snowdays wrote:
This 400/800 vs 800/Mile debate is precisely why the 800 HS record is so hard to break.
The 800 is the 800. It doesn't matter if you're "Speed Based" or "Aerobic Based" as long as the primary goal is getting better at the 800m. A kid who is capable of running 1:46 in an American HS is going to be good at many other things and training will deviate from optimal 800m training because of that. Yeah, you can get really good at the 800m while running XC or running the 200m. But we're talking about #1.
Hell, forget about Cross Country and Sprinting... Guys like Isaiah Harris and Brandon Miller were literally playing basketball in HS!
Consider that a U19 Kenyan/Brit/Pole/Spaniard runs faster than the US HS Record almost every year. They start specializing way earlier.
1. Yes, this. Has there been an in-depth study as to why thee countries with SIGNIFICANTLY smaller populations create U20 800 runners much much faster than ours? What are the things that they are doing that we are not?
2. I'm seeing Alan Webb brought up alot. Its worth remembering he was a 47 high runner in school. He was an aerobic beast but he still had a speed component its worth remembering about that carried him to that 1:47.74.
Overall, I just don't see Aaron Sahlman getting the record. He is missing that speed that he's gonna need to break it. I think he does have a shot at the 1 mile and maybe the 2 mile record, and I do expect him to run something fast in the 800 - maybe 1:47 high.