Hobbs has looked flat for a while now. He doesn't have the same springyness as he did a year ago. He needs to keep his climbing regimen intact; it's what gave him his superior core strength, which is his inherent advantage over his peers. He's losing that and if he doesn't change course, his form will become what Wheating's became in the seasons following his 3:30: Flat and pushing instead of springy and galloping.
koose wrote:
Hobbs has looked flat for a while now. He doesn't have the same springyness as he did a year ago. He needs to keep his climbing regimen intact; it's what gave him his superior core strength, which is his inherent advantage over his peers. He's losing that and if he doesn't change course, his form will become what Wheating's became in the seasons following his 3:30: Flat and pushing instead of springy and galloping.
Have you seen that workout ? The man looks smooth.
Typical US kid gets paid too much money, and starts to suck. Same as Drew Hunter. Overrated American teens
irishhammer wrote:
Typical US kid gets paid too much money, and starts to suck. Same as Drew Hunter. Overrated American teens
He should have gone to Michigan and should have had an agreement to continue with his current coach (like Rupp did in Oregon).
Rupp went pro, then regretted it quickly and entered the NCAA. It was a good decision to go NCAA.
Hunter said it publicly that he regretted his decision to go pro right after HS.
Watch the post race interview with Mason and tell me if it was Hobbs’ job to pace :)
hiney licker wrote:
Watch the post race interview with Mason and tell me if it was Hobbs’ job to pace :)
https://youtu.be/Sp9mA5w2heM
That settles the issue now, doesn’t it. Thank you. I guess we’re done here.
Hobbs did not come here to pace Nick.
Watch the video and the exchange between Mason, Hobbs, and the rest in the car following the race.
As I had said from the beginning. All I will say is Ronnie is a dear friend of mine, and I also think people have been too hard on Kessler and here is why.
He goes from 4:20's to 3:57 indoors in under a year. Next race is an 8:39 Two mile running like 26.x for last 220. Then a 3:40.xx 1500, which kind of looks like the 3:57.66 really.
Then he catches it completely right, on the train at Portland, closes very well, throws arms up at end and runs 3:34.xx, now to be fair, if you go back and look at this race multiple times, he has a ton of run in him, he might very well have continued on to 3:51.x-3:52 that day.
You know the rest, looks dominant round one of Trials, flat in semi.
So, which is he more like? The 3:34.x once or somewhere in between? I think people need to realize, progress is not always linear. He Opens at about 8:39 for two miles , only running the last 1000, and then goes under 4 , on what people think was a bad day. I think just a little more patience here is appropriate, its not like he came in and ran 4:05.
I think he will be fine, his talent and style is hard to mistake, is all I would say. I would be more concerned with where Engels goes from here, or Murphy who was non competitive and has now looked like he may never be the factor at 1500 we had all hoped for.
Great info and post and I don’t disagree at all.
I think the issue is that we all look at Willis as washed up and potentially retiring any day. He’s running the equivalent of Big Ben’s retirement tour here. And Hobbs was barely in front of him.
And we’re looking at Hobbs like a young Cole Hocker…. Which is unfair to him but that’s what happens when you run 3:34 and make the OT semis (using a monster kick btw) as a HSer.
Time will tell but personally I’d like to at least see him competitive with the B team of USers (Prakel, Johnny G, et al).
Thanks again for the inside scoop.
You guys are so blind. VNTC won't come out and admit in the open that Hobbs paced Willis because it does look bad that they would have "used" 2 spots in a "prestigious" event in order to just simply get their aging vet who's about to officially retire a milestone achievement in the public limelight.
But if you don't think that it was important enough to Ron, Nick, Hobbs & everyone else at VNTC you are a moron.
BTW none of you morons arguing against my point have any "inside Knowledge" or are "close personal friends with Ron", and then post under a different name and say "thanks for you're inside knowledge", while acknowledging a clear as day ass clown as legitimate.
Hobbs is fine, he’s going to keep improving and learning.
The new VNTC YouTube video has the clear answer for what happened in the race (re: pacing Nick or not?).
He doesn’t have to retire. He is an amateur since he has been employed by Tracksmith. What he is doing is good PR for Tracksmith and he seems to enjoy the situation he is in, that’s just my opinion. So a win win for both parties
Guys it’s February. I am sure the plan is to be ready in June not late January/ early February. Hobbs will be ready when it counts
also remember that the TOTAL number of top-flight races Hobbs has been in, in his career, is still in roughly the single digits. (His indoor sub-4 probably wasn't crowded enough to count.)
At this point any time he toes the line in a competitive pro field is a terrific learning experience. The knowledge and tactical improvement curve is still steep. It's basically a no-lose situation even if he runs, by his standards, "poorly."
Huge fan and the sky is still the limit.
You are an idiot..I am personal friends with Ron, and speak with him about every ten days or less. For years now.
You are a complete feeb if you think Ron is flying from Ann Arbor into an f 'ing blizzard even if already committed , to TT Willis to sub 4. It just was/is not even a thought for this event. Hobbs is forging his own high profile career, TT rabitting is not it.
I just wish Mason or Nick would come on here themselves, they have been on before I am sure, and then speak up to the doubters. It is a sign of my own idiocy that I even entertain this to respond.
By the way, I have never posted on any thread on Letsrun under two different names in my life, another uneducated thought from you. My screen name is only different know because it had been a long time since I posted and had to re initiated.
Kessler the Pacer.? Who even lets this crap on this page, I should know better by now.
He's at the NB Indoor Grand Prix this weekend so let's see how he does without Willis in the race. You might also have noticed a drop off in his times since he stopped wearing the Dragonfly shoes. Could be coincidence and admittedly, he hasn't raced much since he signed with Adidas
What drop off? Are you kidding? He ran Trials, on fumes , won his prelim looking great.
Then a purposeful 3K closing in 2:30, which was the drill, by the way. The broke 4:00?
He has run four races since signing, come on now, you seem to know whats what....2 of them afrer a long high profile year already
There was also a recent interview—maybe a previous VNTC vid—or something in print, I can't remember. Anyway, in it, if I remember correctly, Ron says they have no intention of Hobbs going out in 55 or 56 this early in the year. I'm sure the 3:59 was something of a disappointment (and not a NW pacing effort), which seems clear from the VNTC vid on the bus postmeet, but I'd also trust his training is intentional and directed for later in the year. That said, I'm guessing he's frustrated by the time/result and will go out much faster, and probably be more competitive, next race. :/
Kessy's gonna be relegated to pacemaking if he keeps this up. 3:57 (3:41) PB this afternoon, but he's not been in monster racing shape since he got bounced from Eugene.