races become available, and guys start believing that they can run that fast, then they will. There is a lot of talent available, now with groups and quality coaches focusing on some fast track stuff - not ONLY the roads as a lot of guys (Nenow excepted) seemed to do post-grad in the 80's to really the last decade - when kenyan oversaturation meant no money in local road races anyway. It's not as if these guys are all running 12.40's. College can be a crap-shoot for many runners. Look at the progression that Hasay has made in the past year - why didn't she do that at Oregon, since she came in as a 4.14 HSer. Sometimes (like Lagat or Nenow) people blossom after College. This could also mean that the College coaching isn't really up to par in many places - lots of training bodies but poor development training schedules and too much stupid racing for many runners. Just because you have a training group does not mean that the program is worth anything - there are some very good coaches, but a lot of mediocrity.

It is very wrong to say that he "has never been an outstanding runner". His junior year he won the Griak Invitational which is one of the largest if not largest collegiate invitationals and on a tough course. He led from start to finish and dominated. The only reason you haven't heard more about him is a few months later he suffered a collapsed lung.

Rkogvemoivtvrmov,ok wrote:

Now, a couple of years later 13:02? ...with very slow 3:41 PR at 1500m..... Makes no sense at all...

And really, the pace slowed down when the rabbits departed. In a race full of sub 13 guys, he would have run sub 13... Really? A never medalled NCAA guy? No particular speed (3:41PR at 1500m). No particular endurance (27:59 PR at 10000m).

So a guy who is 4th at FLXC + 8:51, running 13:44 at 18, 13:28 at 19, all while being a consistent NCAA XC competitor with improving track times (amidst injuries). Clearly he was a 5/10/XC guy who needed to work on his speed (*cough* Rupp *cough*)

In the era of Frenandez, Derrick, Sareel, etc. do you really expect anyone who's going to make it to be running 13:20 as a Frosh?

What exactly makes so little sense? 13:44 as a freshman. Then 13:20 in 2012 trials. 13:15 last year same meet. Now a 13 second PR, and from the interview you hear he attributes it to good training on top of a solid base. What is so hard to comprehend?

Mead was better than Jager in HS (beat him 8:46 to 8:50 at Nationals I believe)....

Better than Jager as a soph (ran 13:28 to 13:29 at payton jordan)...

then had injuries...

he and Jager both run 13:02 now...what's the shock?

the OP is probably trolling. otherwise, Mead has a pretty full wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hassan_Mead

almost_ran wrote:

What exactly makes so little sense? 13:44 as a freshman. Then 13:20 in 2012 trials. 13:15 last year same meet. Now a 13 second PR, and from the interview you hear he attributes it to good training on top of a solid base. What is so hard to comprehend?

Exactly. There is no caste system in running. You are free to break through to the next level if you have the talent, determination and persistence.

How does a second tier US runner become a 13:02.80 performer?

The same way you get to Carnegie Hall.

Practice, practice, practice.

Million dollar question no reporter will be willing to ask him: Are you on thyroid meds?

The sport you and I signed up for is not a clean one.

QUESTION: How does a second tier US runner become a 13:02.80 performer?

4runner wrote:

The same way you get to Carnegie Hall.

Practice, practice, practice.

wrong answer.

RIGHT ANSWER:

Um, ever heard of East African genes???

almost_ran wrote:

It is very wrong to say that he "has never been an outstanding runner". His junior year he won the Griak Invitational which is one of the largest if not largest collegiate invitationals and on a tough course. He led from start to finish and dominated.

Is this a joke? Winning Griak points to 13:02 now?

I'm sure you could break 17 if you trained.