Blankenship May Move Up to 10k (This is not a joke)

That grimy mop has to be worth at least 60 sec.

LRC doesn't realize its being trolled.

BB is a great talent but his greatest skill is running his mouth. He spouts untruths constantly, such as when he claimed he had his hip replaced. Completely and utterly untrue.

Does anyone really think his coach would allow him to run 10k?

Hankypankenship wrote:

BB will NOT make the team in the 1500. He has no confidence in his ability to close with Centro, Andrews and Manzano. Those 3 will leave the field behind in the final 400. You need both the physical as well as the mental. It's in BB's head.

This will be Manzano's last Olympics so he will be dialed in. Wheating too goofy and injury prone. Merber not strong enough mentally. Heath - it is not a meaningless race in the mud in January - again, no chance.

When the pressure is on you better be ready to roll with the big boys.

I agree that he's at a disadvantage vs those guys, let us not forget that he missed last year's team by .01 against the same group.

Oly Trials 10k will be almost/equally as difficult as the 1500.

Rupp has already stated the 10k is his focus this year and will be the huge favorite.

Then . . . Mead, Derrick, Kipchirchir, Rono, along with Ritz and all the other marathon guys such as Chelanga & Estrada who did not make the team last month.

Blankenship may be interested in the 10k because it is a one-race final vs. having to run quarters & semis & finals in the 1500 or semis & finals in the 5k.

Possibly, he feels the heats will take too much out of him.

This is what Molly Huddle has stated as her reason for moving up the 10k last year . . . the 5k semi heat drains her too much for the final.

Edinburgh was not a "meaningless race in the mud in January" but a climactic high point of the cross country season. Now Heath placed fourth in the 1500 (running about a 1:53 last 800) after finishing a close fifth in the 3K. He will be in the mix in whatever race he chooses.

Hankypankenship wrote:[quote]Hankypankenship wrote: Heath - it is not a meaningless race in the mud in January - again, no chance. When the pressure is on you better be ready to roll with the big boys.

surely the 5k is an easier team to make than 1500 or 10k, besides True its pretty open Blank couldmake that team

huh69 wrote:

surely the 5k is an easier team to make than 1500 or 10k, besides True its pretty open Blank couldmake that team

I'd say Hill is a favorite as well. Maybe Derrick will double? Where's Bumby? Lagat off anything slower than 13:15 pace is a big threat.

The guy who should consider moving up at some point is Wheating. Lanana said long ago that Wheating could be great at 5000, and I think he finished around 70th at NCAA cross is frosh or soph coming out of a nothing high school program. Certainly there is a lot less traffic to negotiate at the end of a typical 5000 than 1500, which is good for his long frame.

Regarding Ben, he's probably been throttled in a few workouts by guys like Wheating, JMac, etc. and knows if he can't even stay with his teammates, it won't be more promising going up against them AND Centro, Manzano, Andrews etc.

I forgot about Hill and Heath and Lagat but I still reckon he's got a shot.

if Wheating can stay healthy for long enough I agree, his time asa 800/1500 guy is probably coming to a close

Blankenship isn't fast enough for the 1500 or possess the high aerobic capabilities for the 10,000.

He's a talker and good at baiting LRC types.

When in the crucible, he fails.

Hankypankenship wrote:

BB will NOT make the team in the 1500. He has no confidence in his ability to close with Centro, Andrews and Manzano. Those 3 will leave the field behind in the final 400. You need both the physical as well as the mental. It's in BB's head.

This will be Manzano's last Olympics so he will be dialed in. Wheating too goofy and injury prone. Merber not strong enough mentally. Heath - it is not a meaningless race in the mud in January - again, no chance.

When the pressure is on you better be ready to roll with the big boys.

You think pretty highly of yourself don't you?

What's your IQ and your 5K PR?

'Get busses out of Monticello, everything's cool, everything's real cool...'

But don't start the 'what's your pr' nonsense, it's irrelevant.

plus Ritz, Derrick and all of the other "semi-desperate to make the Oly team" marathon runners will be in there.if rupp doesn't do the 5k, BB should go 5k if anything.At some point in your life, you have to face the facts of your talent and genetics though, and not shuffle around finding the "easier" routehe was just frustrated after the race. he's been on the cusp a few times now, 4th in the US trials for WC's last year tooalso someone should make him a wikipedia page!

milethon wrote:

I like the guy, but no way is he making the 10,000 team. He at least has an outside chance in the 1500.

Even in a slow tactical race, the pace won't drop much off 28:45 pace. How comfortably can he run at that pace and still have something left for a 2:30 last kilometer?

Steeplechase might be better with his speed

Wheating has run 1:44.5/3:30.9 . Dudes problem is staying healthy, not his race distance. Showing up 75th junior year of XC isn't remotely impressive. A guy like Webb was 11th as a freshman.

Steeple the Chase wrote:

Steeplechase might be better with his speed

That's actually a really good point. I really don't see him running a good enough 10k, but if he has decent hurdling ability the steeple would make a ton of sense.

And, as it turned out, Webb was able to run a solid 10000m.

the exile wrote:

And, as it turned out, Webb was able to run a solid 10000m.

Solid, but not better. Blankenship is hoping he will somehow be better at 10k than 1500. Slim to no chance of that. Steeple on the other hand is worth a try.

I do think pretty highly of myself. What does that have to do with my lame 5k time or my IQ?

Blankenship is damn good at hopping a fence.

Perhaps there's a cross over skill set there.