Why don't more B standard runners go out extremely hard?

Good question. Gotta give Gabe Jennings credit, as at least he tried to push the pace in the 1500 final.

Cuz most of these B guys are not really expecting to make the Olympics,but rather maybe sneak a PR or finish in a respectable place. This is their Olympics.

Billy Mills wrote:

Good question. Gotta give Gabe Jennings credit, as at least he tried to push the pace in the 1500 final.

... and finished in last place. What exactly are we giving him credit for? Running a bad race?

The reason they don't push it is they would all be like Jennings, they would be in last place.

Better to run a smart race and hope to get lucky and finish in the top three. Then maybe you can find a Golden League meet that is a rabbited time trial later this month and get the A standard.

Round Trip wrote:

Better to run a smart race and hope to get lucky and finish in the top three. Then maybe you can find a Golden League meet that is a rabbited time trial later this month and get the A standard.

Except that this time you have to have the A standard going in to the trials. USATF is not letting anyone chase the A standard this time around.

I've never understood the thought of going to the trials and not doing everything you possibly can to finish in the top 3 with the A standard. There are plenty of races where you can set a PR but only one race every four years where you can qualify for the Olympics.

There is such a fine line at such a high level of racing that leading is almost a sure recipe for disaster. See '08 Olympic trials 1500's led by Jennings & Gallo.

Know your facts before you post. USATF changed their policy. If you don't have the "A" standard before the final, you've got to run it in the final. No chasing times anymore.

Plus, we're talking about runners whose expressed goal is to make the team, not just set a pr in the trials.

Yeah, Jennings faded, but at least he gave it a shot.

it looked like gabe was going to go push it but he only went knocked out a 60 when he prob should have just ractheted up the pace to 57/58 and gone for it. wouldnt of finished any worse than what he did.

same slight to goucher though as well, he didnt push anything or cover moves at all either after all the hype.

This is the question I was asking myself too. Why did these guys let someone else dictate their race?

The example I was thinking of was Magdalena Lewy Boulet in the marathon trials. She decided before the race what time she was going to try and run, and went out and did it without regard for the rest in the race. Getting dropped by Kastor meant nothing to her, she just kept with her plan.

In the interview after, Boulet said she thought she was in 2:30 shape and went out to run that no matter what Kastor was doing. If Deena ran a 2:20, that was nothing she could control. All she could control was her race.

If you didn't have the A standard, why not go out at that pace?

This isn't meant as a rip to the guys running, I just don't understand the strategy.

Great example.

In an interview the day after the 10k final, Goucher kinda kicked himself for not going with the front group. Too late now, though.

A few athletes will have plenty to think about the next four years.

To much focus on time instead of honors won... first win honors the time will be a product of obtaining honors.

older watcher wrote:

If you didn't have the A standard, why not go out at that pace?

Because it's not JUST about time, it's also about PLACE. Going after the first is counterproductive to the second. It's hard enough just finishing in the top three -- to worry about a specific time is too much. You can't run a time trial AND race tactically for a place at the same time. I think the best you can do is what Christian Smith did -- just race for top three and hope for the best time-wise.

I understand it's about place, but what good is that if you don't have the standard? Why didn't they go for the standard and let the place take care of itself? What good would winning the race do if you didn't have the standard?

You could win the race and lose a spot on the team, what good is that?

Billy Mills wrote:

Plus, we're talking about runners whose expressed goal is to make the team, not just set a pr in the trials.

Those are the runners I'm talking about. If you want to make the team, DFL is no worse than winning the race without the A standard, unless only one or no other runners have the A standard. In another few years, no one will care whether you finished DFL or raced "smart" and finished 6th, you're just another trialist who didn't go to the Olympics.

I can't believe that no one in either of the 1500s took a shot at it. The women looked terrible-maybe proof that 3 rounds is too much for them. As for the men, why someone wouldn't have run 58 the first lap is beyond me. When I saw they were 47 at 300 you knew it was over for Gabe.

At the Canadian trials Brannan had to run the A. So he went out 56, 1;55 2:55. it was a great try. I doubt Webb would be saying the same thing right now.

Gabe got boxed in early, took a full 300 to find his wait out the back, went straight to the front, and gave it a go. Unfortunately for him, he paid for it.

Okay, let's say a B standard guy DOES get out front and run on pace for the A standard. What's gonna happen? He's gonna get blown away in the last 1/4 or 1/8 of the race, even if he keeps his pace up! The guys who already CAN run that pace with (relative) ease will blast a hard last 200m and the B-standard guy wouldn't make the team anyways.

Let's not forget, the OT ARE the US Championships this year. So, despite what NBC might have you think, 4th is not "the worst spot." 4th is better than 5th, etc etc etc all the way down.

You rag on Webb for not knowing how to race a championship race, and then rag on the B-standard guys for going ahead and using good championship strategy! I don't understand!

You might feel a little different if your DFL was being nationally televised.

Are you saying that they might as well not try? I mean, they're just going to lose anyway, so who cares, right? Give me a break.

If the B standard guy has any heart at all, he will go for broke. Nobody cares about the US Championships in an Olympic year, they care about the Olympics! If they go for a slight PR/ conservative race, they have zero chance at making the team. If they go under A standard pace, they at least give themselves a chance. I give a lot of credit to guys like Kyle King and Brent Vaughn. They took the pace out, albeit in a semifinal in King's case, and gave themselves a shot to do something amazing. Sure they failed, but at least they put forth an honest effort. I would much rather do that than be like Goucher and just sit in the pack as your Olympic dreams fly past you.

answer: the wind.