Sounds like good reasoning, but I hope he can get himself ready for the Games.
Sounds like good reasoning, but I hope he can get himself ready for the Games.
I think it's a huge mistake. You don't "knock off the rust" in the prelims at the games. If it's anything like the prelims in LA, there won't be much wiggle room.
I hope I'm wrong on this cuz I dig his style and think he has the wheels.
symmonds has to work at his day job and can't afford to take time off you dipshits. his shoe sponsor doesn't pay doo doo.
I don't think it says he definitely isn't racing prior to the Olympics, just that he's not going to Europe. A snippet in the Oregonian yesterday indicated Symmonds and Wheating are planning to run an 800m in Eugene on July 31st. http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/121669711911520.xml&coll=7&thispage=2 Obviously, the competition isn't going to be similar to a Golden League or large European meet, but I think it could serve as a good rust buster prior to the games.
I think i will take a drive to Eugene to watch this race.
did wheating change his plans for this race? I thought he was going to do a 1500.
Oh no, it is adopting the Alan Webb school of racing philosphy.
How many other races will there be ? What time ?
It's only 800 meters. Why would anyone want to travel to Europe just to get one or two 800m races in? He could just as easily get a couple of guys in Eugene to pace him or race him if he needs to get a rust buster in before heading to China.
Both Wheating and Symmonds are scheduled for an 800..
Saw Symmonds this morning while he was doing stretches near Pre\'s trail and I wished him luck in Beijing. :-)
He seems very focused.
symmonds is the man. don't doubt him.
I don't believe Symmonds ran a whole lot before the Trials...
How many races did Snell have just before he won in 1960?
If your training is going well, I don\'t think there is a real need to race that much before heading in to the Games. Reminds me a little of what Nils Schumann did in 2000. He dida bunch of races and then took 5-6 weeks off to train. Came back and won the Olympic\'s. People who know how to race (like Nic clearly does) don\'t need that many races to get going. A few hard 600 time trials before he leaves will be enough.
So what's the over-under on Symmonds VS. Wheating? I assume most people are going to pick symmonds but the trials final was the first time that they ever hit head to head correct?
Symmonds had a much cleaner last 120 meters than wheating who came from outside and had someone cut him off with about 80 to go.
I assume it'll be these 2 really focussing on eachother in this one, and I don't see wheating spotting him much. That said wheating does seem to allow for a lapse with about 200 to go and then jumps on it in the last 80.
We'll see. I assume there will be a nice crowd on the track so there will be some excitement.
Wheating 1:44.4 (if he stays out of lane 2 it won't even be a PR) and symmonds 1:44.6.
Wheating and Symmonds will both break 1:44 and wow everyone.
he is on thejuice anyways. he sucks.
Symmonds not to race until olympics is a disaster. I know they love to kick ass in Oregon and make locals happy but it could be wiser if he had to race in one of the golden league.I believe lagat will race in Europe too with almost everyone. Keep in mind every top american sprinters are racing in Europe apart from few guyz avoiding and take their sissy ass to wisconsin instead of lining with real men's, atleast tegenkamp is trying and am sure he is in top six Trust me! Symmonds guy won't medal. Period
Yeah...I'm starting to wonder about these guys. I can't think of any legit medal contender in any event (outside the doping russian women) that aren't getting at least a couple races in Europe.
If Symmonds is going to be this boneheaded, I don't think he'll make it out of the first round.
Not racing for over month leading up to a major championship would only be advisable for a marathoner; for an 800 meter runner it is unheard of.
After the physical and mental upheaval that is the US Trials, where everything is on the line, it makes perfect sense to regroup and focus on Beijing. Im sure Symmonds and Coach Gags have figured out what works and the importance of routine is critical to be fresh at the right time. The first round will be the most important and the most telling. I think Nick has a great chance to make the finals and then it's anybody's race for the medals.