Hobbs Kessler Wins BAA Mile

Honestly though, you have to like it when anyone on Letsrun actually says "thank you" or offers to think about a different approach to posting. You have to give people credit for that.

Most of the time, trolls like to get downvoted. Slow Time is at least willing to do better. That is an upgrade from like 99% of the posters we would normally call trolls.

I could think of a few reasons why he did BAA instead of Bryan Clay. Probably easy prize/appearance fee money, he’s just getting his training started and isn’t prepared to run that fast, or maybe this was just an early test to see how his current training is comparing to Nick Willis in the past.

Nice exchange there.

I would think baa was a nice little pay day for the Very Nice Track Club.

The only race that matters for Kessler in 2023 is the usatf 1500m final I believe on July 9. If he makes world team, it's a very successful year, if not he'll run a series of European and DL meets afterward.

His team will have a plan in place to go from a 4:08 road mile on April 16 to a 3:33ish 1500m on July 9. He will have to be healthy and execute the plan to be top 3.

As he rounds into form, you'll see him in a few meets in May and June.

I'd like to see our pros more often, but as long as contracts focus on world/Olympic performance we won't.

And based on his interview, I think the main reason is adidas asking him to run this and another road mile that they sponsor (Atlanta?). He was given a big contract and he feels obligated to race at the big Adidas events. That's typical of a kid who doesn't yet have the results/confidence to tell his sponsor "no, that doesn't fit in my training schedule".

I think for Kessler it makes complete sense, in his current fitness. Consider his racing history since he made it to the elite level:

High school: either dominating HS competition or running no-pressure elite races

Pro running: racing some fast times but rarely in contention for the win outside of some relatively curated races in Michigan.

So the opportunity to mix it up with other pros and come out with a win - even if it wasn't the top pros in the country - is great learning at this stage of his career.

If he won the road mile in Boston by 5 seconds, that may say great things about his fitness, but at that point I would question the race choice if he wouldn't learn anything tactically or get credit for a really fast track time.

Kid is ugly. Who cares. Career's over.

Ding Ding Ding., he doesn't feel obligated. he IS obligated, I am surprised how few know how this works, he has a huge deal with Adidas. Adidas, says "we want you at this one" or that one? You go. He has another 1 on 5/6 in Atlanta.Another Adidas sponsored event, they want you, you show up, it's not about confidence to say no. Even Sydney Mc had to make an apperane in an "off" event at NB, that did not do her any good and she was dusted, nobody cared, not people that understand this. Then the track racing starts, this is potentially a long year going forward, he needs to chase a 1500 Q'er...and there is other stuff as well. For some of you ..you DO NOT need to be curious..this is what it is.If you want a legit question answered regarding Kessler , I will answer. There was no need to beat this around so much. Look at who the main sponsors of events are, you will see who turns up. He IS fit..you do not need to be sharp in April/May this year. How many people thought Fisher or even Teare would run faster? It's April 17th.

And for you , since Thank you seems to be the key here..not getting that from me..LOL. But I will say this Ron knows exactly what he is doing..Willis is a two time OG medalist and once an World Indoor Games Medalist. I would not ponder too hard about Kessler's prep.

I think people are just worried that he is going to route of German Fernandez, they were both HS standouts and it isn't easy to stay at that level forever.

Sometimes people burn so brightly they flame out. But as Neil Young says, "better to burn out than to rust".