Told you so. She broke the record and ran great, but it feels like a disappointment because your expectations were so unrealistic and unreasonable. Hopefully this performance pumps the brakes on the excessive hype train. Just let her progress as she’s doing, and stop with the wild predictions.
There is a point here but the ridiculous assertion that she’s ‘plateaued’ after bettering her PR by 11 seconds is a bit absurd. Her progression continues to be steep by any measure and a sub 15 is just around the corner and everyone knows it. She was pleased with her performance because she met her goals and she knows her fitness levels based on her training results. Her dilemma is which distance to focus on this season. She may be closer to meeting the 1500 standard than the 5000 this season but she can decide on either but not both. She can win the NCAA crown in either event but which distance gives her the best chance to finish in top 3 for worlds? This is the decision she’s still weighing.
World standards: 1500-4:03.50 5000-14:57 10k-30:40
NCAA Records: 1500-3:59.90 5000-15:01.70indoor (14:55.74 out of season) 10k-31:18.07
The world standard for 1500 and 5000 are about the same level of difficulty and the 10k standard is quite hard. KT can make the USATF final in any of these events, but making top3 to make the world team will be tough. When it's all over, we'll probably see that her best chance for top 3 would have been 10k. (yes, I know she's never run one)
I'd hope to see here do one more year of NCAA, as I think there's still potentially some competition for her and an opportunity to get another valuable year of training/racing without the pro pressures. Unless she makes a big jump by US Championships.
When women with 14:2x PRs still have a long shot to medal globally, I think patience and just logging in the miles is the best approach.
When it's all over, we'll probably see that her best chance for top 3 would have been 10k. (yes, I know she's never run one)
When you are young and developing I think it's rather difficult to figure out which distance you will end up most competitive in. My take is keep increasing the distance until you can out kick everyone. In most cases that's the difference.
Now once you have increased it so much you can't last until the end you'll know you gave it all you had... I still wish I had tried the half mile. :)
Tuohy is our next 5K US champion. She had an incredible HS career and championship NCAA titles. Something current runners can’t say. Perfectly lining her up to continue to the consistent progression to the best 5K US runner in the next Olympics. You go girl. The whole country is cheering for YOU!!
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