Initially I thought Grant would have run a bit quicker, but find his sickness and realistically only a 5 week build into this, I just don’t think it was enough. It sort of reminds me of Jakob’s debut half where everyone had a lot confidence in him and it didn’t go quite as well as we thought. Grant looked pretty crushed after the race to be honest, I wonder if he will feel motivated to figure out the roads or stay on the track a bit longer.
In the video interview someone posted earlier in this thread, he was disappointed, but it sounded like he wants to do another half next year and feels he has more in the tank with different training next time around.
Sisson top American. People always say she’s not a great hilly course runner, but given she is in the middle of marathon training for Boston, this is a good result.
Agree. Also gives context to Klecker's 60:02 today. Should mean they're both fit for next month.
Like Barega and Cheptegai, Fisher is best suited for the 10000 on the track.
The marathon isn't for everyone.
Fisher's best chance of making the US team in 2027 and 2028 is in the 10000.
Uhhhhh you mean the guys with 59.26 and 57.50 HM prs?
Agree with the people who say this is a disappointment given GF 10k credentials. Has a 10K medalist at the OG or WC debuted at HM this slow in this decade?
Will give GF a small pass because of the illness...that can really knock you down, especially in later 20s / early 30s.
With Fisher's debut done, this probably is not too positive yet not too negative either.
Finishing down in 14th with no answer to the big move from Wildschutt, isn't something positive. but this came off very little specific training (or speed oriented indoors) and pneumonia. realistically, he's not very trained for the race.
However, 1:00:53 isn't even that bad a time for a debut, and that's not considering the hills. he also just went with the leaders to see what happened instead of going optimally for time. The time is not that great either compared to similar runners who debutted (Wildschutt debutted in Valencia in 59+)
Today probably only slashed off the extremes (totally not cut out/road prodigy), but we should wait for him to do a specific road block to see his road suitability. Although if he's serious about the 2028 marathon, he should do another road race ASAP and train with a longer block.
Initially I thought Grant would have run a bit quicker, but find his sickness and realistically only a 5 week build into this, I just don’t think it was enough. It sort of reminds me of Jakob’s debut half where everyone had a lot confidence in him and it didn’t go quite as well as we thought. Grant looked pretty crushed after the race to be honest, I wonder if he will feel motivated to figure out the roads or stay on the track a bit longer.
Both, per the post-race interview linked above.
Grant stuck to his script from prior interviews: all-in on track from now thru summer, no road racing again until this time next year, may be back for the 2027 NYC Half.
Admitted he needs a longer buildup than he had (only 5 weeks then taper.) Admitted his training did not take into consideration the surges he had to cover mid-race which left his legs shot w/3 miles to go. Aerobically, fine. But, as Mike/coach stated in the Running Effect podcast uploaded yesterday, his main concern for Grant was leg fatigue. And it happened, hard.
As an outsider watching & listening to all this over the past few weeks, it's pretty apparent Grant & Mike need to significantly alter their track training just to be competitive at the half. But for a full marathon? That would appear to require a complete overhaul.
And, since Grant won't be doing another road race for another 12 months then follow that with another full track season leading into Bejing WCs, a full marathon training block couldn't happen until late 2027/early 2028. Meaning, hypothetically, Grant's first marathon would be the 2028 Oly Trials -- at the earliest..
So, unless Grant falls off a cliff in the 5000 & 10,000 this year -- with father time then forcing him to the roads in an attempt to make US teams and continue to stay relevant in the sport -- from where this armchair quarterback sits, guessing Grant & Mike will eventually decide to hit the pause button on Grant's marathon debut until after the LA Olympics.
Charlie Lawrence with an absolute incredibly elite time there. He’s one of the most talented athletes we’ve ever seen in the US and deserves all the support he gets. So elite!
Charlie Lawrence with an absolute incredibly elite time there. He’s one of the most talented athletes we’ve ever seen in the US and deserves all the support he gets. So elite!
I don't think you can dress this up as anything other than a disappointment for Fisher. Even taking into account the problems with his build-up, barely scraping sub-61 in a race where multiple guys ran sub-60 isn't great for one of the best 10k runners in the world. I've no doubt there's better to come, but this was a bad day at the office for him. Still, credit to him for lining up after a difficult training block. It would have been easy to scratch
I am the biggest Grant Fisher defender out there, so I don't say this lightly:
That was disastrous. You skipped WXC, Millrose, and WCi for...that? To get beat by guys you were pantsing in college?
2 things I don't understand when smoking copium:
1. Do professional runners have the immune systems of a bubble boy? This isn't even specific to Grant; every time someone falls short, you can cue the, "well they had a little cough/illness last week". And? You are a professional athlete with every recovery option out there around the healthiest people in the world. I don't buy it. Something else went wrong in training and it wasn't the sniffles. Obviously, I'm not a pro, otherwise I wouldn't be posting here, but having run competitively at high levels for over a decade, I can count on one hand how many times I've been sick enough for it to make even a minor difference.
