2011 Penn: USA vs The World Distance Medley, Lagat Shines and Brown Loses It

Leo is so inconsistent though, Russell is the definite safe bet.

Symmonds was in no-man's land. Thus, the slow time. Running by yourself sucks in races

Laalou is going to be NASTY this summer.

Rashid Ramzi 2012 wrote:

Laalou is going to be NASTY this summer.

So is Leo if he gets it together at the right time.

I never understand why the USA puts middling 400 runners in the distance medley. IMO, they should be getting 44.xx legs every time with the number of talented runners in the country. Maybe the leg is an afterthought in this race, but that's another 1.5-3 seconds.

Great 1200 by the field, the kenyan took it out in under 54. A lot of times the field will jog the first 800 and run 2:56 or 2:57. 2:48 is flying! Fun leg to watch!

I think this race actually came down to the 400 leg. If the US puts a 44 guy in they put a gap and everyone has to run their own race. I think this gives Brown the nod. The thing is that Lagat put them in the lead and every leg after that was able to draft. It almost would have been better for Lagat to hand off in second and for everyone for the US to be in second going into Brown. It would have given them a better chance.

On another note Brown can't let the two other teams get back into it by running easy. He has to make it a two team race.

Here are quotes from Brown and Lagat. More here:

http://usatf.org/News/USA-women-storm-to-4x100WL-at-USA-vs--The-World.aspx

Russell Brown, USA Red DMR anchor leg: I got the baton in the lead. There are two options you have in that position. You can push the pace or you can stay in the race and keep feeling good. I chose the latter. I had been kicking well in my races. It didn’t quite work out. Laalou of Morocco came up on me. I came up on that short, short Penn Relays homestretch. I thought all you have to do is hold him off another 40 meters. I just didn’t have that last gear. I think I ran smart race and did the things I should have done. I just didn’t quite have it. I’m disappointed in my ability today a little bit. It’s a long season and will be fuel for the fire.

Bernard Lagat, USA Red DMR lead-off leg: My 1200 leg started really well. Before the line, the Kenyan guy told me I’m used to pacing the 1200m, so I said OK, I’m going to follow you. I followed him and I felt really good. Coming into the 800m, I was thinking to myself, 1 to go. I’m feeling so good. I wanted to run at least 2:50. I was thinking about the Kenyans all the time. We need to beat them.

No self-respecting 44 second guy is going to run a race where the outcome is almost entirely up to a couple of milers.

2:48's quite solid. Only El G goes considerably under that in a 1500 or mile, and then only sometimes. So, you have to give it to Lagat, Gregson, and Torrence. I'm curious to see how Wheating runs in May, but right now Lagat looks like he can run another 3:30 or even 3:29 this year.

Rashid Ramzi 2012 wrote:

Laalou is going to be NASTY this summer.

If you mean DIRTY, I agree.

jjjjjjjjjj wrote:

2:48's quite solid. Only El G goes considerably under that in a 1500 or mile, and then only sometimes. So, you have to give it to Lagat, Gregson, and Torrence. I'm curious to see how Wheating runs in May, but right now Lagat looks like he can run another 3:30 or even 3:29 this year.

I might agree with that. And what about Torrence? he looked good too. Got to give him a 3:32/3:33 chance this summer.

Russell is a safe bet for what? The guy have one last year and one this year indoors and he a safe bet. Leo was world rank last year and has placed top 3 in the last four US Championships, rattle of Russell international resume- NONE.

The posters who mentioned Leo or Torrence on the 1200m leg and Lagat anchor would have certainly won the USA its first title against the World. To the sarcastic crackhead on the page one saying this isn't important. Then why have Kenya sent strong teams 2007-2010 and then ths year Morocco, Australia, Ethiopia, Kenya all send teams to Penn. It's not the Olympics or Worlds but it's big event that Russell Brown lost for USA and his teammates.

Russell was right when he said he felt like he let his teammates down and he was disappointed. How do you run 4 seconds slower then what your capable of and allow someone almost 3 seconds behind you come and beat you. Russell ran poorly!

3 USA Red 9:18.09 Bernard Lagat (2:48.30), Michael Tinsley (46.13), Duane Solomon (1:46.31), Russell Brown (3:57.36) USAr

I'm no expert but it seems the mistake was in putting a white guy in USA's A team.

I thought Torrence ran well, he got beat by (2) 2:48 legs...no shame in that. Btw, the fastest 1200 I can recall was 2:47. Seems to me like 2:48 is equal to about a 3:34 1500m, which is hauling for April. Brown is good guy, he had a bad race thats all. There was nothing wrong with having him on the anchor, if he ran like he did 2 weeks ago, we would have won. Sometimes a big crowd and anchoring a relay with Lagat can make you over think things.

Okay now that Russell's lil brother or one of his 39 yr old single living at home with his mother fans have chimed in on the subject. We're not talking about 2 weeks ago but instead 30 April 2011 the day Russell Brown ran with the confidence and fire of a YMCA walker/jogger. This was probably the last chance we had to win the USA vs. The World with Kenya not sending an A team and we put a C level team member on the A team- of course he was going to blow the lead.

Keep hating, it wasn't you running and i'm damn sure you wouldn't of ran any better...he made a choice and stuck with it. When it comes down to it, he did what he thought was best. End of conversation. There's no need hate on the race. GTFO and go hope and dream about someday running under a 4:00 minute mile, leave the pro racing to the Pros

I'm talking about how Leo Manzano went 4:06 at Pre Classic, Or when He ran 3:42 and got 13th at Monaco. The most recent race before this being Texas Relays with a 4:14. All of a sudden he runs a 3:55, I just don't understand how one can run so bad and then run so well. When I say Russell is Reliable, I mean what I said. He may not have the credentials but he sure as hell will never fall off the deep end like Leo does.

Millions of people critic professional athletes everyday in NBA, NFL, and Track and Field etc. So posters don't have to be better than the athlete they're critizing to make a valid point. Russell shouldn't have allowed Laalou who was over 2 and 1/2 seconds back in the race.

Russell Brown himself admitted he ran poorly and was disappointed in letting his teammates down on the relay.