Frank Lara going for Ryan Hall's American record in Valencia

Before I get to my response, please let me state for the record, I hope Lara breaks the record. I will make a tshirt if he does. I love how he's flying to Spain to go for it. Now let me savage him.

3:11 Scrub wrote:

BigTex wrote:

This guy is nowhere in the same league that Ryan Hall was in his prime. The shoes have made a mockery of the sport. Now JV guys are talking about breaking American records.

That’s what I initially thought but look at Ryan Hall’s prs. Frank is very much in the same neighborhood and a faster 10k PR. Hall just had the cache from his high school days being part of the Big 3 with Webb and Ritz. Then he was on a top Stanford team.

What are you talking about? They are not in the same league. It's like saying a NFL pro bowler and the guy who gets called up off the practice squad in the same league because they are both in the NFL.

Hall nearly broke 4:00 in HS.

Hall challenged for the Foot Locker title. Lara challenged for DFL at Footlocker (38th out of 40).

As a senior, Hall ran 13:16 while an NCAA athlete (and won NCAAs in 13:22) at age 22. Frank Lara challenged for DFL at NCAAs in the 10k his senior year (17th out of 24).His 5000 pb was 13:56

They aren't remotely the same neighborhood of athletes save for the shoes. And even with super shoes, Lara's pb is 13:27 in super spikes at age 25.

It's amazing that Hall's record still stands but it will be even more amazing if Lara is the one to break it.

Post of the year. Loved it.

Hall grew up at altitude in Big Bear and had solid high school coaching. The 3rd of the Big 3 behind Webb and Ritz. Then he went to Stanford with Vin and Andy Gerard. Clearly had excellent coaching but he also spent most of his years trying to specialize in the 1500 before moving up.

Furman? Where’s that? What were Frank’s high school prs? Some kids don’t have great coaching, direction, or motivation. Frank May also have been a late developer. Did he run all 4 years in high school?

Should be exciting... Watch the Billy Mills vid a few times and snap your fingers to remind yourself to stay on top of your intensity.

3:11Scrub wrote:

Hall grew up at altitude in Big Bear and had solid high school coaching. The 3rd of the Big 3 behind Webb and Ritz. Then he went to Stanford with Vin and Andy Gerard. Clearly had excellent coaching but he also spent most of his years trying to specialize in the 1500 before moving up.

Furman? Where’s that? What were Frank’s high school prs? Some kids don’t have great coaching, direction, or motivation. Frank May also have been a late developer. Did he run all 4 years in high school?

Should be exciting... Watch the Billy Mills vid a few times and snap your fingers to remind yourself to stay on top of your intensity.

Frank went to Strake Jesuit which has had a number of good runners over the years.

They had guys run 410 and 412 there last year. . Matthew Boling went to the school. The school 3200 record appears to be 8:55. Lara ran at least 915.

In college, he was coached by the Olympian Robert Gary.

He's not an example of some guy who started running late in life.

I went to a school with a 4:05 and 4:18 in the span of 4 years

But the coaching was geared to kids with natural speed. It's possible that he's the kind of runner American often forgets, the true half marathon/mararthon types who won't be as successful in HS because even 2 miles is too short for him

Ghost1 wrote:

Frank Lara:

His under distance times reflect a serious lack of native leg speed but his 10,000 m time is quite honorable and in line with international runners who can run between 60:20 - 61:20 for the half marathon. I think he can run Valencia in around 60:30-60:55, which is a seriously good time.

1500 Metres 3:56.71 Cullowhee, NC (USA) 10 MAY 2018 894

One Mile 4:14.54 Cullowhee, NC (USA) 13 APR 2018 903

3000 Metres 8:22.74 Auburn, AL (USA) 08 APR 2017 927

5000 Metres 13:27.20 Griswold Stadium, Portland, OR (USA) 29 MAY 2021 1112

10,000 Metres 27:43.13 Irvine, CA (USA) 14 MAY 2021 1158

10 Kilometres 30:40 Fort Collins, CO (USA) 02 SEP 2019 906

10 Kilometres 29:37 * Atlanta, GA (USA) 04 JUL 2019 983

15 Kilometres 44:02 Jacksonville, FL (USA) 20 MAR 2021 1071

10 Miles Road 47:13 Washington, DC (USA) 12 SEP 2021 1081

Half Marathon 1:01:50 Houston, TX (USA) 19 JAN 2020 1117

Yesterday I predicted he would run 60:30-60:55 today, and he ended up right around 60:55. Lara is legit! He finished like a steam train right on the heels of The first Spaniard in the race, Mayo, A 1317 5000 m performer. Go Frank you did great....

Aussiestatman wrote:

wazzu1452 wrote:

I am calling 61:34.....

60.55

Is there a prize?

Lara took nearly a minute off his PR. Fastest American this year, and 8th or 9th on the US all time list. It's easy to rag on him because he missed the AR which he said was his aim, but that's a great result overall

altrarunning shoes - Frank Lara is sponsored by this running shoe company. Does anyone have any views on this company and they’re running shoe quality? Thank you.

