Official USA Indoor TNF Champs ABQ Thread

What a kick by Lagat, wins it in 7:47:53, Lomong 2nd in 7:51, Rupp 3rd in 7:57.

Had to give it to Rupp for setting the pace early and pushing Lagat to go for the last 200m.

indoor track wasn't rupp approved

There was no one even close to Lagat in that last 200. Kudos though to Rupp for setting the pace. Looks like he died hard in the last three laps. Hope it was nothing serious.

joho wrote:

That was uneventful

Oh, it was very eventful. Lomong makes the team, Rupp doesn't (only 2 slots for world indoors I think). And I think Bernard can run a flying 100 a "little" faster than 10.9.

Rupp now 0-12 lifetime against Lagat.

Maybe Rupp thought it was a 5K? I don't understand what happened. He had nothing. Lagat looked ultra smooth as usual.

lagat is a beast. the dude has 11 gears.

brilliant strategy by Rupp, they don't want to run world indoors, who the h*ll cares about them.

Oh Please wrote:

What happened to Rupp? Looks like he just gave up with 300 to go.

Seriously. Lagat put TEN SECONDS on Rupp over the last 450m!!! What the hell happened with Galen? It wasn't like the pace was that killer over the first 2k. And hasn't Rupp been living/training in ABQ? He should have been somewhat used to the altitude.

Weird.

imarunr wrote:

Oh Please wrote:

What happened to Rupp? Looks like he just gave up with 300 to go.

Seriously. Lagat put TEN SECONDS on Rupp over the last 450m!!! What the hell happened with Galen? It wasn't like the pace was that killer over the first 2k. And hasn't Rupp been living/training in ABQ? He should have been somewhat used to the altitude.

Weird.

I think a major factor in him 'dying' at the end may just be due to frustration of the same thing happening time after time he races Lagat. There is no type of race that he can beat Lagat over 3k at.. Gotta be pretty demoralizing.

george oscar bluth wrote:

3k predictions?

Lagat 7:41

Rupp 7:42

Lol @ this.

imarunr wrote:

Seriously. Lagat put TEN SECONDS on Rupp over the last 450m!!! What the hell happened with Galen? It wasn't like the pace was that killer over the first 2k. And hasn't Rupp been living/training in ABQ? He should have been somewhat used to the altitude.

Weird.

Agreed about the "weird" part. OK, so maybe Lagat can still beat Rupp but not by 10 seconds in 450 m. Heck, Rupp just ran an 8:09. No way is he dying in a 7:50ish 3k, even with some altitude.

One of two things is almost certainly true:

1) Rupp wasn't really racing. Another "ploy."

2) Rupp is sick/injured... and just hasn't bothered to tell anyone. If this is the case let's hope it's nothing serious and he'll be back in form soon.

Poppizle wrote:

I think a major factor in him 'dying' at the end may just be due to frustration of the same thing happening time after time he races Lagat. There is no type of race that he can beat Lagat over 3k at.. Gotta be pretty demoralizing.

Then what does Rupp hope to do against Bekele (Bekele > Lagat)? Perhaps Bekele is so far ahead, it doesn't seem like he's even in his races.

coach d wrote:

joho wrote:

That was uneventful

Oh, it was very eventful. Lomong makes the team, Rupp doesn't (only 2 slots for world indoors I think). And I think Bernard can run a flying 100 a "little" faster than 10.9.

Rupp now 0-12 lifetime against Lagat.

Best night eve for you Coach D, I love your hate it is so consistiant . I hope it feels good :) its like christmas for you.

Yes nice pushing of the pace, tired everyone out so much they only blew by like a freight train. It was exciting though.

I actually think my prediction would've been solid if Rupp hadn't run like crap. He would've pressed the pace a little more than he did, and then Lagat would've had his way with him, like always, but it would've resulted in a faster time.

coach d wrote:

joho wrote:

That was uneventful

Oh, it was very eventful. Lomong makes the team, Rupp doesn't (only 2 slots for world indoors I think). And I think Bernard can run a flying 100 a "little" faster than 10.9.

Rupp now 0-12 lifetime against Lagat.

"Each Member is entitled to enter up to three athletes in each event of the Championships..."

Rupp still made the team. I think Salazar wanted him to try only as hard as he had to get top 3. Thats my $.02

Uneventful, I agree. Let Lagat set the pace for a change,

just to have a new strategy. Maybe it'd be as slow as the

women's 2:34 800 meter mark.

I was distracted by the "members watching" counter,

which was at 3300 during the men's 3000, and after

Lagat's victory speech, fell below 2000, and then

they take it off once it goes under 1000.

Hey doofus (Fluffy)....one freaking sentence later.... "but only two may compete"

well done. Rupp didn't make the team. don't worry, nothing we didn't already know. only you, apparently. rupp needs more thyroid meds.

Rupp started to strain with maybe four laps to go. Stride looked good but you could see it in his face. Lagat went to the front for two laps and then Rupp just lost contact and eventually packed it in. Lomong looked strong. Stronger than I expected. Lagat's acceleration when he made his push to the line was incredible. Watching that guy run is something else.