Hobbs Kessler goes home educated

Haha this is such a good title

Officialdb wrote:

He also wasn't wearing spring spikes

Were the Brooks guys who got in the finals in nikes?

What's the story with Ben Blakenship only running for three weeks? Good info from Kara, but she needs to give more detail.

Was that Ben's last track race?

d3andwashedup wrote:

My sense was that he was tired - not much to do with positioning. He was in the back the entire time and looked like he was getting dropped off the pace a few times but was able to kick by some people in the last 150 to not get last.

I have not looked at Kessler's racing schedule but I assume he is like most top high school runners and has only raced all at most once every two weeks. Having to get through rounds is part of his education. He'll need to be able to be competitive more than once every two weeks. He was unable to run at his PR level in the heat and after his 1st prelim in a much better field of runners than ever before.

Uh, about that whole going pro thing... Can I get a do-over on that?

He'll be done by age 20. He must be getting some really bad advice.

Taking $1M for doing nothing is never bad advice. Hunter would have gotten nothing had he waited. Kessler may have gotten nothing either had he waited.

Its the Rounds wrote:

d3andwashedup wrote:

My sense was that he was tired - not much to do with positioning. He was in the back the entire time and looked like he was getting dropped off the pace a few times but was able to kick by some people in the last 150 to not get last.

I have not looked at Kessler's racing schedule but I assume he is like most top high school runners and has only raced all at most once every two weeks. Having to get through rounds is part of his education. He'll need to be able to be competitive more than once every two weeks. He was unable to run at his PR level in the heat and after his 1st prelim in a much better field of runners than ever before.

His last 300 was 39.xx and his last 700m was at 1:53.5 pace. I don't think he was exhausted. He might not have felt fresh though. More likely it's just inexperience. How many races has Hobbs run in his life? The average high school kid has run 5x as many races as him. He was probably instructed by coach to sit at the back, stay out of trouble, and kick for a finals spot. He probably doesn't realize that he's 1.5 secs back of all the kickers and he's not gonna make that time up in a race that slow.

All in all, I think this was the perfect Trials experience for him.

He'll go home, watch the tape, and see what Hocker and Centro did, and be prepared for the next time. I expect he'll be in the final next year.

I also don’t buy that he was tired. He closed very well the last 150, he just wasn’t in position. I’ve noticed he has a tendency to go straight to the rail regardless of pace and positioning. Hopefully he realizes that in races like these hugging the rail is often a good way to get boxed in and get pushed out of qualifying position.

Officialdb wrote:

He also wasn't wearing spring spikes

This is a good point, are the adidas spikes spring spikes? he looked good in the first round so maybe not a big deal.

i really think he was just tired. what a season!

good thread

education.

hobbs closed in 39 last 300

and the others closed in 38

hobbs did all he could, drafting and on the rail.

you can't play tactics if you're just hanging on.

so the result has zero to do with tactics.

better to not run like a 332 in your first year, because you might get better and just run 332 two years later.

and look like a failure

good result.

perfect result

Bad position with 400m to go. Period.

If he's mid-pack on the outside, he closes for a top 5 spot. He was closing well last 150, but you can be in last with 300m when the pace has already taken off.

It’s all part of the process. He is so young and it is all experience to help make him better. He will have his day...

uneducated loser wrote:

Bad position with 400m to go. Period.

If he's mid-pack on the outside, he closes for a top 5 spot. He was closing well last 150, but you can be in last with 300m when the pace has already taken off.

ya terrible position,

you have to be poised on the bell.

kid did not have it on the day. he had no one in the way in closed in 39 last 300m

he was trying to take the rail all the way and draft like in his last heat.

you're right, he could have squeaked a spot in the final, with your suggested tactics.

the deal is to get the position, you have to expend energy,

kid was struggling.

he'll say in the interview what's up.

soexhausted wrote:

Exhausted from what?!!? Anyone who thought he ever had a chance at these trials is a clown.

I’m a clown. Young man just closed in 39xx in heat that had the defending Olympic champion and the current NCAA champion that are both known as kickers. He just put himself in a bad position in the last 500 meters.

I though he was being well taught by the Kiwi in race tactics. especially after his good tactics in the first round.

I’ll continue to be a clown because I believe he has a chance to make the world team next year.

More like adidas goes home devastated. At least one of their high school stars is showing up.

Duck Suit wrote:

alphas only wrote:

Lots of sexual tension there.

Hocker left the track in a hurry looking very emotional, once they crossed the line.

he wasn't expecting things to get so serious so quick

I actually thought that he would make the final but have a similar result there.

longjack wrote:

the deal is to get the position, you have to expend energy,

kid was struggling.

he'll say in the interview what's up.

He did look tired. He also looked lost. Started at the back, moved up, and then settled back into last place. At one point, he was almost 10 meters off the back. He closed well, to be sure, but, most of these guys can close well, even when tired.