SOCON representing baby! Lara and Chelimo! I'm proud of my Furman Homies and UNCG homies.

Ghost1 wrote:

altrarunning shoes - Frank Lara is sponsored by this running shoe company. Does anyone have any views on this company and they’re running shoe quality? Thank you.

Good trail shoes and the Escalante Racer is a good old-school flat. I've no idea about their super shoe though I suspect it's garbage like most oft he others. I hope Lara has a deal where he can wear Altra apparel but painted VFs for racing

Where do I buy stock in Frank for the 2024 marathon trials? Based on how his PRs progress as distances get longer he seems like a true marathoner. If he stays healthy I’d expect a <2:10 in the next couple years.

Alexi Santana wrote:

Where do I buy stock in Frank for the 2024 marathon trials? Based on how his PRs progress as distances get longer he seems like a true marathoner. If he stays healthy I’d expect a <2:10 in the next couple years.

Yes you’re right, he gets stronger the further he goes. Sub 2:10:00 marathon is definitely on the cards in the next couple of years. Significant advantage as well as he is tailor made size wise, to compete in the marathon being tiny and light.

3:11_Scrub wrote:

big daddy wrote:

It's insane that Rupp didn't smash the half AR. His 26:44 is worth a lot closer to 59 mins imo.

Rupp was only a few seconds off which at that distance is only a fraction of a second per mile.

Hall 59:43

Rupp 59:47

Korir 59:52

Ritz 60:00

Williams 60:11

Chelenga 60:37

Trafeh 60:39

Estrada 60:51

Curp 60:55

Meb 61:00

Lagat 61:01

Abdi 61:07

Here’s Billy Mills on how to improve by 2 minutes:

https://youtu.be/DfLLNksZmoY

60:55 or 60:59 We also need some splits.

Can’t argue with a minute PR and top 10 performance. Great run!

Aussiestatman wrote:

Aussiestatman wrote:

60.55

Is there a prize?

Yeah, your prize is having the threads you start be wholly ignored.

High hopes wrote:

Ghost1 wrote:

altrarunning shoes - Frank Lara is sponsored by this running shoe company. Does anyone have any views on this company and they’re running shoe quality? Thank you.

Good trail shoes and the Escalante Racer is a good old-school flat. I've no idea about their super shoe though I suspect it's garbage like most oft he others. I hope Lara has a deal where he can wear Altra apparel but painted VFs for racing

This. I personally love Altra and they have helped to finally get me healthy. My SWAG on their “supershoe” is that, since EGO is a TPU-EVA blend it’ll be some sorta blown TPU-EVA blend like Fuelcell or Lightstrike Pro. Which means it’ll be OK. Not Nike but better than Hoka or Brooks.

I first saw the Altra super shoes on the feet of Zach Bitter at the USATF 100 mile road championships back in April. Screen shot here. Looks like Frank is wearing a blue / white colorway of the proto, spotted briefly at the finish line area.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zI3SAtoO5GPN0lHey_AoRy5glXug5kXwTlQb3bjKwrMSjQLSsg4GSqHMmguoKWxyvt6lyUgnK0ZXGxDEaoFxh22UbVn8CZIGE8agtNcpOUJdg-BtMi4BZydjFpq1X-y2xPLgl5aW04Jcci7dWNmsLQo_NSisysqb1ayzEeUH6KmVw15vLKVA7R6kDo_yfsrrCggJ0QE3fq9qBVg7vjpG6lKCrONOC-dOW3h1dycBPHPWkm6V8xtsV6DiHczP-kyq98odxUh5ZH46u_oqbXlzbrbxuc4HuYpAxarCFrg4Az32Cq1YVa_m6Wys1SjFqB23X150aP6BUc66ZZlfoFfTRA_UjUTd3o_0nWvdh9IaDP1JP0s0POQ6tiJUIAly5wvS1KyQpSdysP4HH_LK-BgySnr36AtjlzjBkuU2uN-OiqWRfCchBUR_Pu8XR4-0Yq5DP5YlJkwilQYi5-KtZtxSg6qIcxfmOGdHrwqVbry_ofAhlRAD0Z71seXs_PPf0p3HNRMKMGRmMWzItLHUGa5BzhO0-KZWslac0m18ykReKchQnimL_h_7hgAJkzeDz5E2JIcn2wlKOJF1qJOGeUNIC6kWL75fLsWMHWxTmlBdJCeYFLWpxQzm2i9ZgatvptZVhOpJKsh7mikry53-2BJacoMRX_y0c6LiQReIXOAK87La5qKxeiYFtEpaKp6DyblBoatXgNGlJrsSwMPyqZIRPNo=w554-h903-no?authuser=0

Tugboat1980 wrote:

My SWAG on their “supershoe” is that

What does this mean

I agree with the disrespect to Ryan. The fact is that Frank only became good because he gets a big boost from the Nike next%. He has zero natural talent compared to Hall. Nobody will get that record until they train in Mammoth Lakes like Ryan did and live at above 8,000 feet. Unless of course you can afford 10,000 ft chambers in your house like Rupp.