citius99 wrote:
symmonds also said he will be doing 2 time trials prior to Bejing; a 1000m 3 weeks out and then a 400m time trial. those should help get him race ready.
Time trials have nothing to do with being race ready, ask Alan Webb.
Race ready means you're comfortable going out and running hard and having a bunch of fast guys next to you.
I don't see why this is so hard to understand. Unless you're the top dog - El G, etc. - you've got to race. It might not be much different physically from a time trial, but it sure is different psychologically. Someone brought up Coe blowing the 800 in '80 - but he still wound up with the silver medal, to a Ovett, who was a stud.
We're talking about a guy in Symmonds, who has never even made an international final, and posters here are talking about a potential medal if he makes the final! As it stands right now, 6 guys have run faster than Symmonds this season, with guys like Borza and Reed rounding into form (and the Herculis meet tomorrow.)
Bottom line: not racing is pretty foolish, and I'd be surprised if Symmonds makes the semi-finals and shocked if he makes the finals.