Does Leo Daschbach's record deserves a tiny asterisk since the start of the race took place in lanes, not a waterfall?

rojo wrote:

TheseKidsUnderstand wrote:

Rojo is actually a heathen to the sport. I thought he and his brother started this site to support the sport, not be a heathen. Which of these athletes have not been denigrated on this site: Centrowitz, Rupp, Webb, Hall ...... and so on. What other running site regularly denigrates some of the greatest runners in US history? Only this site.

This site shows why the world is so F***** rihgt now and so divided.

In the modern world, people don't like to question anything. They just want affirmation. They can't handle the slightest of critiques - you must be 100% for or against someone.

How in the world am I denigrating the kid? I just wondered if he would have broken 4 with a waterfall start and if we should note that unlike every mile race I've ever seen, they started in lanes (which is how I think they should start). I didn't know that more than 50 years ago Jim Ryun also started in lanes.

All I asked is if we should put a tiny asterisk next to it? The answer from most people seems to be know but for some reason me asking it is causing half of you to lose it as people don't like to question anything any more.

rojo wrote:

Let me start by saying Daschbach is a beast and total stud. It's rare to see a HSer with such a massive last lap.

That being said, I saw a comment in the thread about his sub-4 that I hadn't realized at the time. The runners started the mile in lanes (I believe the idea was because of Covid-19 they wanted to space them out). That's against the World Athletics rules of the sport.

https://ibb.co/ZT981NR

I can't believe I didn't realize this at the time because I've always hated the way the mile starts, felt it was ineffecient and felt it should be run in lanes. But just because I want something doesn't mean it's legal.

I've always said the mile is the most inefficient start of any. A massive field lines up 9 meters behind a curve and then gun goes off. You waste so much energy at the start because a) there often is a fight for position and b) you often run so much extra ground on the first turn as many runners are way off the rail. Take a look at how much extra ground people are running at Pre in 2019:

https://ibb.co/WKM0Gg9

In a 1500 meters, you at least have 100 meters to get in position before you have to start running extra distance on a turn. In the mile, you have 9 meters.

Now in a smaller high school race, you aren't going to run as much extra ground but there still would be some jostling and extra distance.

And one can certainly argue that perhaps the rules of World Athletics aren't what one refers to for a US HS race but the fact is none of the other sub-4 miles in US high school history started in lanes. Editor's note. Read below. Rojo was incorrect about this. Jim Ryun's sub-4 in a HS only meet was started in lanes.

Here is the WA rule :

World Athletics rules:

44.6 Conduct of the Races, as follows:

44.6.1 Races of up to, and including, 300m shall be run entirely in lanes.

44.6.2 Races over 300m, and less than 800m shall start and continue in lanes

until the breakline marked at the end of the second bend.

44.6.3 For the start of races of 800m, each athlete may be assigned a separate

lane, or up to two athletes may be assigned per lane, or a group start, as in

Rule 17.5.2 of the Technical Rules preferably commencing in lanes 1 and

4, may be used. In these cases, athletes may leave their lane, or those

running in the outer group may join the inner group, only after the breakline

marked at the end of the first bend, or if the race is run with two bends in

lanes, at the end of the second bend. A single curved start line may also

be used.

44.6.4 Races longer than 800m shall be run without lanes using an arced start

line or group starts. If a group start is used, the breakline shall be at the

end of either the first or second bend.

Book C – C2.1

If an athlete does not follow this Rule, they shall be disqualified.

https://www.worldathletics.org/about-iaaf/documents/book-of-rules