1500:
3:34.53 Mark Rowland (ENG) 7.03.63 2 Verona, ITA 27 Jul 1988
Mile:
3:52.99 Mark Rowland (ENG) 7.03.63 7 Rome, ITA 10 Sep 1986
3000m:
7:49.82 Mark Rowland (ENG) 7.03.63 3 London (CP) 28 Jul 1989
3000m Indoors
7:46.22 Mark Rowland (ENG) 7.03.63 3 Seville, ESP 27 Feb 1990
5000m
13:21.83 Mark Rowland (ENG) 7.03.63 3 Seville, ESP 1 Jun 1988
i dont understand why everyone seems to think that it is imperitive to have a 3.35 1500m to your name to run a fast Steeplechase. It is more important to have a 7.45 3k or a 13.20 5k surely! The 'chase is a strength event, i dont see why tickner cant run 8.15. But who knows if he can get down to 13.20ish then maybe he could go quicker. Look at Lemoncello - he runs 28.xx for 10k and a few 5ks but not many 1500s and he certainly aint no 3.35 guy. Rowland began as a miler thats why he was so bloody quick over 1500m!!!
Rowland's record is truly mighty stuff, possibly underrated even in the UK. I remember being gobsmacked watching it live at about 4 am. Achieved whilst medalling in an OG, so unique compared to the other UK male enduro records.
On this nationality front, which I knew I was a fool to raise, of course your nation of birth should be who you are eligible to compete for. And of course I don't suggest that people who leave East Africa to avoid civil war which often kills swathes of their families and horribly short life expctancy for evryone else are motivated by the chance of winning a few quid in some Euro road races. But if things evolve so that in a few years European distance champs are dominated by runners born and raised within a handful of African countries - whilst such groups form only a tiny % of Europe's population,- it will surely raise a few issues which have nothing to do with racism. Errm, including of course the EURO CUP, to keep on subject.
I actually have a few quid invested - via an occasional poster here known as ladders, - in a Kenyan camp where Mustafa Mohamed frequently trains so on an individual/human level of course it's great that his running success gives him a quality of life that might otherwise be difficult to achieve.
Rowland = 8:07 steeple (3:34/13:20)
Lemoncello = 8:27 steeple (3:45/13:46)
BTW, Lemoncello is doing very well, but how can you compare an athlete who is currently running 8:27 to an athlete who ran 8:07 and won Olympic Bronze?
Hanlon: 3:38, 7:51, 13:40, 7th OG '92. 8:12 'chase
Tom's an interesting example. Best we've had from Scotland, and hopefully Lemon can move closer to his performances. Do think that 1500 speed has a part to play, but strength does also (even if Tom's 5k isn't in line with his other marks). Hutchings "only" had 3:38 also, but put down 13:11, so some PBs aren't necessarily good indicators if they are "out of step" with other best times. Best of luck to Lemon in Munich next week. He's the quickest the year and deserves his spot. And the flights are booked to shout him on. Cheers - AC