VIDEO OF MERBER 3:35

that's a 5000m

No, it's the 1500m all right. (Thanks for the link, OP!)

What a superb piece of pacesettting by Willis, who pretty obviously could have continued (he stayed in through 1300m) but let someone else have a go. Just a great rhythm run.

I was at the Heps, last weekend, where Merber won (at 4min-plus!) in a kickfest race that included Princeton's Stilin and Van Ackeren. Merber later ran a *storming* leg in the 4x800, but I never got a split for him--it was pretty obvious he was rounding into shape fast, but I frankly did not expect a sub-3:36. (Brilliant times from the Princeton guys in this race, as well. Congrats to them and their coach, Steve Dolan.)

I'm glad to see Merber's success, and the recognition for him and his coach, Willy Wood. Merber's had an "interesting" last few years: losing a year to a devastating injury, a trip to the hospital last fall after the Ivy cross-country meet, run in horrific conditions at Princeton (

http://www.flotrack.org/video/512743

)--not a smooth road to this performance, by any means.

Guesses at his closing times over the last 200 and 100?

The sissy male distance runners will go to the NCAA meet and jog around the track at 75 second pace and sprint the last 200m just like the mile indoors. Here is a suggestion to all distance coaches and distance runners-lets just run 4 slow heats of the 200 (1500-SC-5k-10k) and not bore the crowd with the sissies jogging to sprint 200m. READ PRE'S QUOTE!!!

pre fastest time was 3:38

Its a race. All the participants agree to said pace and if they don't like it, any of them have the choice to go faster. If kicking is your strength and you know that, it is smart to sit and kick. If you have a poor kick, you need to realize the pace during the race needs to take the kickers out of the race. Racing is not all about speed. For one reason, different conditions don't always lend themselves to PR's, so what is the point of coming within one second of your PR if you place 3rd.

Getridofdistanceraces wrote:

The sissy male distance runners will go to the NCAA meet and jog around the track at 75 second pace and sprint the last 200m just like the mile indoors. Here is a suggestion to all distance coaches and distance runners-lets just run 4 slow heats of the 200 (1500-SC-5k-10k) and not bore the crowd with the sissies jogging to sprint 200m. READ PRE'S QUOTE!!!

Merber ate everyone alike that last lap.

More Columbia news:

http://www.gocolumbialions.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=48362&SPID=4657&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=205426637&DB_OEM_ID=9600

The first guys came through in 2:35 or 2:36 and 2:51 and so it was not a fast finish, making his good finish look better.

He dideat everyone (except maybe one or two that might have moved up some from the back, but you cannot tell easily.