The champs are a regional competition. They aren't a personal contest between two runners.
With all the smack talk they been doing it feels personal. I wish Kerr would run cause I love how Jakob races every chance he gets. I do understand why Kerr/his coach might decide to avoid Euros: to keep it consistent he never runs euros.
Euros are always going to struggle to get all the best running in an Olympic year. If you are injured or off form for the Olympics nobody will care what you did at the Euros.
I'm not surprised Kerr and Wightman are skipping but I am surprised that Jacob is running, especially doubling. I guess he sees it as part of his sharpening, but it seems risky.
I'm a bit more surprised Jake is skipping. In terms of their current plans instead:
-Jake is running NYC GP (Continental Tour Gold) 1500. Assuming his biggest competition will be Hobbs Kessler. Not sure we'll see any of the OAC.
-Kerr is tentatively signed up for Portland Track Festival 1500. Top name in that is Teare, with Hocker running the 800.
These will be pretty low-key competitions compared to taking on Jakob. I did think Jake running the 800 could make sense now that he got the standard out of the way.
This post was edited 20 seconds after it was posted.
Replied to you but really to the OP. Wightman doesn't have a guaranteed place at the Olympics yet. Now he has the standard from Pre, he has to ensure he comes top 2 (or 3 if Kerr competes) in the 1500m at the British Championships at the end of June.
Kerr has the discretionary third place due to his Budapest gold so isn't under the same pressure but going on recent history he will be expected to make an appearance at the Championships. He may run the 800m again like last year.
Jakob is obviously guaranteed an Olympics berth so national championships is much less important and not something he has to peak for. The same for other global medalists who are going (Mondo, Bolt etc).
With this in mind, it doesn't make sense for Wightman to compete at Euros and compromise the trials, especially coming off injury. With Kerr there is less of an argument for not making himself available for selection, except that competing for continental titles is a step down from competing for global champs. As a British fan of athletics it's not something that anyone will hold against him. The athletes going will enjoy a lot of support and should be good enough to make the final and compete for medals.
Yeah although it’s disappointing for fans, it’s sensible. They will have a very specific race schedule designed to peak in August. With minimal injury risk - especially for Jake just coming back from injury.
I don’t think it’s sensible for Jacob to race this Thursday after Eugene on Saturday and then to double up in Rome? After an Achilles injury I’d expect a bit more caution. But good for viewers and his fans.
Your worrying on Jakob´s behalf is really touching.
By the way: Kerr has NEVER run in the European senior champs to my knowledge. He participated in the U20 X country in Chia 2016 where he placed a respectable 32 sec behind 16 years old Jakob.
Here is a link if it is not too painful for you to watch
The champs are a regional competition. They aren't a personal contest between two runners.
With all the smack talk they been doing it feels personal. I wish Kerr would run cause I love how Jakob races every chance he gets. I do understand why Kerr/his coach might decide to avoid Euros: to keep it consistent he never runs euros.
The "personal" part comes from a runner who doesn't know how to give credit to those who have beaten him.
Your worrying on Jakob´s behalf is really touching.
By the way: Kerr has NEVER run in the European senior champs to my knowledge. He participated in the U20 X country in Chia 2016 where he placed a respectable 32 sec behind 16 years old Jakob.
Here is a link if it is not too painful for you to watch
The 19 year old Kerr is coming in around minute 22.
You guys are so weird about Jakob. I’m not even criticising him. Why would you post a video from 2016?. How is that relevant?
Thankfully there are a few other sensible posters on here…
You are posting as if you cared about Jakob but you don´t because you are rooting for your compatriots. Isn´t it true that you hope that Jakob won´t improve too much the next months.
Then I pointed out that Kerr NEVER runs the Euros. Except for one time when he was a junior.
Wasn´t that relevant?
Then I thought it could be fun to show the video from that junior X country race. Some people here might not know that Jakob and Kerr already competed against each other as teenagers
I didn´t expect you to like the video and I was right.
Yeah although it’s disappointing for fans, it’s sensible. They will have a very specific race schedule designed to peak in August. With minimal injury risk - especially for Jake just coming back from injury.
I don’t think it’s sensible for Jacob to race this Thursday after Eugene on Saturday and then to double up in Rome? After an Achilles injury I’d expect a bit more caution. But good for viewers and his fans.
Your worrying on Jakob´s behalf is really touching.
By the way: Kerr has NEVER run in the European senior champs to my knowledge. He participated in the U20 X country in Chia 2016 where he placed a respectable 32 sec behind 16 years old Jakob.
Here is a link if it is not too painful for you to watch
You guys are so weird about Jakob. I’m not even criticising him. Why would you post a video from 2016?. How is that relevant?
Thankfully there are a few other sensible posters on here…
You are posting as if you cared about Jakob but you don´t because you are rooting for your compatriots. Isn´t it true that you hope that Jakob won´t improve too much the next months.
Then I pointed out that Kerr NEVER runs the Euros. Except for one time when he was a junior.
