Rabbitless Grand Prix Final 3,000 meters

Maybe the non-kickers know something we don't as Sammy

Kipketer and Abraham Chebili (front runners) chose

not to push the pace. The end results wasn't to bad for the those two considering SUPER kickers Paul Bitok and Luke

Kip. was in the race. I think it was a long season and everyone made their money quota and didn't want or care to

push the pace.

Vipam

I think you may be right that these guys simply didn't fancy a fast race on the day. However, if there were no pacemakers athletes would have to start employing other tactics. Some would try to slow things down, others may try to take it on, but I'm convinced that the overall effect would be beneficial, certainly in the long term.

And another thing. I think there is something fundamentally different about running fast behind a someone when you know they are going to drop out and when you are flat-out behind someone you know isn't going to drop out - that's one reason why Paula Radcliffe is so good. If she was a pacemaker, the other girls would go with her no problem (certainly for much longer).

What I want to know is what has happened to the athlete who executes a long drive for the finish? Surely there were some in the field who didn't really believe that their best chance of winning was to make it a 200m race. Why not go from 600, 800, or 1200 out?

Using myself as an example:

I'm mainly a 1500m runner, and while I don't have nearly the sprint speed that a lot of runners I compete against do, I still do fairly well without using classic "front running" style. I really don't like leading at all, but I still recognize that I'm not going to be able to hang if it comes down to the last 100m, and the previous 1400m have been slow. So I generelly tuck in behind the leaders until 4-600m out, at which point I make a strong move. This isn't front running, but it still put some crap in the kickers' legs, so that even if I don't break away and it does come down to the last 100, I've got more left then they do.

Cram comes to mind as someone who perfected this art...He could still do well by letting it dwindle down to the last 150, but realized that he had a better chance of winning big races if he made the pace hard from 3-600m out.

I understand not wanting to lead any more than necessary, but if you're like 90% of the athletes in the field, your best chance of winning is not to turn a 1500, 3k, or 5k into a 100m dash. Surely there was someone like this in the field on Saturday?

I agree - e.g. where are the guys that can wind it up with 2-3 laps to go on a 5k? To be honest, I think too many coaches encourage their athletes to sit in and kick. It seems to me that many runners overestimate their kick over the last 200m or so, and after all there's only ever one winner.

you guys are analyzing this too much. The fact is on any given day any one of those guys in the entire field has good reason to believe they could outkick everyone else over the last 200. Even off of a slow pace. The competition is that deep. Although I've never seen Kipketer win a true kickers race he has won more than a few fast paced ones with a last 100 to 150 (Oslo 2000). As for the others I don't know.

Every year at this time you see something like this. I remember watching Tokyo 5000 go in 15:40 once about 15 years ago.

Ok, well how about this wierd little rule for a starter idea:

In rabbit-less championship races longer than two laps, a runner has to drop out if they come through each lap slower than a particular time. It doesn't have to be super fast, but fast enough to eliminate situations like that 3k and the Goodwill 5k. That 3k could have been 65 sec./lap or something, so it's at least 8-flat pace or so, and if they wanted to go that slow, you'd still at least see a 7:50 or 55.

For the 5k, it could be 67 or 68 per lap or something. Obviously, this rule would have to be tried in a single meet to be tested, and also be flexible for different meets and conditions.

Vipam,

Intersting that you can call Kipketer, Limo and Chebii gutless. If they are gutless, what does it take to have guts?

Once again I dont think Americans fully undertands the African mindset when it comes to running.

Its really NOT seen as a sport, as much as it is here. Runners dont care about splits and rabbits, and WR's believe it or not. Its a job that has to be done to put food on the table. No more no less.

If your boss doesnt stand over you and whip you for results, wouldnt you slack off and still take home the $$?

Same concept here. Does that mean they're slackers or gutless? Hardly. Its all in a days work. If its not entertaining or fast enough for you, too bad, there are mouths to feed and more hard races to be run.

