PrZ wrote:
What? If indoors is faster than outdoors, then why has nobody run 3:43-44 indoors? El G’s indoor world record is 5+ seconds slower than his outdoor world record. That theory isn’t as applicable as you think it is.
Those saying that the difference between the speed of indoors and outdoor tracks being negligible, are absolutely correct. I don’t believe there would be a difference of any more than 0.5sec had he run that same race with the same splits on an outdoor 400 track in good conditions yesterday. Moreover, just as with outdoor tracks, some indoor tracks are faster than others. Had he run on a different indoor track yesterday, he would likely have been slower.
The reason EL G ran a mile faster outdoors than indoors, is that he chose, like the vast majority of athletes do, to use the indoor scene as a guide to how training is going and as a stepping stone to reaching a peak 6 months later for a far more important major outdoor championship.
When he ran his 3:48.45 WR indoors he was. It in 3:43 form!
However, some athletes, who maybe know the chances of winning gold against all the rest of the world being at a peak in August, are unlikely, will aim to reach a peak, or at least a mini peak, for the indoor season in February. Coghlan was one such runner and that was why he never ran faster for a mile outdoors than his indoor pb. Cheserek could likely be a similar athlete, which is made all the more likely as he is not eligible, at present, to run in championship events in the summer due to not having a national allegiance.
Rojo is correct in suggesting that Cheserek would run a similar time for a mile right now outdoors. He has chosen to be in 3:49 form in February. That is all we can take from this race. In August he might be in similar shape, but it certainly doesn’t mean he’s going to be 5 secs faster in the summer.