Official 2018 Brussels DL Discussion Thread

MakwalaFan wrote:

Today makes me wonder even more what the heck happened to Barega at the U20 Championships? Only 4th in a 13:20 race and not a very close 4th either (on 14 July and that was also his last race before today, I think?).

His Italian coaches and agents might have some answers!

What was his last 200m!!!!?

Barega has run the last 3000m almost two seconds faster than Farah's PB.

He definitely could have run at least two seconds faster today.

teresrse wrote:

FormerTree wrote:

I'd dare say the Americans all look like they haven't raced for a month.

Too funny - why does bowerman tc do this though?? Everyone knows there are huge benefits to racing.

The party line as explained by Jager in an interview is that because of the long/hard workouts they do, tapering/racing costs them fitness. However, I am not sure that kind of strength, even if what Jager says is true, trumps sharpness for a 1500m runner.

Les wrote:

teresrse wrote:

Too funny - why does bowerman tc do this though?? Everyone knows there are huge benefits to racing.

The party line as explained by Jager in an interview is that because of the long/hard workouts they do, tapering/racing costs them fitness. However, I am not sure that kind of strength, even if what Jager says is true, trumps sharpness for a 1500m runner.

You don't have to taper for a trace though! When training, you will never go flat out or as hard as in a race. The neuromuscular gainz from this are not to be underestimated.

Workout Wednesday, race every week. This isn't hard.

rdtetert wrote:

Les wrote:

The party line as explained by Jager in an interview is that because of the long/hard workouts they do, tapering/racing costs them fitness. However, I am not sure that kind of strength, even if what Jager says is true, trumps sharpness for a 1500m runner.

You don't have to taper for a trace though! When training, you will never go flat out or as hard as in a race. The neuromuscular gainz from this are not to be underestimated.

To clarify: obviously you want to taper for a race you need to do well in, such as DL final, but regular meetings can be done in heavy blocks of training.

FFF wrote:

Workout Wednesday, race every week. This isn't hard.

Every fortnight is probably optimal.

I missed out on the live version of the race and was fortunate then to find a video of it that hadn't yet been taken down.

That was a real privilege to get to watch the five or six minutes of the race that they managed to show between pole vault and high jump competitions. They went through 1k fast in around 2:31, then slowed way down to 2:39, so that they were at almost the right pace at 2k, 5:10 (well, at least that gets you 12:55), but it was done the wrong way. Then Kejelcha took over, that bobbing stride of his with the long legs and the side to side weave, and he looked as good as you'd think after that 7:28 with pacing that was too slow, but Barega looked fantastic behind him. Chelimo was leading a chase pack a ways back and looking full out, while True was leading another pack further back still. When Barega decided to go past Kejelcha with 200 or 250 to go, it was like it was nothing to him. He looked up and was off. Kejelcha made that race and fully showed the talent that he had indicated when he was supposed to be 17 or 18 and took off on his own in races. That mentality, unfortunately, Mo Farah never had, so he never ran a really fast 3k, 5k, or 10k. (the indoor two mile of 8:03 is pretty good, though). What Mo had was an incredible winning mentality and fantastic kick, just not the interest in putting down a time that would be remembered forever.

Barega has now done that. And even though we can guess that these top runners are not clean, this race and Paris 2012 showed that the only thing that has been really lacking in the 5000m since Bekele's best days was the willingness to go after times and to have someone who could pace the other athletes. A fast time in this distance depends in large measure on the willingness of someone to pace to 4600m. And in great conditions you therefore saw McSweyn running 13:05, True dropping huge time to 13:04 after not doing much for a while--and maybe capable of a few seconds faster if he had been able to draft for more of the race, Ahmed drafting off of True to 13:03, GWet running 12:45, Kejelcha 12:46, Chelimo at 12:57, and on and on.

he went by 4800 at about 12:18

Wow, only 4:04 for Simpson? The Americans all look like they've not raced for a month, but her dropoff seems to be the most of any,.

FFF wrote:

Workout Wednesday, race every week. This isn't hard.

Yes, Jager should definitely do this so that when he doesn't win, you same idiots can say he was flat from racing too much.

Ben True:

https://twitter.com/bentrue/status/1035614484625326080

Thank you for this. I'm surprised at Prescod's reaction time. I need to see this race... His drive phase must be the issue then coz that's a darn good reaction time.

Cycling

GWet went 6 years between first and last sub 12:50 clockings, breaking Geb's record of 4 years between 1995 and 1999 (just barely under). Only Bekele, Geb, and Komen have run faster than Barega today. Paul Chelimo ran a time beaten only by three Americans a total of six times, Solinsky three times, Ritz once, and Lagat twice.

[quote]zxcvzxcv wrote:

When Barega decided to go past Kejelcha with 200 or 250 to go, it was like it was nothing to him....

even though we can guess that these top runners are not clean/quote]

Hagos MF Gebrhiwet clean DL champion, also clean world record holder.

He ran the smartest race of anyone, latching on to the other two like a pit bull and hanging on until the bell, where he fully expected to be dropped but somehow dug up the pure hate to reel in Kejelcha.

Yomif has been a beast all year long! .....Dude made that MF race. Of course he did too much work to win it, but that dude pushed the entire field to blaze!

Yomif and Hassan have turned into monsters .....Say what you want about NOP, but they know what the fock they are doing.

Les wrote:

teresrse wrote:

Too funny - why does bowerman tc do this though?? Everyone knows there are huge benefits to racing.

The party line as explained by Jager in an interview is that because of the long/hard workouts they do, tapering/racing costs them fitness. However, I am not sure that kind of strength, even if what Jager says is true, trumps sharpness for a 1500m runner.

Rono raced 50 times or something in 1978. Too many of today's 'stars' think they'll melt if they line up with a number on, apparently.