S. Lassiter & Bryan Berryhill here\'s some great tips

I agree that they should be due for a breakthrough--especially Seneca. The fact is his PR time in the 1500 would win a lot of races, not too many where El G and Lagat are in, but enough. I say give them a little more maturation time, stepping up can help them but I think they have a lot more time to better themselves in the short distances.

questionmark wrote:

seneca lassiter and bryan berryhill need to either make

a big breakthru next year or move up to the 5000m. both

have decent 1500m/mile speed but neither will ever contend

for a major medal without big improvements. yes seneca

have 1:45 800m speed and bryan 47 400m speed, but neither

is competitive on the european scene. both seneca and bryan should focus on maintaining their current speed and

build their endurance for the 5000m before time runs out.

???

If they can't make it around the track 3 3/4 times what makes you think 12 1/2 will be easier?

I disagree. I think they both have a better chance at running 3:30 than running 12:55. Especially Berryhill.

radcliff was good (till now also) at 10,000m track and 3k-8k XC. if she can do 10km, what makes you think she can run 4.2195 times the distance?

nothing impossible.

ps : If lassiter really did his 1:45 when he was doing 100mpw , I would be saying that he probably able to do sub 13 5k anytime that very moment.

Nobody knows Berryhill's or Lassiter's best distance until they train for and compete in all the distances under consideration. Since they have run so well at 800 and 400, it is unlikely that their best race is the marathon, but the jury is still out on the 5K until they do it seriously (similar to their 1500s). Until they do so, everything we have to add is conjecture. Many people don't move up because they have found the race that they like and want to do until they know for certain that they could go no faster (and as you know, this might be forever). Same could be said about the El G & moving up thread.

I agree with you! Las and Berry have great potential, I believe if they don't run up to our expextations we slam them and say they need to give it up or change distance.

Las has run 3:33ish Berryhill is has run a Mile in 3:55-6

another year and they should both have a Krum-like seasons

Seneca's new training system seems to be taking time to adjust.

Let's not forget he ran 3:33 in 1999. That was three years ago. He is capable of a lot, but he seems to be content on trying to beat the top Americans. It almost made me sick to see the smile on his face when I watched the Oracle Mile this year at Stanford. He didn't win the race and was more than 5 seconds from his mile PR, but he was so freakin' happy because he'd beat Lunn/Stember and the rest of the top American milers.

15 seconds behind second to last place at the GP Final doesn't help the credibility of American distance running, or Seneca's marketability either.

I can't help but think the decision to train with Lagat is a positive one, but I don't really understand why Seneca hasn't come close to his 1999 form. I have always been a huge fan, but he has to focus on running with Lagat and El G, not Berryhill and Downin. Sorry to say but it's true.

I don't know if Seneca ever ran close to 100 mpw, but he ran a lot in college (just like Hood, Bruton, etc.). He alos ran 13:39 in his debut this season, so he is showing good range.

I'm not so sure about Lassiter anymore..he had a horrible year,.. not shaky but poor..I don't think he touched his PR this year did he?? That alone would not be totally disconcerting, but top echelon guys are not running 3:40's and 3:54 in an "A" race....he has always had what I would say is big talent but very erratic..

I agree with the question mark

Seneca and Bryan both have exceptional talent that is yet

to develop fully; however, there are SEVERAL sub 3:31 men

out there that have developed and have 3-5 years let in their careers. Seneca more so then Berryhill should think

which event would he have a better chance of winning a medal

at the 1500 or 5000m. Bryan in my opinion have more room to

improve then Seneca (unless he pops one soon). The point is

the rest of the world is not wanting for US and 3:33, 3:32,

and sometimes 3:31 will not get you much on the world scene.

The brillant tatics of Hicham to have a countrymen pace the

Worlds and Olympics will almost ensure that the pace is sub

3:30.

The 5000m is not littered with guys who have 1:45/3:33 speed

like Seneca. Seneca also showed that he have great endurance by by his 13:36 5000m this year. I am not slamming Seneca, I just think he have more potential to be

a medal threat in the 5000m; moreso, than the 1500m (if he

trained and stuck with it). I mean isn't the overdistance

thing working for Paula and Deena (training for marathon)

and running faster at short distances also. Benard Lagat

(Seneca training partner in 2002) is another prime example

that can pop a 13:10 at will and still run 3:27.

Vipam

I think both of them have fine talent for the 1500. Maybe moving into the 5000 later in their careers would be wise, but neither of them are old at all right now. First, they need to develop some consistency and then race the 1500 a lot in Europe over the next 3 years.

What's interesting is that both them seemed to actually take a step backwards this year. With his improvement rate leading up to his 3:33 in '99, I really thought Seneca could be down to 3:30 by now, be he really hasn't come close to that again. Berryhill seems also to have stalled out, but his plateau hasn't lasted nearly as long as Seneca's.

The problem with most off our athletes is they wait to long

to move up in distances. As ZatOpek stated Seneca has not

improved on his PR in 3 years and if you wait too long to

move up, your prime opportunity may pass. The statement

about Seneca moving up would not have been made if he was

running faster; however, waiting to move up in 3years when

he is 29 or 30 isn't very bright! Most Africans and Europeans find their best distance much faster than our athletes and gain experience. The idea isn't to find a distance you like most; however, to find the distance you

will succeed most in. The stalling of Seneca in the 1500m

is NOT a concrete sign that he reached his plateau; however,

it should send off signals that time is running out.

Vipam

A friend of mine who has ran 3:31-1500m once said, "Find

the distance YOU think your best in and move up one". He

always wanted to be an 800m meter.

sevatonic wrote:

radcliff was good (till now also) at 10,000m track and 3k-8k XC. if she can do 10km, what makes you think she can run 4.2195 times the distance?

nothing impossible.

ps : If lassiter really did his 1:45 when he was doing 100mpw , I would be saying that he probably able to do sub 13 5k anytime that very moment.

If Lassiter or Berryhill as 'speed' runners can't run 1500 what makes you think they can run 5000m. Lassiter has zero chance at sub 13. Zero.

Radcliffe is a completely different story. She was still improving and moved to the marathon which was an event she would figure to do better in.

Bushman

The ability to run a sub 13min 5k, comes from endurance mostly and not mainly on speed. The chance for a 3:33 1500m

man who have displayed good 5k endurance (while not specifically training for it) is alot better than 0 like

you posted. I am not saying I am 100% correct, I THINK it

is something Seneca should start to contemplate about.

Vipam