Wheating - Would be have made the 1500 team?

I think he had a strong shot for sure.

Will Lanana sneak him in a 1500 in Europe before the olympics? Could have a nice pr.

He had a good shot, but he has had a long season of of a realtively small overall base. It was a good decision to give him a break.

Yes, he would have forced Lagat to go a touch faster over the final 200m. Lagat first, Wheating second, Manzano third.

lagat still woulda won. but wheating doesnt have the time for the oly games for 1500m does he?

No he doesn't. 3:38 is his best.

and the 1500 is first at the olympics so to give the 800 his best shot he made the right call and sat out the 1500m.

Reminds me a lot of Graheme Hood in 1992 and we know what he did that year.

Wheating would have had a better chance making the 1500m final than he does the 800 final...but given that he already had the A in the 8 and not the 15, he had to go with the 8 at the trials.

If he runs a 15 before the games, he run sub 3:34.

I definitely think Wheating probably could have gotten into a top three spot. However, whether or not he would have run the A Standard at the Trials is a different story especially as mentioned before with the pedestrian slow paces being run. There's no doubt though he would have dropped the hammer on those guys. He has a nasty kick...Wheating threw down a 26 last 200m in his 3:38 1500m PR and it looked as though he could have run faster as he chilled behing the rabbit the first 1200m or so. Lomong and Manzano would have been toast. I wish Wheating would have run the 1500m at NCAAs I think he could have won.

NikeTrack wrote:

I wish Wheating would have run the 1500m at NCAAs I think he could have won.

I disagree. At NCAAs you could argue (very successfully) that Wheating and Jacob Hernandez were equally matched runners with similar fitness levels at 800m. At that meet I would never say that Hernandez could beat Manzano at 1500m, so I think that Wheating would have been in the same boat as Hernandez. Very competitive, but would likely be beaten by Manzano at NCAAs.

I'm not saying he would have beaten Manzano. But just because Hernandez couldn't have won is a idiotic reason to say Wheating couldn't. Wheating would trash Hernandez in a 1500.

If there would have been one race, I think Wheating would have made the team.

I don't think that Wheating is strong enough yet to run a quarterfinal, semifinal, and final.

He is only a sophomore, didn't run track in HS, and building his strength.

Actually I'm surprised he could hand 3 x 800.

I know what you're saying, and it may have been the best decision to skip it. But it seems like any race I've seen Wheating run this year he finishes with almost too much energy left over.

If anything his running style would have made it easier on him to get through rounds and into the final than everyone but lagat. Just sit in the back on the outside and kick up to the appropriate qualifying spot. His kick would have allowed him to be a sharp shooter off of 3:40-3:42 pace. But had he done it, and even if he had made the top 3 in the final, I do think that all of that racing at trials would take a toll.

Good decision not to. Be nice to see a 1500 in Europe, and I think Lananna likes to take his guys there if they are ready.

The USOT 1500 final was a 3:34 quality race, obviosuly Webb, Jon, Chris, Ahmed and Gabe, etc., could certainly run under 3:40 is a TT type race. To get into the the top 3, who have to ask yourself was Wheating capable of running sub-3:35 after running rounds. (Possible, but I don't think so.) If Wheating had made to the 1500m final, he would have been in a race where his PRs would have been on average 5 seconds slower that the other guys. - That's a big difference; he choose the right race.

But, who knows; I did not expct him to make top 3 in the 800.

[quote]TrackCoach wrote:

The USOT 1500 final was a 3:34 quality race, obviosuly Webb, Jon, Chris, Ahmed and Gabe, etc., could certainly run under 3:40 is a TT type race. To get into the the top 3, who have to ask yourself was Wheating capable of running sub-3:35 after running rounds. (Possible, but I don't think so.) If Wheating had made to the 1500m final, he would have been in a race where his PRs would have been on average 5 seconds slower that the other guys.

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That don't make no sense. First of all, who had run faster than wheating this year going into the trials?

Who ran faster than wheating's 3:38 at the trials?

Wheating ran what, 1 x mile and 1 x 1500 this season? He runs 3:38 in his 2nd attempt at the distance, running 26 is last 200 and blasting past the finish line? I think most people who watched that knew that if he needed to he could have run 3:36 that day.

These guys haven't really done anything to show they are more fit than Wheating for 1500 this season. Lagat, you just give it to him at this point. The rest? Wheating was faster than Lopez for most of the season with his 3:38 from several months ago, and he was faster than Lopez at 800 just a week ago. And with Wheating's size a 1500 should be easier to navigate than an 800.

JR, on a semi related point- do you have a comment about KD? Based on his training I would've thought he was well under 1:45 shape.

Like I said, he surprised me in the 800m, so obviously my crystal ball is not perfect. However, in championship races you have to throw out the times, Lagat, Leo and Lopez are certainly capable of running faster than 3:40, but that is how the tactics played out. Most of the guys in the final ran 3:40s in the qualifing round. The Olympic final could be won in 3:35, but the race will be full of 3:30 guys.

Like I said, Wheating would have to have been capable of running 3:35 in the final to make the top 3. And, forget about the fact that he had a faster SB than some of those guys, Pros have a difference competition cycle than the NCAA. Most of those guys had been training for just that one race.

Like I said, Wheating would have to have been capable of running 3:35 in the final to make the top 3. And, forget about the fact that he had a faster SB than some of those guys, Pros have a difference competition cycle than the NCAA. Most of those guys had been training for just that one race.[/quote]

True, but my point is that wheating pr'd in the 800 at ncaa's and then again at the trials. He is still getting faster at this point. Before he ran 3:38 he ran a 1:47.xx and after he ran it he ran a 1:46.8. So his 3:38 was in the middle and it was capable of being faster.

http://www.runnerspace.com/eprofile.php?do=videos&pg=1&event_id=17&video_id=3833

He is now at 1.45.0 from lane 2 the entire way. My guess is his 1500 has come around. Not saying he would stomp the world at the olympics, i just think he could do as well as leo or lopez, probably better since kicking is key to advancing.

With only a 3:38 PR would be not even be close.

Joe90 wrote:

With only a 3:38 PR would be not even be close.

I think you've missed something, well a lot actually.