We also will be doing a live watch praty and reaction show starting 5 minutes before the race (so 1:55 pm ET) and then going on for as long as we need to afterwards:
On that point, the pack wasn't nearly close enough to provide enough benefit of the draft. Going as slow as one does in running, you've got to be close. Like clipping heels, bumping elbows close
I’m interested to know what data the people at Nike have that made them feel that sub 4:00 was a feasible outcome. They bet a lot of money and PR on this. With no disrespect to Faith, I didn’t think there was any shot at her running sub 4:00 unless they were setting up industrial fans circling the track and using illegal shoes or spikes. I think the only way a woman runs sub 4:00 with our current training knowledge and technology would be to use extreme levels of doping, like female to male hormone replacement therapy type stuff.
Honestly huge kudos to Faith for taking a honest stab at it though. Super gutsy.
I hope someone just read that paper on drafting a few months back and thought “hey, why not see if Faith’s down to give it a shot?” I know they turned into a whole production, but, honestly, may as well see what happens after everything she’s done. Pretty solid risk-reward proposition, since I don’t think anyone serious is going to think less of Faith (or, for the most part, Nike) for giving it a go. And if the fancy scientists ended up being right, they could both take the mother of all victory laps.
Bonus points if it was a random intern who threw it out there as a joke and got to watch it snowball into this shindig.
Today the police put me in handcuffs and arrested me. After I spent the night in jail and posted bail, I went back home. My father greeted me and asked what I was arrested for. “Faith Kipyegon” I just replied. He just frowned and shook his head. He knew that it was fraud.
But don’t you find it like some sort of one night stand. Like the crowd and athletes coming together to feed off of each other’s inherent sexual energies in lightening quick time of about 4:06 minutes and then ej*culate* and it’s all over just like that? Like as fast as a one night stand quickie? And the participants all seemed way too obliging with half baked smiles, reluctant hi-fis and strange chatter bordering on soliloquy? Like the vibe all seems fake as hell. Even that interview lady outright told a lie to the viewers by telling Faith she made it or did it and achieved the impossible milestone. She didn’t event threaten the 4:06 barrier.
Perhaps - thats an interesting metaphorical way to describe it :D
I think if it wasn't clear before, it should have been clear watching the production and just listening to the commentary/narratives pushed in the hour it was on. And all the Nike interns instructed to get on this messageboard can get upset and downvote this like an earlier comment I made, but this was PR initiative focused on running and women in-running. And I think that it's pretty clear that they needed a barrier to challenge because that was part of the campaign - "women can take on barriers too - just like men" and she was the best positioned athlete on their roster to build that story around. But for this to play out like 99% of people thought it would (not negativity, just objective reality) - there is simply no way her team around her saw any indication it would be possible either.
But it obviously wasn't the point. Like the good old marketing adage "people don't buy what you make, they buy why you make it" - what she actually ended up doing was secondary to why she was trying to do it, and that is what has mattered here. She is a fantastic asset for a brand like Nike and they utilized her as such. Could people not pick up on this from the comments every single person on the production said? From Swangard to Lewis, to Nwodim trackside, Diljeet and Keely - it was all very consistent.
I wasn’t the originator of the one night stand comment in all humility. I took inspiration from the remote viewing expert Khamis who mentioned about the event being similar to the Bonnie 2000 orgy.
I too had a problem with no women being around Faith in the 2nd half of the race if this is a show about women. Why can’t they get more women runners to alternate laps and rest up like how they alternate pacers every 5km and rested up for the breaking 2?
Overall this was a poorly staged orgy event don’t you think? If given a choice would you take part in such an orgy? I know I wouldn’t.
she might be in 4:10 shape so a 4:06 might be an improvement of 3 plus seconds and she paid a penalty with dying at the end. But she even dies well, because it was not a complete blowup because she's tougher than most of us.
I think that's the correct way to look at it. I mentioned similar in a different thread. The 4:07 was not a demonstrated norm. She ran it one time, while two years younger.
At age 31 and coming off a draining Olympic year in which she doubled at the Olympics for the first time, it's logical that she's not in peak form, especially from a motivational standpoint, along with being beyond prime age for a miler.
The sloppy comparisons are going to be to the 4:07. But it's likely she gained several seconds minimum compared to what she could run right now in a standard paced mile.
