No rabbits. No other Newbury Park runners. No super shoes or mondo surface. On a classic rubberized black track, halfway in SW Missouri somewhere, windy April day, just these two. Who wins?
No rabbits. No other Newbury Park runners. No super shoes or mondo surface. On a classic rubberized black track, halfway in SW Missouri somewhere, windy April day, just these two. Who wins?
A guy who is probably in the top 5 GOATs in XC that also has 1:48 speed, is going to be tough to beat.
And the guy who just ran 4:00.95 solo isnt tough to beat?
A lot of guys have run a fast mile without a pacer. John Walker’s first 3:49 was solo and Hassan and Cheruiyot don’t need pacers. Martin’s splits were 60.2, 60.4 60.4 and 59.9. What would a pacer have done for him?
Sahlman ran 3:58 in January to win a "pro" race, like 7 weeks after running 14:03 on an XC course. Probably in closer to 3:55-3:56 shape now. Gary Martin is great, but really hard to pick against Sahlman here, particularly with 1:48 speed.
Gary Martin is the fastest miler ever in the storied Philadelphia Catholic League and now the entire state of Pennsylvania. He's excellent. Colin Sahlman has faster times at every distance they have both run, to my knowledge. I think the better question is if Gary and the top four of Newbury Park had a race of five runners, where would he place? My guess is third, even through he is a remarkable runner. It may even be fourth. Newbury Park is pretty unbelievable.
Also, Gary Martin's mile splits from a high of 60.4 to a low of 59.9 are impressively consistent pacing, with a slight negative split on the second half mile. Shows the kind of discipline that pairs well with talent for continued improvement in the years to come. Not everyone with a racing engine, so to speak, can drive it optimally. To have achieved that as a high schooler shows how smart and aware of a runner he is.
And the guy who just ran 4:00.95 solo isnt tough to beat?
A lot of guys have run a fast mile without a pacer. John Walker’s first 3:49 was solo and Hassan and Cheruiyot don’t need pacers. Martin’s splits were 60.2, 60.4 60.4 and 59.9. What would a pacer have done for him?
Walker’s first sub 3’50 was hardly solo. Goran Sawemark paced through the first 440 56.3 and then 880 at 1’55.5 where he then dropped out. Walker went through 3 laps in 2’53.5 with Ken hall right behind and pressing him the whole 3rd lap. Of note, Walker had initially asked Hall to take over the 3rd lap after the Swedish pacemaker had planned to drop out, but Hall declined. I know this because Goran was my father’s best friend.
Martin's pacing was impeccable, yet a pacer would have considerably decreased the energy cost of those first two or three laps, leaving more in the tank to get under four. Estimates on the value of a pacer are around 1/2 s per lap, which would take him down to 3:59.45 with 1320y pacing. Sahlman had pacers and people to draft off of. Sure, he has the better times and head to head record now, but that's for the greatest high school team in history. No telling who will have the better career at this point.
A lot of guys have run a fast mile without a pacer. John Walker’s first 3:49 was solo and Hassan and Cheruiyot don’t need pacers. Martin’s splits were 60.2, 60.4 60.4 and 59.9. What would a pacer have done for him?
Walker’s first sub 3’50 was hardly solo. Goran Sawemark paced through the first 440 56.3 and then 880 at 1’55.5 where he then dropped out. Walker went through 3 laps in 2’53.5 with Ken hall right behind and pressing him the whole 3rd lap. Of note, Walker had initially asked Hall to take over the 3rd lap after the Swedish pacemaker had planned to drop out, but Hall declined. I know this because Goran was my father’s best friend.
The YouTube video only shows the last 2 laps but I don’t believe a pacer for the first half made much difference. I do know that Bayi had no help in his 1500m WR at the 1974 Commonwealth Games.
Martin's pacing was impeccable, yet a pacer would have considerably decreased the energy cost of those first two or three laps, leaving more in the tank to get under four. Estimates on the value of a pacer are around 1/2 s per lap, which would take him down to 3:59.45 with 1320y pacing. Sahlman had pacers and people to draft off of. Sure, he has the better times and head to head record now, but that's for the greatest high school team in history. No telling who will have the better career at this point.
Where did you get the .5 seconds a lap benifit from pacers? Would Virgin have run 8:37 with pacers? During Bekele’s 10000m WR record, he ran 13:09 with pacers and then 13:08 without.
I can't see Martin dropping Sahlman and I definitely can't see him outkicking Sahlman. Love Martin though. Very bright, articulate kid. Knows his sport well.
With Martin's excellent pacing, it's too bad he couldn't be used as a pacesetter for NP guys to go for a mass sub-4 finish. Before I get slammed, then perhaps NP guys could set the pace for Martin to go under 4 in another race, and finally, get them all together in a yet another high-school only race with Harrison and others and have them go at it.