SYMMONDS VS WHEATING 800 ?

Coach D wrote:

Puts Symmonds 4 seconds behind Kaki and 2 seconds behind Borz at the same distance.

brilliant analysis. you can add and subtract!

what would the difference be with those other guys' times from a little time trial?

Man i sure am CHOMPING at the bit to get a hotdog in my mouth

marley son wrote:

nothing like racing your teammates (instead of your potential competitors in beijing) to get you into racing shape...........................

Ridiculus on so many levels. Is Bekele also wasting his time in training camp instead of racing for fast times in Europe? The way I read it, Symmonds is trying to get some hard work under his belt so he can handle the rounds of the 800 in Beijing...something American 800 runners haven't been able to do in a long time.

To the poster comparing times to Kaki and Borza, you think they're going to run as fast with some kids in the stands and nothing on the line? Let the men do some work and peak at the right time.

No one should forget how unpredictable the 800 is at major championships. The fact is that the 1:42 guys will come back to the field by the final round, and a guy with a strong kick has as good a chance as anyone. Nils Schumann bring back memories?

perspectivities wrote:

why is acosta running this late in the summer? Doesn't he want to do well in xc

Didn't you hear? They decided to put AJ in the Olympics anyway.

No, you are wrong....

I said: The others were there for pacing (possibly with the exception of AJ Acosta).

Anyone who knows anything realizes that AJ Acosta and Andrew Wheating are teammates, but they do not race each other. Andrew Wheating is in another league and the two young men had different reasons for running in the same event. Wheating was tuning up for the Olympics...not "racing anyone". A J Acosta on the other hand, was in the race to add a little depth to the field and to get a workout. Anyone who knows A J, knows that he loves to run and this was a nice opportunity to get into an event where he might get pulled along by Scherer and Wheating. No one, except you, would ever refer to the event as a "race between A J and Wheating".

According to one of the posts he came through in 2:55 and ran 3:39. Caribbean, you think this is a good kick for someone running the 800 in the Olympics? A 44 sec 300? Even if the 2:57 time was more accurate, a 42 sec close is still not impressive. Wheating is green and I hope it doesn't hurt him too much at the Games.

The bronze medalist in the 1500 in '04 closed the last 800 in Wheating's PR. I love Wheating and I hope he does well, but please keep in mind that this is the Olympics we're talking about and the 800 is on a different level at the Olympics than it is at US trials. We're just not there yet in the 800. Symmonds, okay, he's got a good shot at making finals and then who knows, maybe he'll do something crazy and medal. But, I just hope Wheating performs well and has a positive experience that can jump start him into the next year or two.

if wheating was 2:55 at 1200 and finished in 3:39.9, he was really burning up the track. 44 or 45 for your last 300 isn't that fast for him.

Good point. However, if you watched the race, as did I, you would have noticed that Wheating had no one to chase and in the final 200. This was the only part of the event where he actually stretched out his stride length. He also ran away from the others in the last 200 by approximatley 3-4 seconds.

Vin says that Wheating has been running mileage for the past few weeks, and is just now trying to reach for a new peak for the Olympics. Last night was to get the cobwebs out, and next Monday? he will run a shorter faster pace.

I agree with you about Wheating's inexperience but he has so many physical advantages and when he kicks, there are very few (Africans and Europeans) who can stay with him or outkick him, even at this young stage in his career.

when did wheating outkick the africans and europeans. hes kicked down some 1:45 and 46 americans but thats it.

wootwoot wrote:

The bronze medalist in the 1500 in '04 closed the last 800 in Wheating's PR.

I believe Wheating's PR is faster than 1:47.0. So, you are wrong. El G and Lagat closed in 1:46.8 and 1:46.9 respectively I do believe.

jrjrrtnstrnsghg wrote:

by the way, it's "Champing" at the bit. Get it right. Look it up.

I really hope you were joking because it's "chomping at the bit," as in the bit horses hold in their mouths and "chomp" on when they're fired up and wanting to go.

I hope you're right. I'd still say if he was truly kicking - no matter what was happening in the race - 44 is startling slow. Hopefully it was just a workout and he'll make it happen next Monday.

There are 8 guys under 1:44... I hope he can hang in long enough to have a shot at kicking. It's easy to kick until 1:42 guys have run it out of you the first 600. At least, that what it seems like - certainly couldn't speak from experience.

Poker... the bronze medalist, Silva came from way back. He was in last when they went for it at 800 to go. So, he covered it faster than El G and Lagat because he was only .3 back at the finish.

Ok, I clocked Wheating at 43 seconds for the last 300 and 27 seconds for the last 200. If you watch the event, you can see that he doesn't even begin a "kick" until 100 meters remains. So, this explains the 43 second final 300 and 27 second final 200. I suspect his final 100 is in something like 12.8. Here is the race, clock it yourself:

http://www.runnerspace.com/video.php?do=view&member_id=4&video_id=5860

wootwoot wrote:

Poker... the bronze medalist, Silva came from way back. He was in last when they went for it at 800 to go. So, he covered it faster than El G and Lagat because he was only .3 back at the finish.

silva did NOT close faster than 1:45.03

Towards the Silva thing - taken too literally, my point was, as I believe Caribbean picked up was that Wheating finishing speed shown in the race yesterday is not nearly fast enough for an 800m Olympian to be thinking about medaling.

To Caribbean, I actually did time his splits and agree with you. I also agree it didn't look like he ran too hard until 100 or 150 to go. I'm looking forward to next Monday, what's he running - 800?

To bring up another thought, there seems to be a balance that they've considered between getting an unexperienced runner more action in big races in Europe so that he feels more comfortable in the Olympics vs. continuing steady training, not racing too much, so that he's ready for the rounds. It's an interesting subject and one that I don't really think has a right answer. But, clearly Gags and Vin seem to know what they're doing and they settled on keeping them in Eugene. What's Christian doing? Also staying in Eugene?

No, Christian is in Europe.

I don't know what they are doing on Monday (800?) or if the Monday time trial will be done in "private" or ?

cant think of a cool name wrote:I really hope you were joking because it's "chomping at the bit," as in the bit horses hold in their mouths and "chomp" on when they're fired up and wanting to go.

No, he wasn't joking. And his advice to you ("look it up") was correct. You know much less than you think you do.

(And to the guy who said that both options are now acceptable: Yes, that's true -- but only because there are enough idiots in the world that formerly incorrect usages become gradually accepted. But during the transition period, we're still allowed to make fun of people who don't know which usage was originally correct.)

TF&N had splits. Silva had the third fastest last 800m split according to the. The field was tightly bunched. I do think he might have had the fastest last 400m split.