Evan Jager closed in a 56!

Illinois Rift Valley wrote:

Proof that the right genes are everywhere--not just the Rift Valley. The Chicago suburbs have basically nothing good for running development--flat, not at altitude, sidewalks and roads not trails--but many great US runners have come from there--Robert Gary, Chris Derrick, Evan Jager, Jim Spivey.

They are but at an incredibly lower percentage of the total population. Even then guys like Jager are lacking that last 1% of running genetics which the top guys have.

None of the guys you mentioned are " great" in the larger scheme of things. Even those with medals.

Add Craig Virgin.

I can't imagine running 57 for 400H, much less over barriers at the end of a race. Must feel amazing.

If it's an inside water jump it's not 400m

Devil Dog wrote:

At the bell, I was thinking with the shape he's in, 8:21 would be a great finish. And he blew me away.

I think with some work, and a good sports psychologist, he's got gold in him this year.

He needs to be willing to take the lead 800 out, and try to grind their wheels off. I don't think he can shift fast enough to let them dictate the last two laps. But he is strong enough and fast enough to out-grind the best in the world. He just has to go for it.

I agree. Jager does seem to have the talent to be the best in the world. It just hasn't happened yet.

Counting laps wrote:

If it's an inside water jump it's not 400m

Correct, but 60 on the last 400 of a steeple with an inside jump, is very good form.

Its the last lap but it's not the last 400.

He never said it was. He said 60 too, Jager's last lap was 56.x.

Look at where the race starts. It's further back from the regular 3000m (200m) start. Divide that distance by 7 and that's have far each lap is short of 400m.

He did say last 400, which it isn't.

Illinois Rift Valley wrote:

Proof that the right genes are everywhere--not just the Rift Valley. The Chicago suburbs have basically nothing good for running development--flat, not at altitude, sidewalks and roads not trails--but many great US runners have come from there--Robert Gary, Chris Derrick, Evan Jager, Jim Spivey.

Plenty of rolling hills and trails around where Jager is from. Ran against him in HS a lot, was just an other worldly talent from the first time he stepped on the course. Would have thrived in any environment.

No offense, but I don't think Craig Virgin's part of Illinois qualifies as (not wants to be part of) the Chicago area.

whiny whiner wrote:

Add Craig Virgin.

Inside water jump wrote:

He did say last 400, which it isn't.

He said last 400 NOT last lap, and he didn't say it's the same as the last lap, geez.

And why are you making such a fuss over a trifle, the inside water jump doesn't make that much difference, it's only about 3-4 meters shorter per lap (you can tell the steeple start was about 20-25 meters behind the 200m mark on the track, which is lost over the 7 jumps) which is about half a second. So Jager was something like 57.low for the last 400m over barriers.

You seem like you're a real hit at parties.

Inside water jump wrote:

He did say last 400, which it isn't.

Let me make this very clear, since you're apparently someone who gets easily confused.

No one was saying that the last lap and 400m are the same thing. When you say "which it isn't," are you saying that the last 400m isn't 400m? Last I checked I'm pretty sure it is.

He made a comment that a 60-second last 400m over barriers is very impressive, or something to that effect. No one said he ran a 60-second last lap, or a 56-second last 400m, or a 60-second last 400m, or whatever.

A last lap of 56.7 in that steeple means Jager ran about 57.2 for the last 400m, so being pedantic about the lap distance doesn't contribute much here.

The 3000m steeplechase with an inside water jump starts in the middle of the back straight, maybe slightly closer to the regular 3000m start than to the 1500m start. I'd guess it's about 40-45m behind the regular 3000m start. So each lap is about 5-6m short of 400m.

Race video link?

The first lap skips the inside water jump, therefore the last six laps with the inside water jump are shorter. The last six laps are about 7m short of 400m. 1-2 seconds short.

Steepler pain wrote:

The 3000m steeplechase with an inside water jump starts in the middle of the back straight, maybe slightly closer to the regular 3000m start than to the 1500m start. I'd guess it's about 40-45m behind the regular 3000m start. So each lap is about 5-6m short of 400m.

Did you even look at the video? There is NO WAY it's 40-45 meters back, the runners were into the turn after 4 seconds of running. Each track can vary with the placement of the steeple line, as some water pits are set farther in from the track than others. If you look at the race video from USAs, it is clearly not more than 25 meters behind the 3k start, which is less than most steeple lines.

Real steepler wrote:

The first lap skips the inside water jump, therefore the last six laps with the inside water jump are shorter. The last six laps are about 7m short of 400m. 1-2 seconds short.

Dude are you freaking kidding me? Do you not know how many laps are in a steeplechase?