And if team Doris wants to repeat, her coach may send her at the 4k mark, and she will be the rabbit from there (instead of Hartman). But if she waits until the 5k mark to go, somebody from NC State better be going, or else.
…or else, we could have an upset!😮
A slow tactical affair is going to favor Oregon, as well as BYU. The burden to make this race honest falls on NC State.
And if team Doris wants to repeat, her coach may send her at the 4k mark, and she will be the rabbit from there (instead of Hartman). But if she waits until the 5k mark to go, somebody from NC State better be going, or else.
…or else, we could have an upset!😮
A slow tactical affair is going to favor Oregon, as well as BYU. The burden to make this race honest falls on NC State.
The interest this year seems to be entirely with the women. All of the top men are African and no one even really knows who they are.
The interest this year seems to be entirely with the women. All of the top men are African and no one even really knows who they are.
Speak for yourself as someone who doesn't follow non-Caucasian college runners. Those of us who pay attention know the men's race will be just as compelling as the women's.
A slow tactical affair is going to favor Oregon, as well as BYU. The burden to make this race honest falls on NC State.
The interest this year seems to be entirely with the women. All of the top men are African and no one even really knows who they are.
Habtom is genuinely one of the nicest guys out there. He runs with grit and incredible sportsmanship, and his backstory is both inspiring and heart-wrenching. Love to root for this guy.
Threads like these are a waste of time, this is why we have RACES, it is pretty clear that Hedengren has a good shot at winning nationals, maybe by a lot, but you never know until you RACE them. In a RACE, you don't stay in your lane, you try to upset the order of things.
So at the 4k mark, Hartman ratchets it down, leading the front pack that starts to splinter. Jane, Doris, Kosgei, will be one step back, with Napoleon stalking (Jelego, Naukot, Bonnie-Dalton, Cherotich, Chamberlain, etc. might be hanging on as well.) But with 1k to go, it might likely be just Hartman, Jane and Kosgei…and maybe Napoleon and Cherotich still there.
However, I’m having some doubts Hartman is back to the level she displayed at last year’s Natty’s. In order to improve BYU’s trophy chances, it behooves Jane to keep this race slow as possible.
And if team Doris wants to repeat, her coach may send her at the 4k mark, and she will be the rabbit from there (instead of Hartman). But if she waits until the 5k mark to go, somebody from NC State better be going, or else.
The slower it is, the better for Oregon imho. I would think BYU would have Jane go hard and try to get some of the top runners to blow up, and then have the rest of their team stay back and try to pick up the pieces. "Gas, Gas, Gas" the NAU way, and also the the Newbury Park tactic from Nico's senior year NXN.
So at the 4k mark, Hartman ratchets it down, leading the front pack that starts to splinter. Jane, Doris, Kosgei, will be one step back, with Napoleon stalking (Jelego, Naukot, Bonnie-Dalton, Cherotich, Chamberlain, etc. might be hanging on as well.) But with 1k to go, it might likely be just Hartman, Jane and Kosgei…and maybe Napoleon and Cherotich still there.
However, I’m having some doubts Hartman is back to the level she displayed at last year’s Natty’s. In order to improve BYU’s trophy chances, it behooves Jane to keep this race slow as possible.
Agree. I think Hartman's early season injury was worse than many realized. I doubt she runs at the regional meet.
And if team Doris wants to repeat, her coach may send her at the 4k mark, and she will be the rabbit from there (instead of Hartman). But if she waits until the 5k mark to go, somebody from NC State better be going, or else.
The slower it is, the better for Oregon imho. I would think BYU would have Jane go hard and try to get some of the top runners to blow up, and then have the rest of their team stay back and try to pick up the pieces. "Gas, Gas, Gas" the NAU way, and also the the Newbury Park tactic from Nico's senior year NXN.
I know, as an NC State fan, you would prefer your scenario.
However, even with the strongest assemblage ever of teams in the history of Div I Cross Country, it actually may come down to a stare-down, reminiscent of the final scene, in the cemetery, of the movie “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly”.
The question now is whether Jane will control it slow, to improve her team’s trophy chances, or will she instead run for individual glory. 😎
The slower it is, the better for Oregon imho. I would think BYU would have Jane go hard and try to get some of the top runners to blow up, and then have the rest of their team stay back and try to pick up the pieces. "Gas, Gas, Gas" the NAU way, and also the the Newbury Park tactic from Nico's senior year NXN.
I know, as an NC State fan, you would prefer your scenario.
However, even with the strongest assemblage ever of teams in the history of Div I Cross Country, it actually may come down to a stare-down, reminiscent of the final scene, in the cemetery, of the movie “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly”.
The question now is whether Jane will control it slow, to improve her team’s trophy chances, or will she instead run for individual glory. 😎
Spoiler alert, the college kids may not have seen this movie:
The slower it is, the better for Oregon imho. I would think BYU would have Jane go hard and try to get some of the top runners to blow up, and then have the rest of their team stay back and try to pick up the pieces. "Gas, Gas, Gas" the NAU way, and also the the Newbury Park tactic from Nico's senior year NXN.
I know, as an NC State fan, you would prefer your scenario.
However, even with the strongest assemblage ever of teams in the history of Div I Cross Country, it actually may come down to a stare-down, reminiscent of the final scene, in the cemetery, of the movie “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly”.
The question now is whether Jane will control it slow, to improve her team’s trophy chances, or will she instead run for individual glory. 😎
I swear some of you have never even run competitively before. This isn’t junior high. You don’t pull teammates along at this level. The only benefit holding back provides is if you have a runner who would otherwise be running completely alone and who isn’t strong enough to push hard without someone pacing them. That’s not going to happen at a championship meet with 200+ top runners who are mostly going to be within 1-2 seconds of other competitors. Far and away the best thing Jane can do to help BYU is by finishing first. Jane has been so dominant thus far that she may not even need to take it out any harder than she has done to date, meaning she may not be in any real risk of blowing up. It is far more likely that Jane, who has not been remotely challenged so far this season, can go out at her normal pace and then hammer the last 1-2k much more than she has needed to so far. Some of you get so caught up in the weeds that you forget “run fast” is almost always the best strategy.
