Typing this following Friday night’s distance action @ LA Grand Prix.
ESP looks unbeatable by any US woman.
Teammate Emily MacKay – last year’s sub-4 distance find-now-bronze-medalist at this year’s World Indoors 1500 – is now a pre-Trials favorite to make the team.
As is Nikki Hiltz, US mile record holder and World Indoors 1500 silver medalist, 0.37 sec ahead of MacKay.
However, back from the dead – or, at least from two leg stress reactions several months ago – is 2021 Olympian w/3:58 pr Heather MacLean.
Arguably the most significant performance of the evening’s distance carnival was MacLean’s virtually solo 4:02.49 Oly Q win in the “B” race.
Along with 2:03 and 2:02 performance in the 800, here are Heather's 1500 results from 2024 so far:
3/29 Raleigh Relays 4:14.20
4/13 Bryan Clay Invitational 4:08.64
5/17 USATF LA Grand Prix Distance Carnival 4:02.49
Interesting sidebar:
While ESP & MacKay are more strength/endurance-oriented milers with great and excellent 5ks and 3ks to their names, MacLean is a “pure” miler, never having raced a 5k and not having raced a 3k since her 9:03 pr from college back in 2017. Her 800 pr is 1:59.72 which is fine for a 1500 runner but not an event she would compete in at a national championships.
Presuming all the big names advance to the Trials finals, expect Marc Coogan/coach to have ESP front-run the race to a time well under 4:00, pulling MacKay & MacLean along with her – while taking the sting out of everyone else’s kick, especially Hiltz & Cranny (should she enter the 1500). At least, that would be the theory.
All the big names save ESP & Cranny are racing the LA Grand Prix Saturday afternoon, while ESP & Cranny are (presumably) racing the Pre 1500 next week, so we will soon have an indication of everyone’s fitness just a month out from the US Trials.