Cooper Teare thinks he's a miler, Jerry Schumacher thinks he's a 5000 guy. What do you think?

I think he can mix it up and in a 3:33/3:50 fast race he is competitive. I just saw what Nuguse/Hocker did in their NCAA final matchup (1:49 last 800) and Coles Olympic Trials kick. I struggle to see Teare hanging with them when these guys have put in speed work and are putting together their best races.

A few sparkling results and the "slightly better version of Ryan Hill" transforms into the "American El G" on this site.

I don’t think McSweyn is the best comparison; I think Teare is a better kicker. That’s not saying much since I’ve never seen a good kick or gear shift from McSweyn, but Teare did close the US championship 1500 with a 37.98 last 300 (12.41 last 100), moving from 6th to 1st. Not the best kick in the world off a dawdling pace, but damn respectable.

The dude who cited Teare not making it out of the WC heats as evidence he’s not a miler is missing the fact that he was injured and hadn’t been able to run for like 3 weeks prior to the meet IIRC. It’s like saying Hocker isn’t a miler because he didn’t make it out of the heats at USAs.

I think he’ll wind up with equally strong PRs at 1500/5k (think 3:31/12:54 or something) with the 3k coming easiest of all. I think he should focus on the 1500 for the next couple years because he wants to, and he’s obviously shown great promise in the event already.

Cooper is absolutely a miler. This is further proof that Jerry is an idiot. Cooper has amazing top end speed, which can shine in the 1,500/mile, particularly tactical ones. The 5K is more based on your aerobic fitness, which he is several years away from developing to have a chance to compete in the World stage. He’s 3 seconds away from a medal in the 1,500 (needs a PR of 3:31 to have a shot). He’s 15 seconds away in the 5K (needs 12:48) and Barega is the same age as him and Kiplimo and Jakob are younger, so the odds of him ever catching them are pretty much zero.

I wouldn't say the guy with a 1:47.9 800m PB had "Amazing top end speed"

I don’t really care what event he contests. It means nothing to me BUT intellectual honesty is important. Teare was injured, or so he claimed, and I assume he was, leading up to the World Championships, so to use that meet as evidence of anything is either ignorance or dishonesty.

registerguard.com

Slowed by injury, Teare's world meet comes to an early end

@registerguard

A stress reaction in his left tibia stunted Teare's training heading into the first round of the men's 1,500 meters

Open link

He has a better shot at making the 1500m team this year (Nuguse/healthy Hocker) vs 5000m: (Grant Woody Chelimo Nur)

This year, the 1500 team is going to be easier to make. You also have Klecker in the 5000. However, to be truly competitive for a medal these days on a global level he’s got to run under 3:30 or 12:50. Well, I think his chances at sub 12:50 are far greater over the next few years than under 3:30. Can he get to sub 12:50 if he’s going to be messing around with the 1500?

He doesn’t need to run 1:44 to be a miler. Only two of the medalists in the last two global 1500 finals have run under 1:45.

I never said he’d break 12:50, just acknowledged that he might produce a shocking result in the 5k and make this entire discussion moot.

It’s funny you say “he’ll probably even crack 13 at some point” like he didn’t run 13:06 in the rain with a 56 last lap. He’s already had performances worth 3:31 and sub 13. If you can’t see it you’re probably one of the posters who thought Hocker was maxed out when he was closing 3:35s in 25.

I’ll take your word for it on his steeple chances. I’d have thought him a good fit for that event, but then I’m not up to speed on the particulars of his athleticism like you are lol

I think anyone who wins a national championship in the 1500 has earned the right to call themself a miler.

As for the 1500 vs 5,000 question, why can’t he do both?

This. Not sure why it is being downvoted so heavily. Steeple requires a different kind of athleticism that many do not have. Just because you run a great flat race does not mean you can be a great steeple runner. There is a big relationship between the steeple and the 800 for this reason - both require a great deal of power and athleticism.

Actually there is not. Could you please explain why the best steeplers in the world are invariably not that great at 800m?

I disagree with this a little. You need to be in the sub-12:50 range to win gold, but a minor medal is possible for someone in the 12:55-13:05 range provided they can close well over the last km. Just look at last year's World Champs with Oscar Chelimo taking bronze and Grijalva running a close 4th. Neither has broke 13. Paul Chelimo has multiple medals and has only just ducked under 13. Muktar Edris has two World titles and only ran 12:54. The thing that anyone wanting a medal needs to understand is that the close in the 5000 lasts for 2.5 laps and not just 400m. It will need a shift in mentality for a lot of runners. I've no idea if Teare can make it, he doesn't seem supremely talented so I don't think it will happen quickly for him but I do think his chances are better in the 5000 long-term. He's 24 this year and sitting on a PB of 3:34, he doesn't have the wheels to be a factor in the 1500 at the global level

Ultimately a 5000 guy. But right now more competitive in the 1500 as far as making teams goes, and necessary for development.

This website, and Jerry Schumacher, apparently don't handle nuance well.

It feels uncharitable, but if I'm honest, I've seen nothing from Cole Hocker this season or last year that suggests he's ready to compete with Cooper Teare at any distance. And no American is near Yared Nuguse.

It's hard to compete with Cooper Teare when you're out touring with Screaming Trees.

He beat Nuguse in college but Nuguse is already at a level he will never reach in the mile, 3:47 with a 26 close. His ceiling is much higher at 5000m.

I guess my main point is that right now Teare is a member of the admirable group of Americans who can consistently make teams and even global finals, but has really no consistent chance of a medal in either event at the moment. I think his prospects for moving up to the next level are greater by far in the 5000 than the 1500, so yes, he should do what Jerry tells him to do. Can he do both….no, he’s not Jakob, he can’t do both at the global level and hope to medal.

No need to get butthurt. It is what it is. You might be shocked that people are going to disagree with you in this world- deal with it. Some opinions might actually be based on real world knowledge and actual eyes on instead of what they’ve read on the internet or seen on flotrack.

”He’s already had performances worth 3:31 and sub 13.” No, just no. Come back here when he actually runs 3:31. Huge difference. I’d be happy to be wrong about this, but I’m not. Look, I get it: you’re a huge fanboy, and that’s great. I applaud it. It’s wonderful for our sport. Unfortunately, as is often the case, bias blinds us to reality.