Is it just me, or does this meet have a bit of a ho-hum feel? We've already seen these matchups in Paris and a half-dozen other times this season and it just doesn't feel fresh any more.
I have to be honest, this is my biggest worry about the Grand Slam Track concept... Are we going to be jaded by the tenth Kerr-Hocker-Nuguse matchup of the season?
[writing this before the w5000/m800, so maybe still an outside chance for something truly memorable]
uh huh, dl season post olys is too long. A couple more meets where a wr could be attempted is all that is needed.
-Men's 800: Arop v Wanyonyi v Sedjati. Wavelight set for 1:41.11. Does the WR go? -Women's steeple: Yavi v Chemutai. Wavelight set to 8:44.32 WR pace. -Men's 200: Tebogo v Bednarek. Can anyone go sub-19.50
That race highlighted perfectly what a fine line it is in the 800 at this level and how hard the WR will still be. They were well under 24 seconds through 200 tonight and that was enough to just zap the field in the final 300m. This is exactly why I think the current depth of guys at the top ironically hurts the record chances - especially if they are all in the same race. They were out so hard tonight wanted to establish position which is understandable - but it killed the chance of even a sub 1.42 race.
That race highlighted perfectly what a fine line it is in the 800 at this level and how hard the WR will still be. They were well under 24 seconds through 200 tonight and that was enough to just zap the field in the final 300m. This is exactly why I think the current depth of guys at the top ironically hurts the record chances - especially if they are all in the same race. They were out so hard tonight wanted to establish position which is understandable - but it killed the chance of even a sub 1.42 race.
I'm thinking that these really big fields force everyone to run the first back straight faster than they really should, and make a record much harder. It would be interesting to put together a couple of record attempts with a rabbit and just 3 or 4 key guys: Wanyoni, Arop, Sedjati, maybe Hoppel.
This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.
Next year worlds is in mid/late sept. Athletes will start their season much later. For the men, season is over, but women have that women's only meet coming up.
-Men's 800: Arop v Wanyonyi v Sedjati. Wavelight set for 1:41.11. Does the WR go? -Women's steeple: Yavi v Chemutai. Wavelight set to 8:44.32 WR pace. -Men's 200: Tebogo v Bednarek. Can anyone go sub-19.50
49.2/53.4
it's been a long, long season
Opening 400m was 49.28 off a 24.0 - that's according to the race analysis which always rounds splits and Arop, Wanyoni, Kinyamal all appeared easily inside 24.0. So I get that opening lap as more like 23.9/25.4 - that's a big drop off in pace they simply needed to have (as 48.0 is obviously absurd). That's the issue when guys need spots on the track.
That race highlighted perfectly what a fine line it is in the 800 at this level and how hard the WR will still be. They were well under 24 seconds through 200 tonight and that was enough to just zap the field in the final 300m. This is exactly why I think the current depth of guys at the top ironically hurts the record chances - especially if they are all in the same race. They were out so hard tonight wanted to establish position which is understandable - but it killed the chance of even a sub 1.42 race.
I'm thinking that these really big fields force everyone to run the first back straight faster than they really should, and make a record much harder. It would be interesting to put together a couple of record attempts with a rabbit and just 3 or 4 key guys: Wanyoni, Arop, Sedjati, maybe Hoppel.
100%. I think the record attempt actually needs to be just two guys, smaller meet with wavelight and an elite pacer (an 800m guy that knows exactly how to run an opening 300m and get to 500m) - then we see the WR go down.
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