And its this difference in mindset that is hard to beat. If we take running as a sport that we want to do well at (yes even our elites), and others take it as a job that could lead to hunger, guess whos more focused on winning?

K

I wouldn't say that they are gutless, I would say that "it is a very boring race to watch."

These guys have to know that they are primarily in the ENTERTAINMENT business. They are free to run any pace that they want, but if the crowds in the stands and on TV are not ENTERTAINED, then it becomes a rather boring sport to watch.

Jason

If the Kenyans don't care about fast times or WRs, then there's even more reason to get rid of pacemakers.

They can do the hell they want. They aren't a school of fish that decides to swim slow - they are thinking individuals gambling on their speed.

A race is unique - like each wave that breaks on the shore - each race never results in the same way.

Running a race is art - not science, thats for the cheating coaches.

Sometimes the will to win overides the rational mind.

I think I should stop.

My coach joked, "If I knew the pace was going to be 8:33, I would rather send you to the Final Grand Prix!"

I have a plan, I want to run as fast as I can till I burst my lungs, die on track in honour, Dont care about the time, get my statues all over the IAAF headquarters in every country. And the kenyans can learn from me on 'how to run the noble way'.

Hell yeah right!

A slow rabbitless race is even more boring than a race where the field lets the rabbit get away.

Further to the comments about "entertainment value," all those of you who thought runners were underpaid -- in the same meet with a WR in the 100, a bunch of fast distance guys run a 3k that would be considered slow if there were 35 barriers in the way -- while I am in the camp that says "The guys can race however they want, and we shouldn't second-guess them" I hastily add they they did not do any favors for people who want more meets to hold a gerater range of distance events, nor for those who want MD's to pay for distance runners.

Boring race + weak marks = low value.

Paying customers saw the distance-running equivalent of Randy Johnson and Barry Bonds playing a game of catch. (For non-US/Japan/Latin readers, those are two US baseball stars, and "catch" is just tossing a ball back and forth).

If there were more rabbitles races at elite levels I think at first they would be quite slow. Soon though, some athletes would begin to realise they have a chance of winning if they adopt a more aggresive tactic and you would see more variety in the types of distance races.

I don't know if anyone saw them, but the men's and women's 10k races at the Commonwelath Games and the European Championships were all excellent.

These guys all thought they could win in the last 400 meter. I have no doubt about that. Sammy K went from last to first at 410 meters going into lane 4 to get around everyone. He got completely smoked around the last turn though. To me the race was boring. I mean you can tell the guys are jogging. That is not exciting to me to watch even though you know the finish will be interesting. To me, it seems more intersting seeing who is going to give up last, not who is going to start to run first. I agree that they are in the entertainment business so if most people agree with me I think they should be given incentive to run up to their abilities (part of their check depends on it).

I believe that given the experience these fellows have between them, they do so know how to race. A race is a blank canvas. They all have the potential to turn out every which way as I?m sure you would agree. You never know how you?ll feel, you never know how things may turn out. If you achieved the same result each time out, it would be a bit boring, wouldn?t it?

Monty

bazza, who wouldnt want to see those...

they ate too many fried CCHHIICCKKEENN.

Koech

I retract the gutless comment on Sammy Kipketer. That little guy runs with unabandoned spirit most of his races on

the track and roads. The point about slacking off is understandable but there comes a point in that race when the

non-kickers should think maybe I should inject some serious

surges or pick up the pace. The entire field is not capable

of running 24-25 seconds last 200m, regardless of how slow the pace is. The individuals who know they aren't the most

explosive kickers SHOULD NOT ALLOW AN 8:30 pace at no time.

Vipam

They should be ashamed of that pace. I haven't heard anyone call for a WR attempt by these guys, but atleast break 8:10. A lot of those guys are 12:55 5000m runners. How they could feel comfortable going at that pace is beyond me. That time would not have won some of the bigger high school track meets.