Tegenkamp and Bumbalough make season debut at UW

Teg needs to hang it up.

Teg by no means dominated last year, and it doesn't seem likely he'll run a 12:56 this year, but he certainly had a successful season. He did go to Worlds in the 10,000, an event he'd famously never run before. Plus, he was coming off injury. He should have a better base this year and is a serious threat to make either the 5000 or the 10000 team. He should definitely not hang it up.

Sorry if I'm just feeding a troll.

Teg needs to move to 10000m. The 5000m Oly Trials spots this year are extremely competitive. Whereas Teg has a decent shot at #3 spot for 10k behind Ritz and Rupp.

10,000m is his best bet. Agreed. I'd like to see him return to his former glory but sadly it doesn't look like things are moving that way.

He did say that this was the healthiest stretch he's had in a while and was doing a lot of marathon type training. Hopefully he'll have a strong season.

Teg said that he was just doing marathon training all of winter and did this race with no speedwork. It was just to break the rust off. This base training is good for him because he missed most of his base last year because of injury.

I talked with both Bumbalough and Teg after the race. Bumbalough said Teg was healthy but was a bit flat from little speed work, but said he was pushing him in longer stuff.

Teg said the same thing pretty much. He also said he was healthy and wasn't sure if he will run the 10k or not this year, and said it will be a late decision for the trials because he already has the A standard for the 10k and doesn't have to worry about running a qualifier.

Has Bumbalough been doing marathon training as well? I know he paced Bairu through 16 miles in his marathon. If he doesn't train with Teg for speed work, who is it with? Jäger? Lomong?

10000 is not his best bet. He sucked this year in the 10. If Rupp, Ritz, and Sol do the 10, Teg has the best shot in the 5k obviously. He's been 4th in the World at that event. If last season told us anything it's that he's not a 10k guy. He ran well in the 2mile at Pre. The 5k is his best event.

Oh come on. He didn't suck. He's the 10th fastest American of all time, ran 27:26, and went to worlds. At the 5000, indicators are mixed as to whether he's even better than Bumbi. And with Lagat and Rupp virtual locks for two of the spots (unless Rupp only does the 10), then Bumbi, Solinsly, and Teg will all be competing for that spot unless Teg and/or Solinsky do the 10. Between Bumbi and Teg, Bumbi bested Teg in cross last year, Teg nipped Bumbi in that Australian 5000, Teg beat Bumbi handily in the 2 mile, then Bumbi beat Teg in the US 5000s, though Teg had already raced the 10. This year, Bumbi beat Teg in the road 5000 and now in the mile by 5 seconds. Sure Teg's been doing more strength and less speed, but Bumbi apparently has enough strength to pace Bairu through 16 miles at sub 2:10 pace.

All that is to say, Teg should do the 5000. I think he loses to both Bumbi and Solinsky if he races the 5, which puts him out of the OG. In the 10000, if Solinsky does the 5000, then it looks like Rupp, Ritz, Teg.

Correction: Teg should do the 10,000. Mistyped.

The trials are 6 months away, the Olympics are 7 months away. I wouldn't put too much import on any race until at least April. If Teg is has a good base now, stays injury free and sharpens well he could well run under 13 again this year.

Does Bumbalough have the talent to run that fast?

And who knows how well Solinsky will recover, is he even running yet?

In other words it's much too early to be saying what Olympic event will be easiest to make this year.

I can't say I only was able to talk to them for a few minutes.

Readthearticle wrote:

Does Bumbalough have the talent to run that fast?

And who knows how well Solinsky will recover, is he even running yet?

In other words it's much too early to be saying what Olympic event will be easiest to make this year.

In answer to the question, I think he does. I don't think he will this year, but I think he might the next year. In fact, I think he has just as much talent as Rupp, Ritz, Solinsky, and Tegenkamp, but the guy didn't train like a machine at the early ages they did. He was very low mileage in high school and still ran an 8:49 early junior year (didn't race in the national meets or his senior year due to mono), winning at Arcadia. He came out the gates with an 8:01indoor 3000 as a true freshman, then struggled with injuries. His mileage was hardly more than half what the Wisco, Colorado, and Oregon guys were running and he still progressed each year down to 8th in cross, 13:30 5000, and 3:38 1500. And that's why he got signed by Nike and went to Schumaker. Sure, there are runners that had faster times and better pedigrees, but Bumbalough has crazy upside, and that's why he's improving so rapidly. 3:37 and 13:16 last year, neck and neck with Teg all year. This year, so far, he's been ahead of Teg in the 5000 road race and in a ridiculously easy essentially solo 3:58 mile off of a 63 first lap. So yes, I think he has the talent to run sub 13 in the 5000. If that's what it takes to make the Olympic team this year, though, I don't think he'll make it. But I think analysis of his career, when factoring in his significantly lower mileage, indicate that he is just as talented as, say, Teg, who has run a 12:58.

In regard to your second question, I've heard that he is running and is undecided about his event, but is not ready to race. That's all I know.

And finally, you're right, it's much too early to be saying much about anything, but if people only talked about sports when it made sense, ESPN would be a shadow of itself, and Letsrun would be even more dominated by irrelevant threads created by lonely 17-year-old masturbation addicts.

No way I would call rupp a lock in the 5000m.

26:48.00 and he's not a lock. riiigggghhht.

Agreed. Barring injury, Rupp is a lock. Also, Lagat is a lock. That leaves one 5000 spot.

Rupp isn't a lock. Solinsky beat him last year. Solinsky has broken 27 too in a slower race.

No one is a lock but Lagat (who dopes like a coward)

Readthearticle wrote:

Does Bumbalough have the talent to run that fast?

And who knows how well Solinsky will recover, is he even running yet?

I've always been baffled by Bumbi's injuries over the years. The guy has an effortless stride. He surely has exhibited that he has the speed for a fast 5000, but I think the years of never getting a full year of consistent training has always hurt him from hitting his optimal performance. Assuming he continues along, injury free, with his current training, I would put him right up there with the big boys, with a more than capable kick at the end to punch his ticket.

He has to make it through the next half year, though.