Hull & Hall, recent gold medalists in World XC over 2k, just lost in a paced 3k to a woman who just gave birth to a child?

Fan Out West -> wrote:

Awsi Dooger wrote:

Part of this is not complicated. Jessica Hull is extremely likable and popular. She dependably runs very fast times.

Outside of Australia, she almost never wins.

Somehow that is lost on those who fixate on time. But it's a simple reference point for me, with a background in horse racing past performance charts and also in head to head results in all sports. How do you fare against your peers? Every season when I look at Jessica's bottom line on World Athletics I see lots of 2s, 3s and 4s but very few 1s. . .

But one of those "1s" was her 5:19.70/2000 WR.

And one of her "2s" was her 3:50.83/1500 Oceania record, ranking Jess 5th performer A-T.

Just happens to be racing during Kipyegon & Tsegay's peak years. Faith especially; categorically unbeatable on the track at the 1500/mile in ways Jakob can only dream of.

Recall Jess recently mentioned her focus this year is on the 800 & 1500. If she has modified her training to emphasize more speed at the expense of endurance, then her rather dramatic fall-off over the last kilo in today's 3000 race is not surprising. Jess never loses to Linden, so this explanation or an undisclosed recent illness could explain today's results.

Clovis wrote:

Slo-Jo wrote:

I follow Ellie on IG. She did not back off of training much at all with this baby. Took off just a short window after the birth and then was right back to training. I don’t think she lost much fitness this time, but today was still impressive. I thought she would run well, but I did not see her dominating Jess Hull like that yet. She is so tough physically and mentally, and she has so much experience. I think she has just figured out with this second kid how to come back even better and faster. I love that the has changed that whole mindset for women that childbirth is the end of running fast. I also think she loves to prove people wrong and enjoys being the trailblazer for aspiring mom’s who are also professional athletes. She is such a boss!

I'm a big fan of ESP, but I think the idea that "childbirth is the end of running fast" was dismissed decades ago at least. When I started running in the '80s, I remember Valerie Brisco-Hooks winning 200-400 gold in '84 as a mother. She wasn't the first or the last. Many have speculated that giving birth actually helps an athlete. Here's a list that came up after Googling "athletes who improve after giving birth":

Key Examples of Athletes Who Improved or Excelled Post-Birth
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Track & Field): Returned to win World Championship gold medals after having her son.
Faith Kipyegon (Running): Broke multiple world records after giving birth.
Nia Ali (Track & Field): Won world championship medals after becoming a mother.
Dara Torres (Swimming): Set an American record and won Olympic medals at age 41, shortly after having a child.
Paula Radcliffe (Marathon): Won the New York City Marathon less than 10 months postpartum.
Kara Goucher (Marathon): Set a personal best at the 2011 Boston Marathon just 7 months after giving birth.
Chelsea Sodaro (Triathlon): Won the Ironman World Championship in 2022, 18 months after giving birth.
Kim Clijsters (Tennis): Won three Grand Slam titles after returning from maternity leave.
Kikkan Randall (Skiing): Won a world championship medal after giving birth.