2. "He's still figuring out the roads". You mean, where there are larger fields to pace off of on trampoline shoes? He fuels during workouts and has done workouts at this length. I do not and never will buy 'learning the roads' at any distance under the marathon.
TL;DR: That sucked, especially given what we missed seeing indoors this year from Fisher. The illness and 'learning the roads' excuses are lame and lazy.
I am the biggest Grant Fisher defender out there, so I don't say this lightly:
That was disastrous. You skipped WXC, Millrose, and WCi for...that? To get beat by guys you were pantsing in college?
2 things I don't understand when smoking copium:
1. Do professional runners have the immune systems of a bubble boy? This isn't even specific to Grant; every time someone falls short, you can cue the, "well they had a little cough/illness last week". And? You are a professional athlete with every recovery option out there around the healthiest people in the world. I don't buy it. Something else went wrong in training and it wasn't the sniffles. Obviously, I'm not a pro, otherwise I wouldn't be posting here, but having run competitively at high levels for over a decade, I can count on one hand how many times I've been sick enough for it to make even a minor difference.
2. "He's still figuring out the roads". You mean, where there are larger fields to pace off of on trampoline shoes? He fuels during workouts and has done workouts at this length. I do not and never will buy 'learning the roads' at any distance under the marathon.
TL;DR: That sucked, especially given what we missed seeing indoors this year from Fisher. The illness and 'learning the roads' excuses are lame and lazy.
Deep breath, deep breath. The sky isn’t falling. You’re gonna make it, man. Just hang in there
Just watched his interview. He definitely wants another go at the half. Like he’s said he’s setting his sights now on the track and outdoors, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up doing another road race later in the year. He’s a bit of a perfectionist and you can tell he’s already itching to have another go at this distance.
I am the biggest Grant Fisher defender out there, so I don't say this lightly:
That was disastrous. You skipped WXC, Millrose, and WCi for...that? To get beat by guys you were pantsing in college?
2 things I don't understand when smoking copium:
1. Do professional runners have the immune systems of a bubble boy? This isn't even specific to Grant; every time someone falls short, you can cue the, "well they had a little cough/illness last week". And? You are a professional athlete with every recovery option out there around the healthiest people in the world. I don't buy it. Something else went wrong in training and it wasn't the sniffles. Obviously, I'm not a pro, otherwise I wouldn't be posting here, but having run competitively at high levels for over a decade, I can count on one hand how many times I've been sick enough for it to make even a minor difference.
2. "He's still figuring out the roads". You mean, where there are larger fields to pace off of on trampoline shoes? He fuels during workouts and has done workouts at this length. I do not and never will buy 'learning the roads' at any distance under the marathon.
TL;DR: That sucked, especially given what we missed seeing indoors this year from Fisher. The illness and 'learning the roads' excuses are lame and lazy.
Deep breath, deep breath. The sky isn’t falling. You’re gonna make it, man. Just hang in there
It's over, man. He even got Klecker'd. This is the worst thing to happen in New York City probably ever
He will be in the lead vehicles for NYC Marathon in 26/27 and then debut shortly after the Olympics with a hefty appearance fee (assuming he doesn't fall off the rails in the 5/10)
Initially I thought Grant would have run a bit quicker, but find his sickness and realistically only a 5 week build into this, I just don’t think it was enough. It sort of reminds me of Jakob’s debut half where everyone had a lot confidence in him and it didn’t go quite as well as we thought. Grant looked pretty crushed after the race to be honest, I wonder if he will feel motivated to figure out the roads or stay on the track a bit longer.
Both, per the post-race interview linked above.
Grant stuck to his script from prior interviews: all-in on track from now thru summer, no road racing again until this time next year, may be back for the 2027 NYC Half.
Admitted he needs a longer buildup than he had (only 5 weeks then taper.) Admitted his training did not take into consideration the surges he had to cover mid-race which left his legs shot w/3 miles to go. Aerobically, fine. But, as Mike/coach stated in the Running Effect podcast uploaded yesterday, his main concern for Grant was leg fatigue. And it happened, hard.
As an outsider watching & listening to all this over the past few weeks, it's pretty apparent Grant & Mike need to significantly alter their track training just to be competitive at the half. But for a full marathon? That would appear to require a complete overhaul.
And, since Grant won't be doing another road race for another 12 months then follow that with another full track season leading into Bejing WCs, a full marathon training block couldn't happen until late 2027/early 2028. Meaning, hypothetically, Grant's first marathon would be the 2028 Oly Trials -- at the earliest..
So, unless Grant falls off a cliff in the 5000 & 10,000 this year -- with father time then forcing him to the roads in an attempt to make US teams and continue to stay relevant in the sport -- from where this armchair quarterback sits, guessing Grant & Mike will eventually decide to hit the pause button on Grant's marathon debut until after the LA Olympics.
Fisher’s goals are far more ambitious than just making a marathon team. If Fisher’s track times fall off a cliff, it won’t be any better for him in the marathon. If it got that point, Father Time is more likely to push Fisher into retirement.