Regardless, they had to assign a silly 2:58.8 projection to hold any credibility toward breaking 4 minutes
If this was an orgy then they forgot to do one very important part of an orgy. Unless that's happening now in the after party?
It’s a metaphor. Already mentioned were you reading? But a metaphor is good enough to see things in different light. Having men swarming a woman is just inappropriate for a woman’s event. Did we see transgender women runners surrounding Kipchoge a man in breaking 2?
Today the police put me in handcuffs and arrested me. After I spent the night in jail and posted bail, I went back home. My father greeted me and asked what I was arrested for. “Faith Kipyegon” I just replied. He just frowned and shook his head. He knew that it was fraud.
It was fraud on all levels. The weirdest part is this fraud is that Keely and Campbell didn’t need to take part in the pacing of Kipyegon if there are thrice as many more men more than capable of doing so? What was the point of them even starting the race in the first place?
On that point, the pack wasn't nearly close enough to provide enough benefit of the draft. Going as slow as one does in running, you've got to be close. Like clipping heels, bumping elbows close
Kipyegon doesn't like to remain close to pacers, for whatever reason. The same gap occurred during her 1000 world record attempt a couple of months ago.
Ironically she gets much closer to unintentional pacers like Tsegay.
The drafting situation is mostly perfected in sports like speed skating and velodrome cycling. They've been doing wind tunnel simulations for years/decades. It's basically brand new in track. Sensible that they wouldn't get it perfectly right the first time.
I mentioned yesterday that my two concerns were Kipyegon's age and not enough practice time to get the drafting formations absolutely correct when it mattered.
If this was an orgy then they forgot to do one very important part of an orgy. Unless that's happening now in the after party?
It’s a metaphor. Already mentioned were you reading? But a metaphor is good enough to see things in different light. Having men swarming a woman is just inappropriate for a woman’s event. Did we see transgender women runners surrounding Kipchoge a man in breaking 2?
I know it's hard to believe because this is your life but no I didn't read all 530 comments on this topic.
And I think that it's pretty clear that they needed a barrier to challenge because that was part of the campaign - "women can take on barriers too - just like men" and she was the best positioned athlete on their roster to build that story around.
Having had time to reflect on it, Salvltore really nails it here. It would have been nice for it to be a bit closer but at the end of the day that wasn't the point.
On that point, the pack wasn't nearly close enough to provide enough benefit of the draft. Going as slow as one does in running, you've got to be close. Like clipping heels, bumping elbows close
@critRacer. Totally agree. Judging by your handle, I bet you've raced crits (genius. I know.). I also have a background in cycling, and unless you're about 3 inches or less off the wheel in front of you, the draft benefit gets quickly lost. In running, you'd have to almost have your chest to someones back, which is impossible.
back on Page 21 I wrote: "I was surprised they didn't have an electric vehicle with a big wall in front of her to reduce the air drag like they did for Kipchoge. I imagine she could have shaved off at least a second with that. Or maybe had the mile run in a straight line on a road or custom track. The curves reduce speed / momentum a bit enough for at least a second after 8 turns."
She is the best ever, a great great runner. But what's the best case here - 4.05.0? 4.04.5? Do they throw the chance at that away by having her go out at a suicidal pace for the first 1000-1200m?
Yes, because no one cares if she runs a 4:05.0 in a race with male pacers that won't count for any official record anyways. You go for broke not a PR.
I’m interested to know what data the people at Nike have that made them feel that sub 4:00 was a feasible outcome. They bet a lot of money and PR on this. With no disrespect to Faith, I didn’t think there was any shot at her running sub 4:00 unless they were setting up industrial fans circling the track and using illegal shoes or spikes. I think the only way a woman runs sub 4:00 with our current training knowledge and technology would be to use extreme levels of doping, like female to male hormone replacement therapy type stuff.
Honestly huge kudos to Faith for taking a honest stab at it though. Super gutsy.
I'm not sure you know how marketing works. They got plenty out of this and didn't lose it all because she didn't break 4.
Of course I do! Breaking 2:00:00 made me along with every runner on the planet want a pair from Nikes marathon super shoe line. This stunt doesn’t sell me or probably any other track athlete anything Nike related. Maybe I’m missing something but I can not feasibly see how this is going to make a profit for Nike.
This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.