Why is Cole Hocker not on bowerman?

Some of you are delusional. “As bad as his 2022 was”. Dude got a stress fracture in the middle of his season, why does this always get left out? Before that he won 2 Indoor US titles, set a 5K PR, and was rounding into form with a 5th place at the Pre Classic right next to Abel Kipsang and Timothy C.

Maybe give the 21 year old kid more than half a season before condemning him? He is our best 1,500 prospect since Centro, lets see him with a single injury-free season.

I'm sure he just believes in what he is doing more than what Bowerman is doing. Also, after the burrito events - it's easy to see Bowerman is definitely on the edge of the legal sanctions of the sport. I heard through the grapevine mostly all of them are on some type of prescribed hormone medication... But I guess that's what it takes to chase medals.

If your goal is to be one of the best in the world it helps to train with the best in the world. Hocker is good but not top tier. Leaving your comfort zone and going to train with people that are going to kick your ass in workouts begins the callous process of running at the top level.

Are you saying having a stress fracture in the middle of the season makes its good year? Being injured and sidelined sounds like a pretty bad year in my ears.

There's not many more suspicious than him.

Just noting that none of the top 7 in the world last year had a teammate this year who was a high-caliber runner in 2022. Tim has in the past and Elijah seems to be back training at a high level . Mario does now with Hoare. But Kerr, Jakob, Katir and Kipsang all train alone or with runners not of their stature.

Posters here have PTSD from Drew Hunter

I’m surprised that no one here has mentioned that Cole also seems to be much more of a speed based guy than a strength-based runner, and the foundation of BTC and Jerry all centers around strength.

Cooper is much more suited for this type of training it seems, and it’s pretty interesting because he and Cole have similar PRs but very different strengths, and different racing styles (aside from TT style races). Coop takes races out hard and has a little bit of a squeeze down the finish similar to the upper echelon guys of BTC, and Cole hangs back blasting the last 400 and really explodes over the final 200.

Cooper can run a very fast 1500, but it’s a pretty commonly shared thought that through the next Olympic cycle his best event will probably be the 5000.

Jerry’s training is best for strength guys, but also allows for fast 1500s. And it’s not uncommon for speed focused athletes to struggle finding success with that type of training. Centro benefitted by being a mature, older runner with years of pro experience so that probably helped handle volume as a 15 guy, and I assume it’s similar for Josh Thompson. GDS is a tremendous talent, but for 1500 runners she falls more in line with the 1500/5000 hybrid, not as much the 1500/800 type.

Cole knows what works for him, and ripping hard speed sessions is probably better for him to maximize his potential in the 1500, than sessions like long tempos or 10 x mile at altitude.

As far as training partners go, obviously BTC has the most talent in the country, but as far as pure 1500 guys I believes it’s only Thompson and Amos and maybe Thomas Ratcliffe? Of course they have guys who can run great 1500s, but in terms of the main training parters for his event, they all have similar PRs to his current training group and I don’t think any have gone sub-3:35 other than Thompson (PR 3:34.77 indoor @ Boston). BTC 1500 guys are definitely more consistent than the new OTC guys, but the talent disparity isn’t as massive when you only look at the 1500 focused athletes.

He also probably knows that BTC is always an option down the line if his training doesn’t progress the way he expects.

Bowerman is for the big kids.

My theory is he still wants a team atmosphere with his friends since he’s still of college age. I hold the same theory for why tinman elite was built around drew hunter.

also if it ain’t broke don’t fix it applies to keeping Ben Thomas as coach. I know woolen will say Cole is hyped and has bad form etc but that’s wack. He got 6th in the Olympics as a you f dude he’s the truth

*young

Schumacher's track record with pure middle distance types is not great. Grace didn't improve her whole time with Bowerman, then had a breakout season after she left. Ditto Sinclaire Johnson. GDS had a mediocre season with BTC following her breakout 2019 season, then left after the Houlihan bust. BTC has never had a male 1500m runner that did anything as far as I can recall. Basically, BTC is a club for long distance track runners -- steeplechase to 10k.

Why is there so much “pure middle distance” innuendo about Hocker, vs. Teare as the “real distance guy”? Hocker’s 13:08 at 21 is no joke. It’s better than his 1:46, and seems to me, is more likely to improve into world-class territory than the 809 time.
I’d guess he’s more 1500/5000 than 800/1500. Quite similar to Teare really.

Trust me buddy, there isn’t a universe out there where they want you.

Agreed, I think its bizarre. Cole could easily break the NCAA record in the 5,000 if he stayed all 4+ years at Oregon. He just had great footspeed at the end of races, so he gets labeled a middle distance runner.

From what I can recall, his training under Thomas is very strength based, just maybe not as much as Jerry's.

he also did that training with teare every day, tho

The difference is Hocker has a world class kick. Teare does not. Hocker is a threat to win a tactical race against world class competition. Teare not so much. To be a world class 1500 runner you have to have that kind of kick. If you do not, then the longer distances are in your future. Evan Jager was a 3:32 1500 runner who had to move up because he didn't have a 1500 runner's kick. Times are less important because it's extremely hard for a runner to run away from a world class field in a distance that short.

He’s more of a 1500/5000 runner, but he’s undeniably better at the 1500. Teare’s 1500-5k PBS are pretty equivalent.

Jager was not a 3:32 1500 runner that moved up. As a freshman at UW he made the 1500 final at ncaas and then Jerry left and he went pro. A season or two later he made the 5K US team and then tried the steeple the next year and was a natural.

Many years later he ran 3:32.