Donavan Brazier not running Trials - HUGE MISTAKE

I would make a plan to allow for the OT and the Olympics.

E.A wrote:

This is what it takes to make the USA Olympic Team over 800m -

2012

Nick Symmonds - 1:46.92 Prelim, 1:46.82 Semi, 1:43.92 Final

Khadevis Robinson- 1:47.30 Prelim, 1:45.83 Semi, 1:44.64 Final

Duane Solomon - 1:47.91 Prelim, 1:46.03 Semi, 1:44.65 Final

Remember the young prodigy Obea Moore said the rounds killed him over 400m at the Trials in '96. Big learning curve how to race and recover at that level.

Seems reasonable that he could make the OT Final! The 800 is such a wide open event he could run himself onto the Olympic Team! Go for it!

"He'll make the right decision when he proves that he is at that level outdoors."

The "right" decision in track, at all times, is to race your best--not necessarily your fastest, but your best.

If you are close to trials standard, you need to race as hard as possible to get that standard, to take the next step. Yes, trials is a step in itself.

If you are confident of making trials, you need to race as hard as you need to, to qualify smartly, and gear your training to performing as well as possible at trials.

Trials is a step in itself because of at least 3 things:

1) quality of competition,

2) atmosphere,

3) the size of the prize.

THAT is what track is about if you are anywhere near making a trials standard.

He should skip both juniors and the trials. He's a freshman in college, having long seasons that stretch far into the summer could lead to injury that could derail a promising career. He's gonna be raced so much through the NCAA season that while he develops he should be brought along slowly.

you don't want to run a full college season and then try and run.

146, 146 and 143 in a few days as an 18 year old.

then if you are the cat's meow, you have to run the OG.

this is a road to glory now and total destruction later.

a guy like amos did not exhaust himself before his break his games success did he?

and of course, none of the contenders for medals run hard for 5 months before the games.

symmonds has to double peak and is very careful about how he manages his schedule to peak come championship time.

however, it Brazier was not going to college at all, sure, he could focus on the trials, if he made the team, then do some races and bring it to a peak at the OG. and then call it a season. that would be fine.

RuppBuster wrote:

He should skip both juniors and the trials. He's a freshman in college, having long seasons that stretch far into the summer could lead to injury that could derail a promising career. He's gonna be raced so much through the NCAA season that while he develops he should be brought along slowly.

He's an 800 runner, so presumably not running xc next fall. You'll also notice his coach is claiming he hasn't worked very hard yet this year.

My bet is that he can extend his season to wjc no problem, because he has from wjc until next year January to recover and prep for track season 2017. It would be different if he was a 5000m runner trying to extend out to world Junior champs and make it back into a hard xc season, but he isnt. No reason for him not to run wjc.

one step deeper wrote:

I believe it's much more the A&M coaches discouraging this. If he were to show up at Trials, there would be huge shoe company pressure to go pro. A&M doesn't want this until he gets some conference/NCAA points for their program!

Bingo. When someone's decisions don't make sense, it's always wise to consider who might be controlling that person.

for all intensive purposes wrote:

malmo wrote:

It seems he has a grounded understanding of how it all works. You don't. That's rare coming from an eighteen year old. Running the World Juniors is a worthy goal in itself.

This^

People jump all over him, condescending to his coach (one of the best in the country) with drivel like "Bring this kid along slowly. Bring this kid along slowly. Bring this kid along slowly" (see the "OMG" thread).

Then, when they decide to focus on juniors AS A JUNIOR, the Letsrun twerps complain about that. Can't please anyone!

Dumb post. NO ONE would complain about any qualifier running the Trials. Meanwhile, he's passing maybe a one time chance.

You know who wrote:

8hundo wrote:

Very impressive to open up with 1:45. Hes been training pretty hard all fall if he ran his 1:14 600 in November. Hopefully he's got more in the tank.

If you qualify for the Olympic trials you HAVE TO RACE THE TRIALS. Theyre only once every 4 years. There aren't any guarantees this chance will be around in 4 years.

+1

Not running is just weak and wimpy. Grow the F up and take your shot, pu$$y! You will have earned it, and anything can happen.

Good advice. The country is full of athletes trying to hone their expressions for just the right moment. And it never arrives.

Race race race. Let the chips fall where they may. Race now, becasue tomorrow you may be dead. Or someone else may come along and take away your opportunity.

Onemomissing wrote:

Reminds me of Ashley Spencer in 2012. Nation leading time, NCAA champ, opts out of the Olympic Trials to run JRS. Goes on to win the WJR title.

Now heading into 2016 she comes off of a two year stretch where she hasn't been within 1.5s of a PB.

It's definitely a tough trade off and I'll be curious to see the outcome.

A good example.

Btw, what happened to Ashley; did she get injured?

Onemomissing wrote:

Reminds me of Ashley Spencer in 2012. Nation leading time, NCAA champ, opts out of the Olympic Trials to run JRS. Goes on to win the WJR title.

Now heading into 2016 she comes off of a two year stretch where she hasn't been within 1.5s of a PB.

Never heard of him.

Who?` wrote:

Never heard of him.

Oh I do so love the :girls are icky-poo: humour of the fifth grade.

I haven't followed the NCAA much, but reading comments from this Pat Henry dude and looking up his credentials it sounds like they know what they're doing