Jakob out of Silesia and Brussels

high school xc coach wrote:

ndxc02 wrote:

The reason the Americans have not been active on the DL circuit this year is that they have to peak to perfection for USAs in order to make the team (and they were busy with GST, which was a bust). Do you think it would have been wise for Hocker, Nuguse and Kessler to fly to London 2 weeks before USAs to run a 1500? Meanwhile, Strand and Koech are sitting back in the US training and waiting. Hocker barely made the team as is and the Brits) to have to run nationals to qualify. They cannot rest on their laurels or they won’t go to Tokyo.

Contrast that to Jakob. He doesn’t have the bye to worlds in the 1500 (but he does in the 5K), but he does have the qualifying time from late last year, so we doesn’t have to race at all before Worlds. If he was American, he would have had to run the trials while injured to try and make the team. Or just settle for the 5K.

The American system, while exciting for the fans, is a disadvantage for the athletes because they have to peak twice (especially in events as competitive as the mens’ 800, 1500 and 5k)

would you suggest getting rid of the trials, or going to the brit system where they choose 2 from the trials, and give away 1 spot?

as hard as it is on the athletes, right now we are just too good to give spots away without earning them.

McRunnin wrote:

high school xc coach wrote:

would you suggest getting rid of the trials, or going to the brit system where they choose 2 from the trials, and give away 1 spot?

as hard as it is on the athletes, right now we are just too good to give spots away without earning them.

Agreed. I don't think we should change the American qualification system because I think it's the fairest way to do it, and it gives our athletes valuable experience performing in championship conditions, which they can leverage at the global championship level.

But we have to recognize it means Americans shouldn't be expected to travel overseas to run Diamond League meets so soon before the U.S. championships. There's nothing "lame" about Americans skipping a European meet two weeks before the start of the U.S. championships. Americans face cutthroat competition to make the U.S. team; they need to prepare for it accordingly.

I also see this 1500/mile season very differently than Hobbyhurdler. I actually think this has been the most exciting outdoor season in that event in recent memory. It's had a bit of everything:

• Fast times: 11 guys under 3:30 outdoors so far. That's already more than we had all of last year (8), and it matches the entire year for 2023.
• Down-to-the-wire racing: Eugene DL was won by 0.01, Rome DL was won by 0.03, and GST Philly was won by 0.07.
• The deepest mile in history (Bowerman Mile)
• Intriguing matchups such as Wanyonyi vs the 2024 Olympic medalists
• Surprise winners and top 3s
• Multiple winners across the season, rather than just 1 or 2 guys dominating
• Young talents leveling up such as Laros and Strand
• Good balance of non-paced tactical races and rabbited races with pacing lights

Having Jakob involved would certainly make things even better, but there's still been plenty of excitement without him.

Looking ahead to Tokyo, this event seems wide open. Rather than only having 3 or 4 top contenders, it's more like 6 to 8. It feels like anything can happen, and that ups the excitement level.

All that said, I hope Jakob gets well and we see him back on the track sooner than later.

Kickers usually win wrote:

high school xc coach wrote:

this isn't great, but short of an nnouncement by Jakob, I'm gonna stay cautiously optimistic.

Jakob doesn't need a ton of races to get into great 5000 shape. If you look at the model for his 2023 season, he opens with a 3:32 1500 win. And then 12 days later he sets the 2 mile record with a 7:54.

So, if he can get in a diamond league event for the finals, that's all the tune up he needs. It puts him on a very similar schedule to 2023. He goes to worlds a couple weeks later. Runs an easy 13:30 to get into the finals. And then still has it to blow away the field in the finals. I don't see how 3 rounds of 1500 fits into that recipe though.

Jakob is an analytical person. He certainly knows what I just typed, which means he believes he can handle a hot 5000 based off what he's doing. If he wants to add in the 1500 against the deepest, fastest field ever, he'll be doing it on a hope and a prayer, because he's never asked his body to do what he'd be asking it to do under that circumstance.

You seem to be making the case that in being prepared for the 5000k, 3:32 shape is good enough. The reality is that for a 1500/5000m guy, is that if you’re in peak fitness for one, it will be the same for the other.

ndxc02 wrote:

Hobbyhurdler wrote:

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3. Many of the top guys have competed very little this season. If we look at 4 of the top 5 guys from Paris 2024 (the ones besides Jakob ofc) they haven't been that active in the DL circuit. Yes, most of them competed in GSL, which was fine, but that was 3 competitions from April to June. Since then, Kerr only competed in the London DL. Nuguse only competed in Eugene DL, same with Hocker and Kessler (I'm talking 1500m/mile races, and international competitions) Some of the guys seem to dodge each other, that's not fun. Idk why Kerr wasn't present in Eugene, and I don't know why any of the Americans weren't present in London, but I find it a bit lame. Also, none of the guys mentioned were present in Rome, Oslo, Stockholm (Hocker actually competed there, albeit in the 5000m, I'll give him some points for that), Paris or Ostrava. It is a bit underwhelming. I hope we get to see most of these guys present in Silesia, Zurich, Lausanne and Brussels. If we expand to the top 6 guys from Paris 2024, Laros is also one I would've liked to see more in the DL circuit, he's always fun to watch. I know he has had some injuries, so that's really unfortunate. He has mostly focused on 800m and 5000m, but he was at least present in Eugene (where he won with a fantastic performance)

I hope next season (as well as the remainder of this one) gets better.

The reason the Americans have not been active on the DL circuit this year is that they have to peak to perfection for USAs in order to make the team (and they were busy with GST, which was a bust). Do you think it would have been wise for Hocker, Nuguse and Kessler to fly to London 2 weeks before USAs to run a 1500? Meanwhile, Strand and Koech are sitting back in the US training and waiting. Hocker barely made the team as is and Nuguse and Kessler were left out in the cold. It is a real disadvantage for Americans (and to a certain extend the Brits) to have to run nationals to qualify. They cannot rest on their laurels or they won’t go to Tokyo.

Contrast that to Jakob. He doesn’t have the bye to worlds in the 1500 (but he does in the 5K), but he does have the qualifying time from late last year, so we doesn’t have to race at all before Worlds. If he was American, he would have had to run the trials while injured to try and make the team. Or just settle for the 5K.

The American system, while exciting for the fans, is a disadvantage for the athletes because they have to peak twice (especially in events as competitive as the mens’ 800, 1500 and 5k)