Wasn´t that relevant?
Then I thought it could be fun to show the video from that junior X country race. Some people here might not know that Jakob and Kerr already competed against each other as teenagers
I didn´t expect you to like the video and I was right.
Kerr plans his schedule to peak for the major world championships. In the past few years he’s often a bit below par the first few races. Not this year though. He will have his reasons for not doing the Euros every year. He’s based in the US, he has a specific race schedule. He doesn’t really have anything to prove at the Euros.
Two athletes can have different schedules that work for them. It doesn’t mean that one is ‘ducking’ the other. It doesn’t mean the more races the better (apart from
for the spectators).
Like him or loathe him, Kerr knows what he’s doing.
This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.
Question to the wise (?) people on the forum: Is it a benefit for Kerr not to run DL Oslo and Euro vs Jakob?
Of course lower risk of injuries for Kerr and he get a solid training block for the next weeks while Jakob will have 4 x 1,500 m + 2 x 5,000 m next weeks. At the same time Jakob can likely run many of them more as fast-paced training runs, rather than hitting full speed. And might be what he needs to get in into competition shape?
Thoughts?
I don´t know so much about Kerr´s training and racing but isn´t he doing more less the same as the previous years and that seems to have been quite successful!
Jakob likes to race a lot in the season (he doesn´t like training) and yes I think he will take the many Euro races as sharpeners. And that is a good chance he will leave the Euros in improved shape.
Some people here think it is risky, including the Yorkshire guy, but I think it is a mistake. Jakob can possible qualify for the finals without going all in so it is really just and efficient way to sharpen. Even an intense 1500m final is something you recover from within some few days.
I have been both an elite (amateur) soccer player and an elite (master) runner and I can testify that a soccer match is much more tiresome than a 1500m or 5000m race.
And the professional soccer players play matches once or twice per week in most of the year. And some of them (Giggs, Ronaldo, Messi) are on the top of the world for 20+ years.
By the way : The soccer players also sharpens by competing. You can be in good shape when the season starts but you are not at your best before you have played a number of matches.
Finally: Remember the old saying: You can endure double as much as you think and...........
Question to the wise (?) people on the forum: Is it a benefit for Kerr not to run DL Oslo and Euro vs Jakob?
Of course lower risk of injuries for Kerr and he get a solid training block for the next weeks while Jakob will have 4 x 1,500 m + 2 x 5,000 m next weeks. At the same time Jakob can likely run many of them more as fast-paced training runs, rather than hitting full speed. And might be what he needs to get in into competition shape?
Thoughts?
I don´t know so much about Kerr´s training and racing but isn´t he doing more less the same as the previous years and that seems to have been quite successful!
Jakob likes to race a lot in the season (he doesn´t like training) and yes I think he will take the many Euro races as sharpeners. And that is a good chance he will leave the Euros in improved shape.
Some people here think it is risky, including the Yorkshire guy, but I think it is a mistake. Jakob can possible qualify for the finals without going all in so it is really just and efficient way to sharpen. Even an intense 1500m final is something you recover from within some few days.
I have been both an elite (amateur) soccer player and an elite (master) runner and I can testify that a soccer match is much more tiresome than a 1500m or 5000m race.
And the professional soccer players play matches once or twice per week in most of the year. And some of them (Giggs, Ronaldo, Messi) are on the top of the world for 20+ years.
By the way : The soccer players also sharpens by competing. You can be in good shape when the season starts but you are not at your best before you have played a number of matches.
Finally: Remember the old saying: You can endure double as much as you think and...........
10 times as much as your mother thinks.
Am I the ‘Yorkshire guy’?!
I think what works for one person doesn’t work for another. Jakob has always raced lots. I personally think that’s a slightly higher risk strategy (see losing/being ill/being injured) in terms of peaking when it counts. How’s that gone for him? Yes he wins lots of DL races. He should win the major championships really..
Kerr peaks when it counts. He’s more selective about racing with eyes on the big prize. This isn’t unusual! Have you seen Faith Kipyegon this year? Is she racing every week to ‘race in to shape for the Olympics?’ No she’s yet to race..
I don’t mind Jakob, I think he brings a lot to the sport. His tactic is high risk but potentially high reward. That’s how he likes to play it.
With all the smack talk they been doing it feels personal. I wish Kerr would run cause I love how Jakob races every chance he gets. I do understand why Kerr/his coach might decide to avoid Euros: to keep it consistent he never runs euros.
The "personal" part comes from a runner who doesn't know how to give credit to those who have beaten him.
You also never give credit to those who prove you wrong. You and Jakob are the same. Maybe that's why you hate him so much.
"But the difference is that Jakob was training in a professional family environment since the age 12. The theory of starting early dosent work often. See the recent results of Kerr."
--------
I think Jakob has started even before that. I think he trained rather efficiently (relative to his age) when he was 8 years old.
Starting early doesn´t work often?! Do you have some evidence for your postulate?
