I've noticed a pattern, if Birnbaum is still in it in the final lap, you can already call the race, lol. Here he is at the first high school boys mile at the Drake Relays, but he did the same thing at the 3200m at Arcadia this year (4th --> 1st).
*As good of a runner as Jackson Heidesch is, plus it would've been cool if he won the first high school boys mile at the Drake relays, since he's from Iowa.
Simeon Birnbaum and Jackson Heidesch pushed each other to the line at the 2023 Drake Relays.Birnbaum comes out on top of the high school boys mile winning in...
Heideisch has outkicked Birnbaum every other time they've raced.
Heidesch snuck past him in the last 2m of NXR, yes.
Heidesch beat him at NXN, yes, with both clocking 14:55.5 and Birnbaum splitting .1 seconds faster for the last .35mi. split.
Heidesch beat him at NBIN but he didn’t outkick him, since Birnbaum never put himself in the race.
I think those are all of their previous races. Therefore, this was the first time they’d raced where Birnbaum was still in it with a lap to go, and so far Birnbaum’s won 100% of the time in that scenario.
I would have Birnbaum as the underdog again Aaron Sahlman and Leo Young.
I didn't agree with this at first, but then I remembered how he first broke 4. He came out of nowhere to run 3:59 with a 56 last lap. I'd definitely have him over Sahlman, but I'm 50/50 on him or Leo. In the right race, I could see them both going 3:55 by the end of the season, and Birnbuam's kick is better, but idk if it'd matter in a 3:55 race.
As good of a runner as Jackson Heidesch is, plus it would've been cool if he won the first high school boys mile at the Drake relays, since he's from Iowa.
No, it would not have been cool because that dude is a tool and deserved to lose. Look at how far he runs out try to cut off Birnabaum. On the final backstretch he is all the way over almost into lane 2. Then on the final homestraight he finishes in f'ing lane 3 as he tries to push Birnabaum out.
All he managed to do is give both runners a slightly slower time as they ran more distance and he still lost. What a tool.
Look at how far he runs out try to cut off Birnabaum.
I noticed that, too. Wild! (plus, it didn't even work). I wonder if he thought that out ahead of time because it's so unnatural to go *that wide* at the final turn; Heidesch wants to get to the finish line asap, too.
I would have Birnbaum as the underdog again Aaron Sahlman and Leo Young.
I didn't agree with this at first, but then I remembered how he first broke 4. He came out of nowhere to run 3:59 with a 56 last lap. I'd definitely have him over Sahlman, but I'm 50/50 on him or Leo. In the right race, I could see them both going 3:55 by the end of the season, and Birnbuam's kick is better, but idk if it'd matter in a 3:55 race.
Stahlman won NXN and has run 1:48. He holds all the cards running against Birnbaum or any other HSer.
As good of a runner as Jackson Heidesch is, plus it would've been cool if he won the first high school boys mile at the Drake relays, since he's from Iowa.
No, it would not have been cool because that dude is a tool and deserved to lose. Look at how far he runs out try to cut off Birnabaum. On the final backstretch he is all the way over almost into lane 2. Then on the final homestraight he finishes in f'ing lane 3 as he tries to push Birnabaum out.
All he managed to do is give both runners a slightly slower time as they ran more distance and he still lost. What a tool.
Perhaps if Birnbaum was trying to achieve an Olympic qualifying time, then Heidesch floating out to lane 3 would be a dick move. But this is just a race he's trying to win. As long as doesn't make an illegal move, it's fine. You probably don't like cars bumping each other in NASCAR either.
No, it would not have been cool because that dude is a tool and deserved to lose. Look at how far he runs out try to cut off Birnabaum. On the final backstretch he is all the way over almost into lane 2. Then on the final homestraight he finishes in f'ing lane 3 as he tries to push Birnabaum out.
All he managed to do is give both runners a slightly slower time as they ran more distance and he still lost. What a tool.
Perhaps if Birnbaum was trying to achieve an Olympic qualifying time, then Heidesch floating out to lane 3 would be a dick move. But this is just a race he's trying to win. As long as doesn't make an illegal move, it's fine. You probably don't like cars bumping each other in NASCAR either.
This was actually a sub-4 attempt (Heidesch said so himself
Rapid City Stevens star Birnbaum edges Dowling Catholic standout Heidesch by 4:02.36 to 4:02.76 margin to secure first victory in four career matchups; Buettner-Cable of Des Moines Roosevelt clocks 4:49.58 to hold off Ballard...
) so time was important. They obviously would have ended up missing either way, but they were 3:02 high with a lap to go so a sub-4 wasn't completely out of the question.
