USATF 3000m: Lagat, 7:57.17, Rupp 7:59.91

it was a 3K and he didn't destroy him, he beat him by 2 seconds. Of course you will do anything to discredit Galen though so whatever...

1 Bernard Lagat Nike 7:57.17

2 Galen Rupp Nike/Oregon TC Elite 7:59.91

3 Aaron Braun McMillan Elite 8:02.59

4 Brent Vaughn Nike 8:09.45

5 Scott Smith McMillan Elite 8:18.45

6 Jeremy Johnson Brooks 8:21.52

7 Jeff See Saucony 8:23.29

8 Derek Scott Puma 8:25.22

9 Trevor Dunbar Portland 8:29.85

DNF Kyle Alcorn Nike

DNS Christopher Barnicle New Balance

jimbob1133 wrote:

it was a 3K and he didn't destroy him, he beat him by 2 seconds. Of course you will do anything to discredit Galen though so whatever...

He didn't destroy him over the course of 3k but he certainly destroyed Rupp on that last lap. There's not an American runner you could name who could have outkicked Lagat today.

jimbob1133 wrote:

it was a 3K and he didn't destroy him, he beat him by 2 seconds. Of course you will do anything to discredit Galen though so whatever...

If you saw the race, you know that Lagat did what he wanted, with a 26 second last lap, and when Lagat wanted to go, it wasn't close. Rupp was simply overmatched.

The Oregon excuses can now begin...

First off it was nearly 3 seconds and over the course of 200 that is a spanking.

jimbob1133 wrote:

it was a 3K and he didn't destroy him, he beat him by 2 seconds. Of course you will do anything to discredit Galen though so whatever...

He did destroy him though. He put over 2 and a half seconds on him in 200 meters. Im guessing you didn't watch the live feed.

I just wonder why Rupp didn't goes balls to wall from the gun. Figure it would have given him a better chance at winning than trying to outkick one of the greatest tactical racers of all time, even if only a marginally better chance.

jimbob1133 wrote:

it was a 3K and he didn't destroy him, he beat him by 2 seconds. Of course you will do anything to discredit Galen though so whatever...

No, he actually gave Galen a pretty sound thumping. Its not like anyone expected Rupp to win, but Lagat is still on a different level in a sprint finish, especially in a short indoor race.

2 secs over 200m is pretty significant especially off a pretty slow pace. I commend Rupp for racing after flying a long distance. That's about the longest flight you can take in this world. But Lagat took it to him in the end.

"Balls to the wall from the gun" might not have been a good strategy at altitude.

I can't find fault with Rupp. He did what he could do. He doesn't have Lagat's finish for 3000.

Given that Lagat was born and raised at altitude and has tested positive for EPO in the past, marking him as forever untrustworthy, I give Rupp credit for being as close as he was. Lagat will never beat Galen again at a longer distance.

coach d wrote:

If you saw the race, you know that Lagat did what he wanted, with a 26 second last lap, and when Lagat wanted to go, it wasn't close. Rupp was simply overmatched.

The Oregon excuses can now begin...

Why are you always such an idiot about any runner with any Oregon connection? Seriously, did some UO athlete steal your girlfriend, or what? I've never seen somebody with such a persistent, long-lasting and pathetic grudge.

No excuse is needed other than Lagat is the greatest runner over the distance in American history. There's nothing for Rupp to feel ashamed of. There's not another American runner you can name, active or retired, who could have beaten Lagat today.

begal wrote:

He did destroy him though. He put over 2 and a half seconds on him in 200 meters. Im guessing you didn't watch the live feed.

I just wonder why Rupp didn't goes balls to wall from the gun. Figure it would have given him a better chance at winning than trying to outkick one of the greatest tactical racers of all time, even if only a marginally better chance.

Completely agree. The only way Rupp was to have a chance of winning was to take it out from the gun and put the pedal to the metal until he broke everyone or he died. He has to have better endurance than Lagat at this point (assuming he was going to take a crack at the 10k AR today in NZ). I would have much more respect for Rupp if he took it from the gun and faded big time/ DFL while trying to break Lagat but everyone knew that if Lagat was in the race with 400m to go the race was his.

joecrunner wrote:

USATF 5000m: Lagat, 7:57.17, Rupp 7:59.91

I always wondered if someone would run sub-4 for 3 consecutive miles in a 5K. Never dreamed they'd go sub-3.

AlbertoC*untador wrote:

Completely agree. The only way Rupp was to have a chance of winning was to take it out from the gun and put the pedal to the metal until he broke everyone or he died. He has to have better endurance than Lagat at this point (assuming he was going to take a crack at the 10k AR today in NZ). I would have much more respect for Rupp if he took it from the gun and faded big time/ DFL while trying to break Lagat but everyone knew that if Lagat was in the race with 400m to go the race was his.

That tactic only works if you're going against a guy with a superior kick, but who can't handle your faster sustained pace. The problem here is that Lagat is superior as a kicker, and superior at running a fast, sustained pace for this distance. There's no reason to believe Rupp would have broken Lagat, the American record holder, with that tactic. More likely Rupp would have broken himself and faded to 3rd or 4th.

The problem here is that there is no tactic that would make Rupp a favorite over Lagat over this distance, at this time. That's not a slam on Rupp -- he's my favorite distance runner at the moment -- but it's just a reality when you're talking about Americans facing Bernard Lagat in a championship race of 3000 or 5000 meters.

Thanks for the title correction mods! Appreciate it

Quick recap of the race here:

http://www.letsrun.com/2011/lagat-0226.php

We hope to have more later.

As for Rupp trying to run away from Lagat, I don't think the outcome would have been any different. Lagat is faster than Rupp right now and also better at 5000m. Rupp put up a good fight but Lagat was incredible the last lap.

Last year at World indoors, guys better than Rupp tried to run away from Lagat and he still smoked them the last lap.

Recap of that race here:

http://www.letsrun.com/2010/iaaf0314.php

3k may be Lagat's best distance right now.

Not a knock on Rupp, but he was racing one of the best, most efficient racers of all time.

wejo wrote:

Lagat is faster than Rupp right now and also better at 5000m. Rupp put up a good fight but Lagat was incredible the last lap.

Talking indoors only: Lagat is definitely better at the 3000m, as seen by the thrashing he just gave Rupp, but I would say the 5000m would certainly be the best test of the two athletes. Their pr's are .06 different as seen from a couple weeks ago. I would love to see them race a 5000 right now and see what transpires, it would be epic.

Just another thing to put things into perspective: Lagat was world indoor champ at 3000m! Kudos to both him and Galen for putting on a great race.