Holy sh!t here we go again with the WR nonsense. It’s everywhere. He ran 3:27 with 1450m of pacing, and now he can run 3:25 after not breaking 3:30 all year? Jesus Christ. Why doesn nader go for the world record? Lyles runs 19.5 and suddenly next year he can go 19.1. Delusional. Habs ran 3:27 this year. Why can’t he just run 3:25?
I hope if Jakob goes for any records this year he gets serious pacing help. His 3:43 had 900 meters for himself and 1609 meters for Yared. I think El G had 1200.
It’d be cool to see what he could do with 1200 of a 1500 or 1300 of a mile. See if the diamond league or Nike or whoever could bring in a top 10 guy in the world to pace him. I think the most obvious choice would be Tim Cheruiyot, or maybe Kessler? Maybe Yared, but I don’t know if I see him doing that.
It’s funny on the women’s side, top competitors like Hull are leaping at the chance to pace Kipyegon. I’m sure Jakob talking the way he does eliminates a few guys on the men’s side from wanting to do the same
Holy sh!t here we go again with the WR nonsense. It’s everywhere. He ran 3:27 with 1450m of pacing, and now he can run 3:25 after not breaking 3:30 all year? Jesus Christ. Why doesn nader go for the world record? Lyles runs 19.5 and suddenly next year he can go 19.1. Delusional. Habs ran 3:27 this year. Why can’t he just run 3:25?
I think a lot of it has to do with people thinking Hocker is younger than he actually is, but there's less than a year apart in age between him and Jakob.
Why are people talking about a guy who has run 3:27 once, with 1400m of pacing, and his second best time is him barely being able to crack 3:30 as a likely world record candidate?
Jakob isn't much older than Hocker, but Hocker also was not doing serious mileage when he was 12 years old.
that's a good point. when Jakob was already running 3:30.16 in 2018(without superspike, going from DFL to 5th in the last lap), Hocker didn't even have results on IAAF and barely broke 4 in 2020.
The only way Hocker breaks either record is if he sits on someone until 100m to go.
Yeah I'm struggling to see or understand the path to a WR for Hocker here.
Also what, we've finally figured out that Jakob isn't going to get this record, so the new guy by default is Hocker?
I'll say this right now, if Hocker even just broke 3.27.0 it would be an absolutely incredible performance from him. Why? Because to run to that sort of time you have to be prepared to commit to the front of the race and in his entire career we have never seen him do this in the level of race he would need to do it in.
There have been 7 sub 3.27 races in history (and 8 performances) and all but one of them were non-competitive, blow-out time trial races.
El G 3.26.0 - 2nd place Laban Rotich 3.30.9
El G 3.26.12 - 2nd Lagat 3.26.34 - the only actually competitive sub 3.27.0 race ever
El G 3.26.45 - 2nd Rotich 3.29.91
Kiprop 3.26.69 - 2nd Makhloufi 3.28.75
Jakob 3.26.73 - 2nd Cheruiyot 3.28.71
El G 3.26.89 - 2nd Chirchir 3.30.88
El G 3.26.91 - 2nd Shabunin 3.34.63
I think it's just too simplistic to say "well with no major champs in 2026 this is when he will finally go for a time". I just don't think that is who he is. Jakob is wired to get out in front, chase split and numbers. Hocker is wired to chase guys down and muscle past them in the final 100m of races, but as I showed above it's extraordinarily rare for that scenario to play out in the really quick 1500m.
So you'd be relying on Jakob to get back fully healthy, forgo another season trying for the 5000m record (because the physical requirements for the 1500m and 5000m records are not the same and need specific in training) and have him basically pace Hocker through 1200m in 2.45.5 - essentially replicate the 2001 Brussels race just a half second or so faster through 1200m. Seriously, that is really wishful thinking - I'm not even convinced Jakob will ever be back in sub 3.27 shape which I'm sure upsets all the fanboys, but we will see.
I don't even think he needs it. He is already establishing himself as one of the greatest 1500m competitors ever. Honestly I think he should spend 2026 not over-racing/focussing on the 1500m and really try and run a great 2000m/3000m outdoors, and also try and run a great mile. If he can win the 1500m in 27 and then repeat in 2028 (which he has the ability to) then he is on the Mt Rushmore of the event with El G, Morceli and Coe and it might be a long time until anyone even challenges that.
He can probably break the Mile WR if he sits behind Nuguse at Pre or something.
If you were in Hocker’s shoes, what would you prioritize most for the 2026 season? Which would mean more to his legacy? Getting a gold in both 1500 and 5k at world ultimate champs or breaking the 1500m WR?
He will get buried by Nader and R. Cheruiyot new levels.
The only way Hocker breaks either record is if he sits on someone until 100m to go.
Yeah I'm struggling to see or understand the path to a WR for Hocker here.
Also what, we've finally figured out that Jakob isn't going to get this record, so the new guy by default is Hocker?
