Less than a month out from USA’s. Cole and Coop both look like the 2 best distance runners in the country.
1500 feels like a lock for them to get 1-2. I don’t see anyone in the field beating them, especially with Centro out.
5000m will be the toughest but both have the best 800/1500m pb’s out of the entire field and the slower the race, the more it plays into their favor.
No chance puggie boy Hockhair cant go the distance(5k), and Cooper will prob focus on the 1500 anyway.
It’s fairly possible. Nobody else is super close in the 1500m right now. 5K, different story. Chilemo, Fisher, Kincaid, etc. all might have something to say.
Love Hocker but it’d be a surprise if in that 5,000 he doesn’t get dropped somewhere in the last 800 when the BTC guys/Chelimo push the pace.
Runtail wrote:
Less than a month out from USA’s. Cole and Coop both look like the 2 best distance runners in the country.
1500 feels like a lock for them to get 1-2.
Maybe the 2 best mid-distance runners in the country. Not even close at long distance. Not 1&2 at 5k. Not 1&2 in the steeple. 10k? Comical to even discuss. Now, mid-D may be more respected and glamorous, but the 2 best distance runners in the country are certainly not these guys.
THOUGHTSLEADER wrote:
Love Hocker but it’d be a surprise if in that 5,000 he doesn’t get dropped somewhere in the last 800 when the BTC guys/Chelimo push the pace.
He did get dropped at NCAA’s last year, but he did that with a 1500m in his legs an hour prior. 1500m final is Saturday and the 5k final is Sunday so Hocker will have enough rest to be right there in the mix with 400m to go.
1500m? Maybe. 5000m... uh.
Grant Fisher ran 12:53 indoors this year (and 26:33), and beat Cooper at the trials (wasn't really close).
Paul Chelimo also beat Cooper and has two Olympic medals in the event, most recently last year. He dropped out at Pre but that's weak evidence of problems at best. He has high standards so it might just mean he isn't ready to compete at the highest level. But he doesn't need to be at that level to beat Cooper or Cole.
There's no evidence Cooper or Cole are at that level yet. Being a 3:50 miler doesn't cut it, as we know already from last year.
Woody Kincaid hasn't shown he is as good as Chelimo or Fisher but he beat Teare last year too.