Occidental 1500m: Wheating Takes on Leo and Lopez

steeplechump wrote:

what is wrong with you people? It was a great field, and they produced a race that was exciting and entertaining. Instead, you're complaining about the time, and how they used sit and kick tactics. It's a race. You race to win.

This was not a race you race to win (no money). You come to Occidental to get a qualifier, and none of those guys have qualifiers. Alice Schmidt ran great and Corey Primm ran great, so it wasn't the facility or the crowd or the weather. And because they wasted this opportunity, the 3 guys to make the team at nationals are going to have to get their qualifier in Europe--and the task of getting it may mean they're going to be run down for worlds.

The guy you hear laughing is Alan Webb.

They told Willis to come through 1200m in 2:53. He did, they were behind him in 2:54+. Why would anyone expect multiple US guys to run 3:33-34 in May in a race on US soil?

no, they weren't. taylor milne was closing on nick from the bell, the rest of the pack was a few steps back, and before that, they were upwards of 10-12m behind him. totally negates the drafting benefit of a rabbit, not to mention the psychological effect of actually being "in" the race, instead of knowing it's just turning into a typical sit and kick fest. as a previous poster pointed out, if the stated goal is to just run fast (not "win"), then at least make it look like that's what you're trying to do. fairly disappointed with tonight. willis should have stayed home, they didn't deserve his great pacing.

Willis should've just pulled a Tom Byers.

wait.... wrote:

Prediction:

9 Andrew Wheating Nike O T C

2 Lopez Lomong Nike

11 Andrew Bumbalough Nike O T C

4 Matt Tegenkamp Nike O T C

5 Leo Manzano Nike

6 Nick Symmonds Nike O T C

1 Will Leer Nike

12 Evan Jager Nike O T C

Nathan Brannen Saucony

10 Kyle Miller Nike

3 Tommy Schmitz Saucony

78 Taylor Milne Speed River TC

Guess Milne wasn't last eh? Don't doubt Canada ever again.

Wow, Bumbalough closed hard. Looked like had the fastest last 400. Of course, that was only because he dropped way back with about 500 to go, though.

not that the video was that sharp, but wheating made that look very, very easy.

I agree. Willis looked SO SMOOTH. He could have kept going and got the win easily. He dropped out 300 meters from the finish.

I really think this was a decent race for Wheating, Lomong and Manzano considering it was basically their first try at running fast this year.

3:35 flat is not very easy, especially without much sharpening up.

They all seem to be in good shape with 5 weeks to go before USATF. Getting the standard before that meet would be nice.

Still more than 10 weeks to get it, though.

Seriously -- these complaints are willfully ignorant of where most of these athletes are in their training schedules.

The Cook crew -- Manzano included -- just spent almost 4 weeks doing some pretty serious altitude training. So how about we throw the 3:50 miler a bone and chalk up his so-so performance to an exceptionally grueling few weeks of training?

If you take the time to watch the Lomong interview on flotrack, you'll see he isn't exactly in prime shape yet, either. The guy doesn't seem to have done much in the way of true speedwork yet.

As for Wheating -- I struggle to see how anyone can complain about his race. This was his first "true" competition after last season (I'm not counting the Oregon/OTC DMR because Wheating was by himself the whole way through). On top of that, he's been hurt, and so he is clearly proceeding cautiously with his racing schedule. And all that aside, this race still managed to affirm Wheating's talents: he managed to hold onto a 2:54 1200 like it was nothing, and has a good enough kick that he can wait until 80 meters to go to still win the race in 3:36.

So why is anyone complaining?

So Webb runs 3:37 in between the olympic gold and silver medalists in February/March but should have been in this field instead of Hengelo? Like the other poster mentioned Webb isn't after just the A standard. Webb is after nothing short of gold. Running 3:36 back in the USA would not have done him much good, so he is going after sub 3:34 in Europe. Go tear the place to peices Webb!

lsdkfj;slkdhf;sdklf wrote:

wait.... wrote:

Prediction:

9 Andrew Wheating Nike O T C

2 Lopez Lomong Nike

11 Andrew Bumbalough Nike O T C

4 Matt Tegenkamp Nike O T C

5 Leo Manzano Nike

6 Nick Symmonds Nike O T C

1 Will Leer Nike

12 Evan Jager Nike O T C

Nathan Brannen Saucony

10 Kyle Miller Nike

3 Tommy Schmitz Saucony

78 Taylor Milne Speed River TC

Guess Milne wasn't last eh? Don't doubt Canada ever again.

great race by Milne! Go Guelph, go Canada!

Big pr for Bumbalough....might be a factor in the 5 at nationals......

no love for kyle miller? 4 second PR...been good this year

Bumbalough is clearly going to be more than a "factor" in the 5k. Jager made it in '09. Bumbalough has already run faster in the 1500 and 5k. He just beat Teg. I hope Teg can get on a roll and contend for another medal this year but the 5k team in Daegu might likely be Lagat, Solinsky, Bumbalough. A guy like Bethke could be a "factor." Bumbalough right now is probably a favorite.

lsdkfj;slkdhf;sdklf wrote:

wait.... wrote:

Prediction:

9 Andrew Wheating Nike O T C

2 Lopez Lomong Nike

11 Andrew Bumbalough Nike O T C

4 Matt Tegenkamp Nike O T C

5 Leo Manzano Nike

6 Nick Symmonds Nike O T C

1 Will Leer Nike

12 Evan Jager Nike O T C

Nathan Brannen Saucony

10 Kyle Miller Nike

3 Tommy Schmitz Saucony

78 Taylor Milne Speed River TC

Guess Milne wasn't last eh? Don't doubt Canada ever again.

And Brannen wasn't 7th either. Predicting Jager in front of Brannen? Really? Really?

DucksFan wrote:

And all that aside, this race still managed to affirm Wheating's talents: he managed to hold onto a 2:54 1200 like it was nothing, and has a good enough kick that he can wait until 80 meters to go to still win the race in 3:36.

So why is anyone complaining?

Any more stupid questions?

Because those guys went into that race with the goal of getting a qualifier while also getting in a good race atmostphere. They lagged well of a rabbit who did his job perfectly for no reason at all other than they were being pussies. As someone mentioned, winning vs. getting 8th is no difference in monetary value. So they should have been right up on Willis and gotten the standard. Instead it was just some race practice, which isn't bad in any way but they could have gotten that running a few seconds faster as well. That's why we're complaining.

fun fact about symmonds: he is seen running a 1500m against adam goucher in the 5,000m: nothing comes easy documentary.