UCENY 1:58:XX Win @Lignano

"Morgan has made steady progress in training and racing since high school in Illinois"

Actually, Morgan is from Indiana. She went to Plymouth High School in Plymouth, Indiana. Just thought I'd point that out. But you're right that she has made steady progress over the years. In high school she didn't take running very seriously as she was much more interested in basketball (she's from Indiana after all). So even though she was one of the top runners in the state, there was a lot of room for improvement there, just by taking a more focused approach to the sport. Morgan's success right now is due only to an enormous amount of raw talent, serious and intelligent hard work, and solid coaching. I know some of Morgan's family very well, and they are really good, honest people who simply wouldn't tolerate cheating.

ventolin^3 wrote:

i figured she was going sub-2 after her dominant circuit 1500s

unfortunately, i can find no info on any 400s she has run to estimate her potential 1500 ability ( she has some 500/600 times from '07, but those are pedestrian or en-route to an 800 )

anyhows, if anyone finds any reasonable 400 value for her, we can get an idea of her 1500 :

call it 1'58.25 ( nearest quickest 0.25s quartile )

with :

53.0 ->4'02.6

53.5 ->4'00.9

54.0 ->3'59.2

54.5 ->3'57.5

all i can suggest is that any primary 1500 gal who can go low-1'58 shoud be at least 4-flat

In the Flotrack WOW video the interviewer asks Mahon this question and he estimates her 400 capability as 52-ish.

mrb wrote:

"Morgan has made steady progress in training and racing since high school in Illinois"

Actually, Morgan is from Indiana. She went to Plymouth High School in Plymouth, Indiana. Just thought I'd point that out. But you're right that she has made steady progress over the years. In high school she didn't take running very seriously as she was much more interested in basketball (she's from Indiana after all). So even though she was one of the top runners in the state, there was a lot of room for improvement there, just by taking a more focused approach to the sport. Morgan's success right now is due only to an enormous amount of raw talent, serious and intelligent hard work, and solid coaching. I know some of Morgan's family very well, and they are really good, honest people who simply wouldn't tolerate cheating.

Sadly, in this day and age no track athlete is above suspicions of doping. However, it is funny how quickly people are to jump to conclusions about ANYONE who has a breakout season.

Is it really that hard to imagine that Uceny's improvement is legit- I mean, for crying out loud- look how fast she ran at Cornell despite the coaching, running environment, etc.

Bottom line: the U.S. has always had the female athletes with enough natural talent to succeed internationally, but it hasn't been until the last few years where they've sought the coaches and the training environments that are conducive to taking that next step.

These are fun days to watch U.S. middle and distance running- such a marked improvement from even 6 years ago...

Francis El wrote:

look how fast she ran at Cornell despite the coaching, .

LOL. POD

Morgan's barely broken 4:04 for 1500 this year and is tenth on the world list. And she beat Alice Schmidt by 2/10ths of a second in an 800. People think this is proof she's on drugs. Hmm.

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnMngRVt5yc

Smooth, like in all her other wins.

2 yeras ago one of Morgan's training partners, I can't remember if it was Anna or someone else, but they remarked that she was going run some great times at some point. She has always been talented, but it took a while for it all to come together.

Les wrote:In the Flotrack WOW video the interviewer asks Mahon this question and he estimates her 400 capability as 52-ish.

i'm slightly reluctant to go with that

call it 52.5

with various 800s

1'58.2 ->4'04.1

1'58.0 ->4'03.4

1'57.8 ->4'02.7

1'57.6 ->4'02.0

1'57.4 ->4'01.3

mid-52 speed is damn fast for a 1500 gal

she'd need a fantastic 800 in order for the speed-decay to get her to 4-flat

either that 52+ is wrong or she is not likely in any better form than her actual low-4'02pb

In 06 she ran 55.50 and 1:11.72 for 500 in the indoor season of 07.

26mi235 wrote:

When was the last time that an American finished fifth among Americans and was still under 2:00 (and was not male).

About a month ago at USATF.

Shalane and Alice were in the recruiting class of 2004 at UNC (graduated high school in 2000) however Alice graduated one semester late (December 2004 instead of May) because she spent time doing an honors thesis and Shalane graduated one year late (May 2005).

ventolin^3 wrote:

Les wrote:In the Flotrack WOW video the interviewer asks Mahon this question and he estimates her 400 capability as 52-ish.

i'm slightly reluctant to go with that

call it 52.5

with various 800s

1'58.2 ->4'04.1

1'58.0 ->4'03.4

1'57.8 ->4'02.7

1'57.6 ->4'02.0

1'57.4 ->4'01.3

mid-52 speed is damn fast for a 1500 gal

she'd need a fantastic 800 in order for the speed-decay to get her to 4-flat

either that 52+ is wrong or she is not likely in any better form than her actual low-4'02pb

Ventolin, what type of gibberish exactly are you spouting here? Are you saying she needs to run a faster 800 in order to suggest she can run 4 flat? If so, then you are out of your mind. She is certainly comparable speed-wise to Willard and obviously faster in the shorter stuff than Rowbury.

Your analysis based on numbers seems to be very limited.

Me again wrote:

She is in AMAZING shape right now.. Really hope she can hold it until Daegu

He is in AMAZING shape right now. No doubts. If HE keeps the HGH and roids intake going, very soon HE will be growing a mustache.

look how fast she ran at Cornell despite the coaching

Can you please explain this? Because I find it offensive.

snapperhead wrote:Ventolin, what type of gibberish exactly are you spouting here? Are you saying she needs to run a faster 800 in order to suggest she can run 4 flat? If so, then you are out of your mind. She is certainly comparable speed-wise to Willard and obviously faster in the shorter stuff than Rowbury.

Your analysis based on numbers seems to be very limited.

i suggest you sit down for 1/2 hour & think about the concept of "speed decay"

here's a clue :

if a gal can go 50-flat, what sort of 800 time do you think she woud need so that her speed decay lets her hang onto a 4-flat ???

I find it offensive as well... the coaching staff @ Cornell does a spectacular job... I watched Morgan throughout her years at Cornell and her improvement was remarkable... someone else posted that she came to Cornell with more emphasis in high school basketball at Plymouth Indiana than track and field... although she was the Indiana State Champ in the 800m! People ought to get off their "hack job" on this fine athlete... and keep your comments about coaching to yourselves as well, especially when you have no basis for such comments!

Cornell women got 2nd, 5th, 6th, 7th in 800-5000 at Heps, and 1-2 in the 10K. Looks solid, not spectacular.

They also took 3rd, 4th, and 5th in steeplechase and 5th in the 1500...

I think you can use the word "spectacular" when you consider that Morgan arrived @ Cornell, as I stated in my post, as Indiana State Champ in 800m (2:11 something) but what most people do not know or don't remember is that she didn't make a travel team as a frosh... that's the caliber of team she joined. But her coaches knew the caliber of athlete she was going to become and helped her tremendously throughout her four year career that saw her earn All-American status and bring her 800m time very close to 2:00 flat. That's more "spectacular" than "solid" to me anyways.

I also think we're comparing apples and oranges... the women's distance and mid-distance of Morgan's four years are different individuals than the women of the 2010-2011 team. So, in my humble opinion, stating how the women did @ Heps this past year may be more of a talent issue and depth issue than a coaching issue.

I don't know who Rockefella is... but I can assure you I'm pretty close to the Cornell program and so have very first hand knowledge.

Just my two cents...