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:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRE-Ri-tu68
We have 3 articles on the sub-attempt:
Mine from April: https://www.letsrun.com/news/2025/06/running-through-time-bannister-kipyegon-and-the-meaning-of-the-mile/
Tom Ratcliffe & James Nealon: https://www.letsrun.com/news/2025/06/running-through-time-bannister-kipyegon-and-the-meaning-of-the-mile/
Outside mag has nice article talking about possible pacing formations here:
Armstronglivs wrote:
This is track reduced to WWE.
Yeah it is a joke. Especially when we already know that without any of this bizarre circus like atmosphere, Faith would be going all out to possibly make it 3/4 of a mile at sub 4 mile pace. Either way, Faith is now past her absolute peak as a runner and she has no chance to break 4 even in the contrived environment.
JerryDirect wrote:
Target splits:
100m 14,9
200m 29,8
400m 59,6
800m 1:59,2
1000m 2:29,0
1200m 2:58,8
1500m 3:43,5 WR (current WR 3:49 )
1609m 3:59:90 WR
Male pacemakers
What do you think?
I honestly don’t think she’ll be able to hold the pace for 3 laps, much less barely over 4.
slowdude wrote:
So this is what Nike has become? Prefontaine would be rolling in his grave.
What's with the LR obsession with dead people?
I’m predicting 4:02.53. But I also wouldn’t shocked if it was a DNF. No woman has ever pushed their body that hard.
mileprogression wrote:
If you look at the men's progression, it took approximately 20 years to go from 4:07 to sub-4, but just 10-12 years to go from 4:03 - 4:04. Interestingly enough, it only took 4 years after breaking 4 to drop another 5 seconds.
Mens progression:
4:07.6 - 1933
4:04.6 - 1942
4:02.6 - 1943
3:59.4 - 1954
3:54.5 - 1958Therefore, if she does beat her previous time by 2-4 seconds, it can change the conversation.
In the 1950s structured interval training on the track became widely used. A guy like Gunder Hägg did very primitive training. He basically went out and ran hard 4-5km as often as he could, sometimes throwing in short surges and then raced himself into shape.
Weather looks suboptimal. 27C and gusts over 20mph. I think they'll just use this as a sort of proof of concept and try again later in the summer.
I'm not against this sort of exhibition of what humans can potentially achieve. It's not what I love the sport, but it's an interesting goal for an athlete that has nothing else to achieve on her event. I wouldn't want to see Jakob doing this as he still has WRs to chase, but Kipyegon is already the GOAT, so what's left for her?
If you're not into it then simply don't watch or read about it, no one's forcing it on you. And it's not like this I taking opportunity from someone else or distracting from other performances at a DL or some other meet.
I hope she fails miserably
I don't get the hate.
The first sub-2 at Monza was basically asking Kipchoge to run +3' faster than his PB, that was not even the WR by then.
A huge stretch.
He ran 2:00:25 and it was amazing.
What's the big deal? It's not going to be official, but it's bot entertaining and interesting.
Armstronglivs wrote:
This is track reduced to WWE.
And?
Nike has had a word with the testers wink wink. Imagine she breaks 4 this whole place will be on fire.
Truth is it's like McGregor v Mayweather. He never had any chance but you can't help watching just in case.
They should get Kejelcha to pace it like an absolute madman.
Does any serious Runner actually think that she has a chance of breaking 4, unless the shoes are completely illegal?
Octopus wrote:
I've seen some of the pacers posting on Instagram. Looks like they've got Grant Fisher, Cooper Teare, Niels Laros, Elliot Giles, Craig Engels, and Stewart McSweyn. Georgia Hunter-Bell and Jemma Reekie are also there. Presumably they'll be behind Kipyegon and drop out halfway.
WOW crazy pacing team
MALE PACERS
Stefan Nillessen - 3:29.13 (3:49.02) Dutch 1500m record holder
Stewart McSweyn - 3:29.51 (3:48.37)
Niels Laros - 3:29.54 (3:48.93)
Elliot Giles - 3:30.92 (3:49.16) 4x British 800m champion
Cathal Doyle - 3:32.15 (3:52.06) 3x Irish 1500m champion
Cooper Teare - 3:32.16 (3:50.17)
Grant Fisher - 3:33.99
Craig Engels - 3:33.64 (3:51.6)
Wyclife Kinyamal (Kenya) - 2x Commonwealth Games 800m champ, 800m PB: 1:42.08
WOMEN PACERS
Jemma Reekie
Georgia Hunter Bell
Halima Nakaayi
I was expecting mostly 3:52 - 3:54 guys with one or two big names, but all the men are top notch athletes, most of which are capable of sub 3:50 miles.
I wonder why not Jess Hull, when she said after Grand Slam Philly she was keen?
irunfastXC wrote:
Does any serious Runner actually think that she has a chance of breaking 4, unless the shoes are completely illegal?
Of course not. It’s a marketing stunt. They’ll have her in a wind tunnel next.
Doesn’t change the fact she’s incredible.
I bet she goes 3:59:87 from the draft to the better pacing and all the other technical gear.
*Shelby settles on couch for watch party, big bag of burritos by her side*
She couldn't break wind.
Genuine Wish wrote:
I hope she fails miserably
lol
Any idea who will be announcing this?
