After record-breaking 2023, Alicia Monson talks about running..... 29:30! for 10,000m

that actually doesn’t seem unreasonable for her. the race calculator im using says she should be able to run 29:25 with PRs of 8:25 and 14:19.

then again, actually doing it is VERY different

It wouldn’t surprise me although something in the 29:45ish range seems more feasible. Monson had a great track season last year and I hope she can avoid the little slump she had near the end of the year.

I also look for Elly Henes to have big PRs this upcoming year and getting close to 14:20 or under 14:30 at the very least. She should also take considerable time off of her 10k PR.

I agree that 29:30 is reasonable, but it won't matter unless she can kick.

I would rather see her try running the 1500m more. She'd have a better chance at a medal as a 30:00 runner with a 3:57 1500m than a 29:30 runner with a 4:06.

The winners are closing in 59.00. Monson MIGHT be able to run 59 fresh.

For sure she could have run close to 29:30 on the day she ran 14:19. Her shorter distance personal bests are relatively pathetic so she looks like she might be a 2:15 marathoner potentially. To me her progression is extremely impressive and maybe even suspicious. She has improved immensely.

I'd like to believe she's clean but those times and confidence merit heavy suspicion at least. What's her progression been like, realistic?

it's fast, but based on how little she slows down from 3k to 5k it could be reasonable. Especially if she'd be in ~14:15 / 8:20 shape

Of course, if she can't even run under 60 for a 400 and she's nearly redlining at 29:50, she has no shot. Needs to do daily strides and speed development

In 2020, at age 22, she ran her then best of 15:14. Now at age 25 she has run 14:19 and is talking about doing 14:45 twice in a 10000m. Her improvement has been astounding but perhaps not unprecedented.

She has responded well to altitude. Everyone responds differently and it has been good for Monson.

Let Dathan know. Perhaps you should be coaching her instead of him.

My 1500 / mile PRs are faster than his.

I ran fast enough to know what I'm talking about. When you're competing against people who can close a fast 5000m in 56 and if you can't be 100% sure that you can run away from the rest of the field solo, having a 59 as your fastest 400 means you have no shot at medaling.

Not sure what you mean by “speed development”, but she has undoubtedly being doing strides and speed work her entire career. There’s no way that she’s going to improve her top-end speed and subsequent kick for Tokyo. You’re also assuming you’re more knowledgeable about training than her coaches.

She’s comparable to runners like Bedford and Lopes and not Yifter. Based on her PRs I do believe she’s capable of a 57 400m, though.

I’m sure he knows what he’s doing, junior. He seems to have done a fine job coaching Yared.

Additional data point: When she ran 14:19, she was with the leaders with a lap to go. She finished seven seconds behind the winner. So she's not going to run away from anyone but Americans. In a fast race, she gets dusted over the final 400. In a slower race against the same world-class field, she would be even more out of contention once the kicking starts.

So on the one hand, yeah, she should work on top-end speed. On the other hand, how much can she really improve that apparent glitch in her arsenal? Her current coach could have done flying 150s all day and still would have been dropped by the good kickers.

Good article, but please let her know that the plural of fartlek is fartlek, not fartleks.

She said that she ran 59 at the end of a workout where she averaged 4:43 for 4 x mile and ran a hard 600 as well. Even if she's not a kicker, there's no way that any 4:23 miler is running much slower than 55 in a fresh 400.

The problem might be that Monson is a poor woman's Ejgayehu Taye. Taye snuck out a bronze last year in the Worlds 10K when Hassan fell. For her standards, she summoned a pretty good kick to do so and wasn't far behind Gidey (also not known for a great kick, but perhaps underrated in that aspect). In the 5,000 where kick really mattered, Taye was 5th and the top 3 were well-separated. 4th place (Chelimo) has inferior times, but has a stronger kick and thus was able to beat her out.

Monson can get really fast, and that would probably give her a fighting chance to beat someone like Taye or Agnes Ngetich (who is improving). Pretty doubtful as far as the strongest kickers Tsegay, Chebet, Hassan (barring craziness like last year), Kipyegon, and then Gidey.

Losing 7 seconds in the last lap … some of you guys seem to think that in an open 400 she loses the same time or more. It is easy to have the best kick when everyone else is at their limit and you are not.

You guys also think her 14:19 is magically a 14:12 with just some “speed development”? Maybe with some speed development she could also become a professional sprinter or dominate the 800.

In the interview, she says she ran a 59 at the end of a workout. I don't think Monson's problem is her kick. Cranny has run 3:58, but she finished WAY behind Monson at Worlds, even though it was won in 31:27. Monson's best races have also come from shorter distances, besides her 5th place in the 10k this year (where she kicked). She beat Hassan, Muir, and Chebet in that DL 3k last year, and only lost by .01 to Niyonsaba. I'd argue the point a bit more, but you obviously haven't even read the article, so I don't think your opinion is particularly well informed.