HOBBS KESSLER 3:57.66 MILE NEW HS RECORD

Way too many people out of their depth on the lane/rail issue

There was no advantage gained

No way. DQ offense

Can someone clarify the debate? The results are marked "official" and "HSR." Once designated "official," can the result be overturned?

Advantage has nothing to do with this situation.

Sure, but every HS kid has a story. Mine is after winning an smr, our last leg tossed the baton into the infield turf do he could go back to the team tent.

DQ

Also, the famous DQs everyone has seen for uniform rules or "pacing" (aka cheering your bf/gf from the infield).

Where is the irate poster from the girls' 800 a few weeks ago who wanted a girl DQed for cutting off Roisin Willis? We told him that DQs happen more often in real competitions/scored events than these exhibition type races. I have a feeling that this would have been a DQ if in a state HS meet.

Rocket Mann wrote:

Looks like an accidental step that didn't give him any advantage, so I say let him keep it.

As a side note, didn't Hunter step outside the rail or break before the cones ended or something during his mile record? I feel like I remember him doing that, and he still got the record, so I say let Kessler keep it.

Maybe you’re thinking of Grant fisher. Tripped with 50-60 meters to go in an indoor mile race right at 3:50-51 I recall. Basically jogged in the last bit and ran 4:03.

It’ll be interesting to watch Kessler’s career at NAU instead of going pro like Drew Hunter did.

This kid is so new, what is his potential? This was his first race against pros. It was his first race on a banked track. It was his first official race breaking 4:20! This kid may run 3:55 indoor and 3:50 outdoor. He may run 3:33 this summer. He may be in that Tracksmith uniform forever and never wear the NAU uniform.

I know

On the advantage issue from a DQ perspective

My point was only that he gained no advantage

I do understand the technical part of the rule however

That race was crazy. Two guys who run at my local track finish 2nd and 3rd. I had no idea Hobbs was in the race at all. And a Nick Willis commercial right outta Ann Arbor! May have to pay attention to what workouts they do.

Samantha69 wrote:

Hobbs seems like a fast twitch monster to me. According to Strava, he averages around 40 mpw, which consists of 5 mile easy runs at 7 min/mi pace, and a long run at 6 min/mi pace. These easy pace are very easy for a sub-4 runner, and doesn't seem to provide the training stimulus to run sub 4. However, as another poster suggested, he doesn't log workouts, which I would assume to be secret due to the fact that it's used by Nick Willis. Would be guessing that they're heavily anaerobic in nature and more along the lines of 800m training. Something like 4x400?

Sounds familiar - Webb is back baby!

Maybe Ron won't lose a hold of the talent this time?

Michigan kids are just built different what can ya say

Actually they kind of did already . He lives 3 mins from campus and he heading to NAU.

Alright this whole story is insane. What an amazing alignment of factors to produce this kind of "out of nowhere" result.

Lack of major seasons with a lot of racing, easier to structure and focus on training, then have Nick Willis live in the same area as you who brings you into Warhurst's coaching.

Kick like a girl wrote:

Willis and the Michigan team helped him but he chooses to abandon them. Michigan is such a better school than NAU.

I am willing to bet money that Willis and the others you are speaking(foolishly) for do not feel that way in the slightest.

Both of those statements are facts. He is abandoning them and Michigan is a better school. Neither of those facts require feelings. I don't understand your statement that they don't share those feelings. I assume that they are happy for him. And I assume that they are aware that Michigan is a better school.

All these fast times go to show the benefits of smart consistent training instead of over racing for young runners.

Just superb form, totally efficient, compact stride, excellent speed. How this kid was able to train with Nick Willis, I don't know, but it sure has paid off quickly. Without knowing any of that, it came completely out of nowhere to outsiders. Now, Willis trains high mileage and fast workouts are not the primary focus. Maybe this kid is very different. He will be well served at NAU because of the altitude, training partners, and coach, although he can hardly do better than the situation he has already in Michigan.

Is it fair to say that we should have had an email from some Michigan coach in the know to say that there's a kid with pr's of 4:21 1600 and 2:02 800, trains with Nick Willis, who is the best prep miler in the country, better than Rheinhardt Harrison (4:01 junior)?

Kick like a girl wrote:

Can someone post the rule? I can't find it. I would rather not provide an opinion without reading the rule. I have a feeling that hundreds of people are posting and tweeting opinions everywhere today based on what they think the rule should say or what their state high school rule says.

Let's stop talking about material advantage and that nonsense. This was a World Athletics event. World Athletics Technical Rule 17.3.2 is very clear.

It says that if an athlete steps inside the rail on the curve, he or she is disqualified unless the referee determines they “are pushed or forced by another person to step or run outside their lane or on or inside the kerb or line marking the applicable border” which clearly didn’t happen here as Kessler was running behind the pack when he went over the rail. Steeping inside the rail on a curve = DQ. There is no talk about material advantage as that's assumed.

You can read it here:

Now, if this was a high school only event, it probably wouldn't be a DQ. The HS rule acknowledges that it's more lenient than World Athletics.

That rule is here:

USATF of course confuses people as they do talk about material advantage and convulute things but this was a World Athletics event.