And I can't say I know or care about NASCAR, but you apparently don't know anything about track. Drifting out of your lane like Heidesch did to impede another runner from passing is actually illegal and could have got him DQ'd. Drifting to the outside of lane 1 to make the runner behind you go wider is one thing, but drifting out to LANE THREE is egregious.
I will walk back a little what I said in my first post though when I called Heidesch a "tool." Based solely on what I read in the DyeStat article, he seems like a nice enough kid so I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he's not a dirty racer, but in the heat of the moment with extreme fatigue setting in, he gave in to some bad instincts. I myself pulled a stunt like this when I was a freshman or sophomore in high school, but my coach pulled me aside and told me you can't do that. Hopefully someone does the same for Heidesch.
No, it would not have been cool because that dude is a tool and deserved to lose. Look at how far he runs out try to cut off Birnabaum. On the final backstretch he is all the way over almost into lane 2. Then on the final homestraight he finishes in f'ing lane 3 as he tries to push Birnabaum out.
All he managed to do is give both runners a slightly slower time as they ran more distance and he still lost. What a tool.
Perhaps if Birnbaum was trying to achieve an Olympic qualifying time, then Heidesch floating out to lane 3 would be a dick move. But this is just a race he's trying to win. As long as doesn't make an illegal move, it's fine. You probably don't like cars bumping each other in NASCAR either.
This is absolutely correct. The “tool” here is the one anonymously calling a teenager a tool on the internet for no legitimate reason. Forcing your competition wide is a valid racing tactic employed by many savvy runners who know how to win and have been awarded medals and prize money for doing so. It didn’t work in this case, but it’s hard to argue it didn’t increase Heidesch’s chances of winning.
As for the point that it resulted in slower times: to the contrary, Heidesch set the pace for the first 600 and pushed from the front for the last 600–it may have been a 4:06 race without his pacing. Once it came down to the last 80m, I’m sure Heidesch would have understandably preferred to win in 4:02.76 than lose in 4:02.56.
This was actually a sub-4 attempt (Heidesch said so himself ) so time was important. They obviously would have ended up missing either way, but they were 3:02 high with a lap to go so a sub-4 wasn't completely out of the question.
And I can't say I know or care about NASCAR, but you apparently don't know anything about track. Drifting out of your lane like Heidesch did to impede another runner from passing is actually illegal and could have got him DQ'd. Drifting to the outside of lane 1 to make the runner behind you go wider is one thing, but drifting out to LANE THREE is egregious.
I will walk back a little what I said in my first post though when I called Heidesch a "tool." Based solely on what I read in the DyeStat article, he seems like a nice enough kid so I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he's not a dirty racer, but in the heat of the moment with extreme fatigue setting in, he gave in to some bad instincts. I myself pulled a stunt like this when I was a freshman or sophomore in high school, but my coach pulled me aside and told me you can't do that. Hopefully someone does the same for Heidesch.
Good on you for walking back a little on calling the kid a tool (I’m going to assume that in the heat of the moment with extreme fatigue setting in, you gave into some bad instincts), BUT the statement in bold is false. You can drift out to lane 7 if you’re a stride ahead and not bodying up the other runner. We’ve seen far more extreme examples of this tactic used in global championships and WMMs without penalty or disqualification.
Not Cool Bro - A little less of a tool than before
I watched the race and expected based on these comments to see the kid pulling a Chelimo. Instead, he seemed to have serious issues every single lap with swinging out to nearly lane two on the straights (typically I see that only happen with inexperienced runners). He did go out a bit on final straight but it wasn’t much and it didn’t really impede anyone’s progress.
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen Heidesch finish a race without cutting off his competitors.
Heidesch is the kid who violently CHECKED a runner off the track like it was a hockey game, and that kid came back and punched Heidesch in the head. Heidesch's shove was egregious and unnecessary. I would never say anyone deserved to get punched in the head, but one could understand how the victim of the shove would be PISSED OFF and seeking revenge.
He's always been a dirty racer. He is track's version of Grayson Allen.
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen Heidesch finish a race without cutting off his competitors.
Heidesch is the kid who violently CHECKED a runner off the track like it was a hockey game, and that kid came back and punched Heidesch in the head. Heidesch's shove was egregious and unnecessary. I would never say anyone deserved to get punched in the head, but one could understand how the victim of the shove would be PISSED OFF and seeking revenge.
He's always been a dirty racer. He is track's version of Grayson Allen.
I agree. I’ve watched that race numerous times. Heidesch should have been DQ’d as well.
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