Do you imply that Kerr didn´t start early? Wasn´t he a great runner already as a teenager. I think so.
By the way: As I have written before on other threads Kerr is on the very top now because he is focussing more on endurance training than before. The same goes for wightman, and possible Gourley, Giles and Mills.
I don´t know so much about Kerr´s training and racing but isn´t he doing more less the same as the previous years and that seems to have been quite successful!
Jakob likes to race a lot in the season (he doesn´t like training) and yes I think he will take the many Euro races as sharpeners. And that is a good chance he will leave the Euros in improved shape.
Some people here think it is risky, including the Yorkshire guy, but I think it is a mistake. Jakob can possible qualify for the finals without going all in so it is really just and efficient way to sharpen. Even an intense 1500m final is something you recover from within some few days.
I have been both an elite (amateur) soccer player and an elite (master) runner and I can testify that a soccer match is much more tiresome than a 1500m or 5000m race.
And the professional soccer players play matches once or twice per week in most of the year. And some of them (Giggs, Ronaldo, Messi) are on the top of the world for 20+ years.
By the way : The soccer players also sharpens by competing. You can be in good shape when the season starts but you are not at your best before you have played a number of matches.
Finally: Remember the old saying: You can endure double as much as you think and...........
10 times as much as your mother thinks.
Am I the ‘Yorkshire guy’?!
I think what works for one person doesn’t work for another. Jakob has always raced lots. I personally think that’s a slightly higher risk strategy (see losing/being ill/being injured) in terms of peaking when it counts. How’s that gone for him? Yes he wins lots of DL races. He should win the major championships really..
Kerr peaks when it counts. He’s more selective about racing with eyes on the big prize. This isn’t unusual! Have you seen Faith Kipyegon this year? Is she racing every week to ‘race in to shape for the Olympics?’ No she’s yet to race..
I don’t mind Jakob, I think he brings a lot to the sport. His tactic is high risk but potentially high reward. That’s how he likes to play it.
Doesn’t mean Kerr is doing it wrong though!
Yes you are.
You are writing if I was critizicing Kerr and I didn´t. I agree with you: I wrote "it (his training and racing schedule) seems to have been quite successful".
And notice one thing: I have never critized Kerr or any other British runner (I have, however, stated that Wightman is overrated and I stand with that but he is a very nice guy).
More regarding Kerr: I stated on another thread that Kerr is judging from the Oslo 1500m 1.5 seconds in front of Jakob. I try to live up to my username.
I personally - like Jakob - liked to compete a lot and I think I got good results from that but I agree people are different -what works for one doesn´t work for another.
The "personal" part comes from a runner who doesn't know how to give credit to those who have beaten him.
You also never give credit to those who prove you wrong. You and Jakob are the same. Maybe that's why you hate him so much.
If I am like Jakob then why do you never bag him like you try to do to me? You're ful of sh*t. You never prove me wrong here. You are never right about anything.
This post was edited 3 minutes after it was posted.
I think what works for one person doesn’t work for another. Jakob has always raced lots. I personally think that’s a slightly higher risk strategy (see losing/being ill/being injured) in terms of peaking when it counts. How’s that gone for him? Yes he wins lots of DL races. He should win the major championships really..
Kerr peaks when it counts. He’s more selective about racing with eyes on the big prize. This isn’t unusual! Have you seen Faith Kipyegon this year? Is she racing every week to ‘race in to shape for the Olympics?’ No she’s yet to race..
I don’t mind Jakob, I think he brings a lot to the sport. His tactic is high risk but potentially high reward. That’s how he likes to play it.
Doesn’t mean Kerr is doing it wrong though!
1. You should include the Olympics and Euros (when they include medalist of all values from Worlds) in your list of major championships. Then Jakob doesn’t come that bad out of it…
2. Kipyegon not racing all that much this year? Well, there’s an injury problem…
3. Kerr always peaking when it counts? Based on one bronze and one gold? What about WC 2017,19 and 2022?
This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.
Replied to you but really to the OP. Wightman doesn't have a guaranteed place at the Olympics yet. Now he has the standard from Pre, he has to ensure he comes top 2 (or 3 if Kerr competes) in the 1500m at the British Championships at the end of June.
Kerr has the discretionary third place due to his Budapest gold so isn't under the same pressure but going on recent history he will be expected to make an appearance at the Championships. He may run the 800m again like last year.
Jakob is obviously guaranteed an Olympics berth so national championships is much less important and not something he has to peak for. The same for other global medalists who are going (Mondo, Bolt etc).
With this in mind, it doesn't make sense for Wightman to compete at Euros and compromise the trials, especially coming off injury. With Kerr there is less of an argument for not making himself available for selection, except that competing for continental titles is a step down from competing for global champs. As a British fan of athletics it's not something that anyone will hold against him. The athletes going will enjoy a lot of support and should be good enough to make the final and compete for medals.
This seems pretty compelling, Euros then British trials then Olympics is a lot