Lisa Koll 15:22 at Big 12's

I believe she has said she is hoping to peak for a 10K at Nationals in late June, and racing a 5K or two hard in the six weeks leading up to it could help sharpen her up, I would think. And it's not like her winning run in the 10K two days before was too taxing -- her time was little faster than a tempo run for her.

Nationals should be interesting for her. Most of the other elite distance runners are chasing fast times this year and are aiming towards Pre the week after Nationals, and European meets after that. Pre will have rabbits and likely lower temps and humidity -- better conditions for fast times -- while Nationals will be in Des Moines this year which can be hot and humid in late June.

If Koll really is healthy when Nationals roll around I think there's a decent chance she could give the home crowd something to get excited about and win the thing.

For Lisa Koll to take the 10k at USA nationals, She will have to beat the women who came in front of her at Stanford inn the 5k first.

Good luck with that

Whoa, that's crazy. I wonder if she thought of that?

Maebe wrote:

Whoa, that's crazy. I wonder if she thought of that?

Whoa, dude. I'm sure she did think of how hard it will be to beat an Olympic bronze medalist (and USA record holder) in Flanagan and a top 10 world finalist in Yoder-begley

Don't think it is safe to say that she will take the title at USA nationals against that field

Yes, two who finished ahead of Koll in the 5000 at Stanford, Flanagan and Yoder-Begley, look like the two to beat in Des Moines (Rowbury, who won that race, is really unlikely to run the 10000). But that's IF Flanagan and/or Begley enter, and IF that race is a priority for them -- two big ifs.

Three other Americans, beyond the two I already mentioned, have run a faster 10000 than Koll, but Goucher won't be running, for obvious reasons, Kastor is running longer distances these days, and Rhines is running shorter distances of late.

There are other runners in good shape right now, who could be tough this year (Molly Huddle, just to name one), but I still think Koll has a decent shot at winning at Des Moines.

Is Koll doubling up, 5k/10k?

Lets not get ahead of ourselves, Koll is having a great NCAA season, but grown women like Rhines, Huddle, Bagley, Flanagan, Fleshhman, Desiriee Davila, etc., are all at her level or better and they are peaking for the summer. I think Koll will be in the mix, but winning is a tall order. -Granted no one knows who is going to run what event and other variables.

Which one of those grown women that are at her level or better have run a 31:18 10k and a 15:17 and 15:22 5k this year? She looks grown to me.

She is not the favorite but she is a contender.

If Flanagan wants to do the 10,000 at USAs, Koll's not going to win. If Flanagan doesn't, maybe she will. Huddle and Begley would be tough competition.

CardinalsRule wrote:

Which one of those grown women that are at her level or better have run a 31:18 10k and a 15:17 and 15:22 5k this year? She looks grown to me.

She is not the favorite but she is a contender.

That is why she will NOT win. She looked great in February when no other elite women were racing. She looked even better in March at Indoor Nationals when no others were racing. She looked awesome in the first Stanford Meet in March and still good in May without having any down time. WHEN IS HER SCHEDULED TIME TO PUT HER FEET UP? She now has to be starting to get a little worn and she has NCAA Regionals and NCAA Nationals and then USATF Nationals. She has been in top form for nearly 5 months when Nationals arrive. She will be toast.

Why has no other woman tried to maintain there fitness level for 5 months? Because it can't be done.

She is looking more like bread and butter than toast. Do you know her? Her training schedule? I believe I heard her say in an interview or read it that she had not even started her race training when she set the NCAA record. Maybe she is just in mileage training and has a lot of room to improve when she race trains..

She has raced alot.. but Your point could be made against any college runner.. Biz.. Nicole; they all run indoors and outdoors, conference, ncaas, and then USAs

I wonder if anyone told the field that Flannagan could not be beat at Payton Jordan this year? hmmm

I am rooting for the college gals.

Agreed. Koll is fully aware of the racing schedule she has. In one of her interviews she stated that she was sort of doing a mini-peak for indoor nats and her 10k at Stanford. Then she stated that after the 10k she was going to go back to a lot of base mileage and lay off the workouts for a while until the main part of the outdoor season rolled around in June. I imagine that's why her two recent 5ks weren't up to par with what her 10k time would indicate, since she was/is still in a heavy training phase.

i hope you are right. Luckily our sport has a judgement day. We shall see.

Hmm, maybe running 15:22 in a championship setting (away from the perfect conditions of Stanford) are going to help her marketability even more just as the shoe company bidding war starts...

And speaking of endorsement deals, what impresses a potential sponsor more: good PRs (like Koll's 10K time) or impressive wins (for instance, if she were to do the improbable and enter and win both the 5K and 10K at NCAAs; or win at Outdoor Nationals in an unspectacular time)? And which is more impressive to an agent? And which is more impressive to American or European meet directors? (though I'm pretty sure an NCAA title wouldn't mean much to a European meet director.)

CardinalsRule wrote:

TrackCoach wrote:

Lets not get ahead of ourselves, Koll is having a great NCAA season, but grown women like Rhines, Huddle, Bagley, Flanagan, Fleshhman, Desiriee Davila, etc., are all at her level or better and they are peaking for the summer. I think Koll will be in the mix, but winning is a tall order. -Granted no one knows who is going to run what event and other variables.

Which one of those grown women that are at her level or better have run a 31:18 10k and a 15:17 and 15:22 5k this year? She looks grown to me.

She is not the favorite but she is a contender.

The NCAA season is about 6-8 weeks ahead of the pro season, which is why NCAA performances are better earlier; there are at least a half dozen pro athletes capable of running a 15:17 5k.

Btw, Koll is still a college kid, I would not call her a grown up until she works a job, pays bills and other grown up responsibilites. Although, she is about to become a grwon up.