thanks
thanks
Just watched it again. I noticed this time that it was a perfect race for running an "easy" 3:36. Perfectly even splits, no traffic, one or two guys right in front, but the whole field hugging the rail single-file pretty much from start to finish. Then 250 meters of kick on his own.
Maybe not quite as impressive as it looked when I watched it live, but anyone who makes 3:36 look easy at this point in his training is bound to be a serious force in the summer.
I agree, but what was all this nonsense about "easiest 3:35 ever" that people were spouting?!?! Just because he runs smoothly and looked around a couple of times??? That means nothing, he was looking to see where other guys were, that's just being smart. Willis was working, he was grimacing the last 100, the guy was only barely pulling away from people like Cragg and Goucher who don't have tons of speed.
Yes, it was a GREAT race considering the time of the year, and considering he's been injured, but all this nonsense about how he was jogging and all that, that's just BS. He was working just about up to his best on this day, and he had maybe a little left, but not a ton. The guy just happens to be a smooth runner, whether he is winning or losing.
Four seconds is a loooong way, and that is how much he needs to take off this race in order to crack 3:32. He might do it, but all this talk of "Sub 3:30 for sure!" is downright silly.
I was a lot more impressed by Webb's completely solo 3:51 in not perfect conditions. It was worth over a second faster than Willis's run. Webb will crush Willis.
I agree that Webb's race was more impressive, but both were very impressive . . . and neither race was the least bit important, so I don't think you can extrapolate anything about who will beat whom.
I'll be rooting for Webb and Lagat and the young guns like Symmonds and Manzano to continue to impress. I'm not usually a big cheerleader for America, but it's fun to see us getting competitive again.
good race, but I don't think it lived up to the hype the board has been giving it.
Out of curiosity, did McLary run in an Arkansas jersey? Why would he do that since he was previously redshirting and it was too late to qualify for regionals?
What the F is with the Neko Case videos.....wtf?
That's it..
Tights > Shorts
in theaters may 18th wrote:
good race, but I don't think it lived up to the hype the board has been giving it.
That's because you read all the 'hype' beforehand and didn't see it happening live.
You may say watching it later should make no difference. A decent point to make.
But trust me--Willis was out on a Sunday jog that day.
Look at everyone else in the race, and then look at him. His form doesn't waver for a second, even as he is pulling away from that field in the last 200m. They're kicking and their form is breaking down. He is pulling away from the other kickers, and he looks like he is finishing up a workout. Maybe he just has naturally excellent form, but he wasn't reaching for anything with his stride.
form is overrated.
nothing wrong with Neko!
This is the face of a runner just doing a work out? I would hate to see his face when he is is trouble at the end of an Olympic final or any other race. He ran hard, he is a miler and should run every race hard or he will get beat by 5000m runners. http://www.trackandfieldphoto.com/DisplayJpg.php?070520_2049_4956_RLM&next=1
jrun wrote:
But trust me--Willis was out on a Sunday jog that day.
i watched it live that day, and i have it Tivo'd, and trust ME- he ran about as fast as he could. people are going to complain that i post the same thing on every thread, but it doesn't seem to be sinking in:
regardless of his actual exertion, Nick Willis' form is always good. he looked smooth when he was outkicked in the Athens semifinal and WC semifinal. he looked smooth in the NCAA indoor 3k when Cragg ran away from him over the last kilometer. he looked smooth in the NCAA outdoor 5k when Hall and Dobson left him behind. whether he wins, loses, goes out hard and dies, or jogs and kicks, he simply doesn't move his arms much or drive his knees up high. the only exception has been in his XC races, where he's often beaten badly by the leaders and usually looks pretty ragged; perhaps he's just no good on grass.
here's a recap of this weekend's race: willis settled right into 3rd place and was never touched, bumped, or cut off by another runner. they went out in 57, then relaxed for a second lap of 60. at this point, willis is very relaxed. 200m later, sam burley (the rabbit) drops out and said ahmed takes the lead for the next 200m (58sec lap). willis then accelerates for about 50m and takes the lead with about 220m to go. he holds that speed, leaving ahmed behind, but Cragg and Lukezic are running as fast and Myers is running faster. with 60-70m to go, his stride is starting to shorten, and his lead shrinks. with 10m to go, he shuts it down and jogs in the win.
now, regardless of the intentions for this race, it ended up being a near-perfectly rabbited affair- aggressive first lap to string out the pack, rather than bunching them up; relaxed second lap; beginning to accelerate on the third lap; a clear path to the lead with 300m to go. the weather was good and there was no wind. if he'd have kicked earlier, he'd have tied up earlier. he was was capable of MAYBE running a second faster; perhaps a second and a half if he'd had competition over the last 150m.
people talking about his effort revealing a 3:32 being possible are just hopeful fans. he's not there yet; he has been, and he will be again. maybe not this season (he missed a LOT of training over the winter) but almost certainly next. i guess people just love to watch someone with good form.
i don't see a international future for Symmonds or Manzano. i hope i'm wrong.
Just watched the race and Willis did look great and fit. The real issue is that I love track and I could barely get through it. It was so boring! Those guys have to get canned. DO they even care about the product anymore?