Why is there no 5000m @ USA indoor championships

Correct. No 5k at world indoors. When it was first organized, it was meant to be a swift, simple championships. Not something the host nation would really need too long to prepare for. It only lasts a few days and then everyone is on their merry way. This is also why each nation only sends two athletes per events. Few athletes equals fewer heats. All-together, this makes it a good event for the fans and spectators. The action is pretty well packed together.

The networks showing the race couldn't sell enough advertising to show DURING the race so they just decided not to have it. They tried showing reruns of pole vault and high jump attempts at an earlier meet, but the production team couldn't process them fast enough and they would have ended up showing too much of the actual race.

Suspect: Having a 1500/mile race and a 1.8 mile race in the same meet.

Totally Stupid: Having a 1500/1500, 1.8, and 3.1 in the same meet.

And yet......

What about the steeplechase?

Tradition. Mile and deuce have always been the indoor distance races. Now 1,500 and 3,000m.

Distancing wrote:

Suspect: Having a 1500/mile race and a 1.8 mile race in the same meet.

Totally Stupid: Having a 1500/1500, 1.8, and 3.1 in the same meet.

And yet......

Clarification: Only meant flat races. Steeple is sufficiently different.

Why is there even a 5000m in indoor at all? Such a contrived, spectator-unfriendly, injury-risking event. Having it at the college level does not make sense, other than giving more distance-oriented teams the opportunity to score some points at conference and nationals. But that's why XC season is their time to shine.

Because indoors is a low level track & field meet.

Not enough people can run in circles around a tiny indoor track that many times without barfing.

I hope he was paid well for this run!

Distancing wrote:

Suspect: Having a 1500/mile race and a 1.8 mile race in the same meet.

Totally Stupid: Having a 1500/1500, 1.8, and 3.1 in the same meet.

And yet......

Whats 1.8 and 3.1 mile?

ottisss wrote:

Distancing wrote:

Suspect: Having a 1500/mile race and a 1.8 mile race in the same meet.

Totally Stupid: Having a 1500/1500, 1.8, and 3.1 in the same meet.

And yet......

Whats 1.8 and 3.1 mile?

Sorry, that was supposed to be 1500/MILE, the second time. 1.8 and 3.1 (miles) are 3K and 5K distances. Point is that adjacent distances are all pretty darn close. Dilution of available talent and loss of potentially interesting competition.

Similar to 100 and 200 in same meet.

Indoors is not for everyone wrote:

Why is there even a 5000m in indoor at all? Such a contrived, spectator-unfriendly, injury-risking event..

Injury risking? The sprints are injury risking events. The 5000 is the least risk of any event in track.

Indoors is not for everyone wrote:

Why is there even a 5000m in indoor at all? Such a contrived, spectator-unfriendly, injury-risking event. Having it at the college level does not make sense, other than giving more distance-oriented teams the opportunity to score some points at conference and nationals. But that's why XC season is their time to shine.

- Don't think that "contrived" applies. The steeplechase might be "contrived." The DMR is certainly "contrived." 5K is just a standard distance.

- No more spectator-unfriendly than a 5K outdoors (does time go slower for fans indoors?). I guess we might not want to hear what you think about TEN K outdoors....!

- Why should distance runners - you know, people who train to race 3-26 miles the rest of the year - have to settle for a maximum racing distance of 1.8? For all the folks for whom the 10K/HM/marathon is, or will end up being, their best events, racing a max of 3K sure puts them a huge competitive disadvantage to the milers.

Distancing wrote:

ottisss wrote:

Whats 1.8 and 3.1 mile?

Sorry, that was supposed to be 1500/MILE, the second time. 1.8 and 3.1 (miles) are 3K and 5K distances. Point is that adjacent distances are all pretty darn close. Dilution of available talent and loss of potentially interesting competition.

Similar to 100 and 200 in same meet.

Your 1.8 translations the 1500 to 0.9 [miles], UR a tad short there lad.

Steeple for indoors. Brilliant.

UR Maths? wrote:

Distancing wrote:

Sorry, that was supposed to be 1500/MILE, the second time. 1.8 and 3.1 (miles) are 3K and 5K distances. Point is that adjacent distances are all pretty darn close. Dilution of available talent and loss of potentially interesting competition.

Similar to 100 and 200 in same meet.

Your 1.8 translations the 1500 to 0.9 [miles], UR a tad short there lad.

Wow, you're even better with math than you are with the English language, "lad." Yes, 1.86 vice 1.8. But thanks for the substantive reply.

Distancing wrote:

Wow, you're even better with math than you are with the English language, "lad." Yes, 1.86 vice 1.8. But thanks for the substantive reply.

And youre writing 3 and 5k in miles because?

money money wrote:

Steeple for indoors. Brilliant.

Great idea after they finish the broad jump flood the pit with water put up a barrier at the end of the runway and every other lap have them jump over the pit. The other barriers go on the straight portion of the oval.