Haha amusing that the one pessimistic response is from notorious Jakob-hater Nick Kipleri, who also told us that Kiptum setting a WR in Chicago was impossible, but let’s be real: these are more realistic season’s bests than the guy who predicted a 3:41.23 mile.
Would Nuguse or Cheruiyot be willing to? El G had Ngeny go to 1200 which Jakob probably needs to be able to break the record.
The absolute perfect scenario for Jakob might be: Kessler finishes 4th at USAs, missing the team, and then paces 1250 meters at 3:26 flat pace in Silesia on pure hate before racing some combo of Lausanne/Brussels/Zurich over the following 12 days. This is pure fantasy, mind you.
I do feel like Cameron Myers and Kessler might be more likely to accept this gig than Nuguse or Cheruiyot…able to take it less personally because of their young age, choosing to look at it as valuable experience and practice for what they someday hope to do. Myers did in fact pace the Bowerman mile in 2023, when Jakob and Nuguse ran 3:43.
Stefan Nillessen (22 year old Dutchman, 2:15/3:30 last year) would be another great candidate.
Kessler isn’t pacing for anyone. His mentality won’t allow him to do that.
Would Nuguse or Cheruiyot be willing to? El G had Ngeny go to 1200 which Jakob probably needs to be able to break the record.
The absolute perfect scenario for Jakob might be: Kessler finishes 4th at USAs, missing the team, and then paces 1250 meters at 3:26 flat pace in Silesia on pure hate before racing some combo of Lausanne/Brussels/Zurich over the following 12 days. This is pure fantasy, mind you.
I do feel like Cameron Myers and Kessler might be more likely to accept this gig than Nuguse or Cheruiyot…able to take it less personally because of their young age, choosing to look at it as valuable experience and practice for what they someday hope to do. Myers did in fact pace the Bowerman mile in 2023, when Jakob and Nuguse ran 3:43.
Stefan Nillessen (22 year old Dutchman, 2:15/3:30 last year) would be another great candidate.
Of the top five, Kessler is the most likely to have improved from last and wanting him to not make the team to become effing pacer is deranged. He’s not going to do it in any scenario, anyway.
Running to complete the race and getting a PR is better experience than running a fast 1250m.
An uninterrupted block of base training unlike last year, and his indoor performances reflect he’s on pace for a stellar season. Regardless, sub 3:26 will be very difficult to achieve. Potentially, if Nuguse continues to perform at his current rate, or Hocker competes at a diamond league within two weeks of the world champs( which I doubt he will), we could see a 3:26.XX out of them. And who knows, Kessler has been lying low and training this season, maybe he is the next 1500 shocker and/or 3:27 guy.
If he has a good day and conditions are right I think he can get the 1500 and mile records. Why not? He got Komen's 3k record that literally every great middle/long distance track runner has chased since it was achieved. Having said that in my opinion he's slightly less likely (not by much) to get the 1500 record than the 5k.
This post was edited 25 seconds after it was posted.