I'll say this right now, if Hocker even just broke 3.27.0 it would be an absolutely incredible performance from him. Why? Because to run to that sort of time you have to be prepared to commit to the front of the race and in his entire career we have never seen him do this in the level of race he would need to do it in.
There have been 7 sub 3.27 races in history (and 8 performances) and all but one of them were non-competitive, blow-out time trial races.
El G 3.26.0 - 2nd place Laban Rotich 3.30.9
El G 3.26.12 - 2nd Lagat 3.26.34 - the only actually competitive sub 3.27.0 race ever
El G 3.26.45 - 2nd Rotich 3.29.91
Kiprop 3.26.69 - 2nd Makhloufi 3.28.75
Jakob 3.26.73 - 2nd Cheruiyot 3.28.71
El G 3.26.89 - 2nd Chirchir 3.30.88
El G 3.26.91 - 2nd Shabunin 3.34.63
I think it's just too simplistic to say "well with no major champs in 2026 this is when he will finally go for a time". I just don't think that is who he is. Jakob is wired to get out in front, chase split and numbers. Hocker is wired to chase guys down and muscle past them in the final 100m of races, but as I showed above it's extraordinarily rare for that scenario to play out in the really quick 1500m.
So you'd be relying on Jakob to get back fully healthy, forgo another season trying for the 5000m record (because the physical requirements for the 1500m and 5000m records are not the same and need specific in training) and have him basically pace Hocker through 1200m in 2.45.5 - essentially replicate the 2001 Brussels race just a half second or so faster through 1200m. Seriously, that is really wishful thinking - I'm not even convinced Jakob will ever be back in sub 3.27 shape which I'm sure upsets all the fanboys, but we will see.
I don't even think he needs it. He is already establishing himself as one of the greatest 1500m competitors ever. Honestly I think he should spend 2026 not over-racing/focussing on the 1500m and really try and run a great 2000m/3000m outdoors, and also try and run a great mile. If he can win the 1500m in 27 and then repeat in 2028 (which he has the ability to) then he is on the Mt Rushmore of the event with El G, Morceli and Coe and it might be a long time until anyone even challenges that.
I’m not going to read your whole post, but I agree with your overall take. Paris 2024 was basically an all out time trial for Cole with Jakob serving as the rabbit. Right under 3:27 would be about what Cole is physiologically capable of. No shame in that. Jakob has tried countless times and still can’t touch 3:26 flat. Sub 3:27 is ridiculously fast. El G was a freak. My bet is Jakob never comes close to the WR again.
If I were Cole, and if I wanted to shut people up, I would just focus on winning races as much as possible next season with no major championships. Run on the rail in every race, conserve energy, wait for an opening, and kick for the win. Win as easy as possible. I think WR time trials would be a waste of time. I don’t know much about the World Ultimate Championships, but if it is not on the level of WC or OG and does not pay out well, then Cole doesn’t need to invest too much worry in peaking and could just focus on winning races throughout the season. If the DL is on, he should obviously focus on winning on the circuit and qualify for the DL final.
Does it matter when that one race is the Olympic Games, the world championships, and the ncaa championships?
If he wants to be the best? Yes, the best runners win more than one race every year and go for world records. For Hocker? Probably not, because we've seen that he's content with jogging for an easy pay day in the GST rather than going for world records outside of the global championships. But he has to decide on something since there's no global championships next year and the GST was a scam.
Neither. As others have said, as Olympic champion he needs to win more races. It's embarrassing he loses as many races as he does. Jakob and Kerr are just as successful at championship racing but they rarely lose races period, championship or otherwise.
If you were in Hocker’s shoes, what would you prioritize most for the 2026 season? Which would mean more to his legacy? Getting a gold in both 1500 and 5k at world ultimate champs or breaking the 1500m WR?
Cole Hocker in a lot of ways is like Mo Farah from Britain. He's a great championship runner who is also decently fast and a great kick. Mo was not a true WR holder, his WB is in an obscure event. It remains to be seen if his career will be similar to Mo's and maybe he finds an obscure WB to get before he retires.
If you were in Hocker’s shoes, what would you prioritize most for the 2026 season? Which would mean more to his legacy? Getting a gold in both 1500 and 5k at world ultimate champs or breaking the 1500m WR?
Cole Hocker in a lot of ways is like Mo Farah from Britain. He's a great championship runner who is also decently fast and a great kick. Mo was not a true WR holder, his WB is in an obscure event. It remains to be seen if his career will be similar to Mo's and maybe he finds an obscure WB to get before he retires.
Mo Farah actually won a lot of races outside of WC/Oly. From 2012-17, he's 23-2 in the 5k and pretty much undefeated in the 10k. Cole is great, but his stats leave a lot to be desired he wants to be regarded as an all-time great.
Hocker should try to surpass Webb's 3:46.91. It's definitely in his wheelhouse. Nuguse has done it three times outdoor, and one time indoor, and Kessler has done it once indoor (3:46.90)