It’s On at Pre Classic: Rabbits Going 13:15-13:20 for Farah in 10k, Sub 13:00 for Rupp in 5k, 14:10 (WR) in Women’s 5k

by: May 29, 2015
LetsRun.com

It’s on.

The premier event of Friday’s Distance Night at the Pre Classic is the men’s 10,000m where defending World and Olympic champ Mo Farah takes on world XC champion  Geoffrey Kamworor and 2013 Worlds bronze medallist Paul Tanui in a clash of titans. The big question was whether the field would try and run fast or just be content to get a World Championship qualifier. Prefontaine Meet Director Tom Jordan told LRC that three men in the field wanted to run fast (the three men mentioned above) and as a result the plan is for the pacers to hit half-way in 13:15-13:20. The rabbits will try and go as far as they can after that but it is unlikely they’ll make it 8000m like they did last year.

Jordan said in the men’s 5000m, the plan is for the race to be under 13:00 and he specifically mentioned Galen Rupp as being in good shape. If Rupp is ready to go sub-13:00, his 12:58.90 pr could be on the table.

On Saturday, Genzebe Dibaba will go after the women’s world record in the 5000m. The plan is for the pacemaker to go 6 laps at 14:10 pace. (The world record is Tirunesh Dibaba’s 14:11.15.) We asked Jordan why the world record attempt was not going to in tonight’s better weather, and he said it is a Diamond League requirement that all Diamond League official events be held during the two hour TV window. Genzebe, through an interpreter, said her goal Saturday is at least a pr (sub 14:18). She also said her favorite event is still the 1500, although she has not yet decided which event she will run at Worlds.

Farah’s last 10,000: gold at Euros last summer