Andrew Wheating 2007 vs Tom Byers 1974: a dose of reality

How fast did Tom Byers for 1500m and the mile?

How old was he when he set his PR?

Byers went 3:50 for the mile, top 10 all time for americans, not quite sure what a does of reality means.

It means all of this talk about Wheatings lack of 'experience' and 'kicking the soccer ball' pales in comparison to Byers when he ran his 3:37. Wheating has been running for 3 years. Byers never ran as fast as Wheating did in high school until the year that he ran 3:37.

I agree that Wheating has the potential to run 3:50 someday, perhaps this year. I hope to see it.

Tom Byers was insane. That was his problem, not a lack of physical gifts.

The OP needs to recognize that this season is far from over for Wheating. Then we can talk about "reality".

PS: thanks to the OP for this info. Byers was a sick talent for sure.

(sidenote: Wheating ran 3:53.01 @ age 18, first season of track.)

yes but wrote:

Tom Byers was insane.

More details, please.

Does anyone have any Tom Byers stories, I've read Steve Scott's book and he def. seems nuts.

think fast wrote:

The OP needs to recognize that this season is far from over for Wheating. Then we can talk about "reality".

How does that change things? Wheating, who is being touted as a neophyte soccer player, has, for each of the last 3 years, been faster than Tom Byers was up to the year that Byers ran his 3:37.

think fast wrote:

(sidenote: Wheating ran 3:53.01 @ age 18, first season of track.)

Someone's misprint at goducks.com. If he ran 3:53.01 it doesn't show up in any results. Wheating's best in 2006 was 3:54.28 at the Junior Nationals.

So what was your original point? From your stats it looks like you were touting Byers as faster at age 19 than Wheating is at 20, hence my comment. It appears to an experienced eye that Wheating is in sub-3:37 shape right now.If the Oregon bio was wrong, then 3:54 it was.I still am dumbfounded by 4:18 to 3:37 in one year!

think fast wrote:

So what was your original point?

I've stated my point twice.

"It means all of this talk about Wheatings lack of 'experience' and 'kicking the soccer ball' pales in comparison to Byers when he ran his 3:37."

"Wheating, who is being touted as a neophyte soccer player, has, for each of the last 3 years, been faster than Tom Byers was up to the year that Byers ran his 3:37"

think fast wrote:

I still am dumbfounded by 4:18 to 3:37 in one year!

That's the point!

Wheating 3:54 to 3:45 to 3:38

Byers 4:18 to 3:37.5 (and a 3:37.9!)

Intergalactic wrote:

yes but wrote:

Tom Byers was insane.

More details, please.

Yes, please. I remember Byers (and his hair), and I remember someone talking about his crazy workouts, but I never really knew much about him.

Here, by the way, is an article about his return to competitive running as a master:

I recall this story on SI titles "The Rabbit Who Ran Away"

Was that about the:

"...Bislett Games that summer, Byers beat a field that included Steve Ovett and Steve Scott."

It would be awesome to get a link to that story.

Oh so your point was to denigrate Wheating's performances. Thanks for that.Apples and oranges. They are both amazing (with Wheating getting the nod in terms of having his head on straight).

Go speed racer go wrote:

think fast wrote:

So what was your original point?

I've stated my point twice.

"It means all of this talk about Wheatings lack of 'experience' and 'kicking the soccer ball' pales in comparison to Byers when he ran his 3:37."

"Wheating, who is being touted as a neophyte soccer player, has, for each of the last 3 years, been faster than Tom Byers was up to the year that Byers ran his 3:37"

think fast wrote:

I still am dumbfounded by 4:18 to 3:37 in one year!

That's the point!

Wheating 3:54 to 3:45 to 3:38

Byers 4:18 to 3:37.5 (and a 3:37.9!)

Byers was at another level. He was a 3:50 miler and ranked 7th in the world in 1982 in both the 1500 and mile.

Wheating is at the level Stember and Jennings where just before they made the Olympic team in 2000. Like these two runners Wheating will probably run 3:35 someday. Perhaps he will be faster.

Jennings' progression:

HS:

16-4:18

17-4:12

18-4:02 (full mile)

19 Frosh-3:59

20(RS)-3:40

21 Junior-3:35

Stember was similar.

Wheating is rocketing past these two.

Go speed racer go wrote:

It means all of this talk about Wheatings lack of 'experience' and 'kicking the soccer ball' pales in comparison to Byers when he ran his 3:37.

Stupid point. There was no Internet or "blogs" in 1974. If there was any "talk" about Byers, it would have been in done in incredibly small circles, and I'm sure those that had anything to say back then aren't on letsrun.com now to substantiate all "the talk"...

Just ready this about Byers on Wiki:

"He had two sons, one of whom is deceased (Thomas Joseph Byers III, 1985-2005, was an excellent distance runner for Coffman High School in Dublin, Ohio (where he graduated in the same class as fellow student-athlete Brady Quinn,) and went on to run for the University of Kentucky, he died when he was struck by a train before his junior year at UK.)"

Go speed racer go wrote:

I've stated my point twice.

I didn't realize that only one runner in the history of the world could hold the title of "guy who is very talented and made a huge improvement in a short period of time." Are you trying to say that, because Byers made a huge improvement 35 years ago, people shouldn't be impressed that Wheating made a big improvement this year?

It'll be great if someone in the NBA scores 99 points next year -- then you can come on and post "Shhhhhhh, stop talking about 99 points! Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 in 1962, so nobody should discuss any subsequent achievements that don't quite measure up!