I know, as an NC State fan, you would prefer your scenario.
However, even with the strongest assemblage ever of teams in the history of Div I Cross Country, it actually may come down to a stare-down, reminiscent of the final scene, in the cemetery, of the movie “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly”.
The question now is whether Jane will control it slow, to improve her team’s trophy chances, or will she instead run for individual glory. 😎
I swear some of you have never even run competitively before. This isn’t junior high. You don’t pull teammates along at this level. The only benefit holding back provides is if you have a runner who would otherwise be running completely alone and who isn’t strong enough to push hard without someone pacing them. That’s not going to happen at a championship meet with 200+ top runners who are mostly going to be within 1-2 seconds of other competitors. Far and away the best thing Jane can do to help BYU is by finishing first. Jane has been so dominant thus far that she may not even need to take it out any harder than she has done to date, meaning she may not be in any real risk of blowing up. It is far more likely that Jane, who has not been remotely challenged so far this season, can go out at her normal pace and then hammer the last 1-2k much more than she has needed to so far. Some of you get so caught up in the weeds that you forget “run fast” is almost always the best strategy.
Just stop. You completely miss the point. In my scenario, I never said anything about “pulling teammates along.” In crosscountry, huge point swings happen in the blink of an eye at the back of the lineup. The chances of the team underdog, BYU in this case to NC State, improve if that finishing shoot gets compacted in a slower, tactical affair.
I swear some of you have never even run competitively before. This isn’t junior high. You don’t pull teammates along at this level. The only benefit holding back provides is if you have a runner who would otherwise be running completely alone and who isn’t strong enough to push hard without someone pacing them. That’s not going to happen at a championship meet with 200+ top runners who are mostly going to be within 1-2 seconds of other competitors. Far and away the best thing Jane can do to help BYU is by finishing first. Jane has been so dominant thus far that she may not even need to take it out any harder than she has done to date, meaning she may not be in any real risk of blowing up. It is far more likely that Jane, who has not been remotely challenged so far this season, can go out at her normal pace and then hammer the last 1-2k much more than she has needed to so far. Some of you get so caught up in the weeds that you forget “run fast” is almost always the best strategy.
Just stop. You completely miss the point. In my scenario, I never said anything about “pulling teammates along.” In crosscountry, huge point swings happen in the blink of an eye at the back of the lineup. The chances of the team underdog, BYU in this case to NC State, improve if that finishing shoot gets compacted in a slower, tactical affair.
Hedengren's not hanging back for any reason at all....nor is anyone else with the capability to win the race. This has been explained to you. You dismiss the explanation. You're clueless.
I swear some of you have never even run competitively before. This isn’t junior high. You don’t pull teammates along at this level. The only benefit holding back provides is if you have a runner who would otherwise be running completely alone and who isn’t strong enough to push hard without someone pacing them. That’s not going to happen at a championship meet with 200+ top runners who are mostly going to be within 1-2 seconds of other competitors. Far and away the best thing Jane can do to help BYU is by finishing first. Jane has been so dominant thus far that she may not even need to take it out any harder than she has done to date, meaning she may not be in any real risk of blowing up. It is far more likely that Jane, who has not been remotely challenged so far this season, can go out at her normal pace and then hammer the last 1-2k much more than she has needed to so far. Some of you get so caught up in the weeds that you forget “run fast” is almost always the best strategy.
Just stop. You completely miss the point. In my scenario, I never said anything about “pulling teammates along.” In crosscountry, huge point swings happen in the blink of an eye at the back of the lineup. The chances of the team underdog, BYU in this case to NC State, improve if that finishing shoot gets compacted in a slower, tactical affair.
A slower, tactical affair improves BYU’s team chances for the repeat. That would also improve Oregon’s chances, and even Alabama’s and Florida’s would enter the mix. NC State will have to run to peak form to counteract, which puts the burden to make it honest and lead, on them.
I swear some of you have never even run competitively before. This isn’t junior high. You don’t pull teammates along at this level. The only benefit holding back provides is if you have a runner who would otherwise be running completely alone and who isn’t strong enough to push hard without someone pacing them. That’s not going to happen at a championship meet with 200+ top runners who are mostly going to be within 1-2 seconds of other competitors. Far and away the best thing Jane can do to help BYU is by finishing first. Jane has been so dominant thus far that she may not even need to take it out any harder than she has done to date, meaning she may not be in any real risk of blowing up. It is far more likely that Jane, who has not been remotely challenged so far this season, can go out at her normal pace and then hammer the last 1-2k much more than she has needed to so far. Some of you get so caught up in the weeds that you forget “run fast” is almost always the best strategy.
Just stop. You completely miss the point. In my scenario, I never said anything about “pulling teammates along.” In crosscountry, huge point swings happen in the blink of an eye at the back of the lineup. The chances of the team underdog, BYU in this case to NC State, improve if that finishing shoot gets compacted in a slower, tactical affair.
When was the last time we saw a slow, tactical, collegiate cross country race especially among the women? Never. What are the chances of NC State letting this become a slow, tactical race if it is so obvious, as you claim, that this is the only way BYU can win? Zero.
The only team strategy that has ever worked at this level (outside of UTEP just blasting everyone) is a variation of one team going out too hard while the other teams sits back and picks them off over the last 2k. That is exactly what BYU can do with Jane controlling the race.