Evan Jager has rediculous talent...why didn't he stick with the 5k??

he's probably waiting for Bernard EPO Lagat retire.

Lomon and Rupp wouldn've made the team. Bumbi and Jager would have competed for the 3rd spot.

He explains this in his post-race interview. He's also talked about doing a 5000 this summer.

Well, it's not like he sold his soul to the steeplechase devil and can never run another 5k. We seem to be in an era where the specialist runner is going by the wayside and today's runner is good at (and competes in) a variety of distances.

I predict Jager back in the 5k in the future, but if he is having success in the steeple (say sub 8:05), why not stick with it since he'd be a medal threat?

For now he made the team in the steeple which is surely better for him financially than missing in the 5k. He will have better support for training having "Olympian" on his resume, and hopefully will hold up for some great future seasons.

With the competitiveness in the 1500 and 5000, it was only a matter of time before some people starting heading for the steeple since it has been relatively weaker. We only need a few more Jager type guys to mature into his level before the steeple is also stacked and there is nowhere to hide in the 3k to 10k range of distances.

The fact that someone like Torrance ran a solid 5k and opted not to run it at the trials is a testament to how good our 5k corps is now. It basically takes 13:00 talent to make our team now (and that is with Solinsky on the sidelines and Ritz/Teg in the 10k).

I don't think it would be a competition between Bumbi and Jager. Jager=superior speed and superior talent in general. If he chooses to focus on the 5k in 2016, he could be trials champion. Unless Rupp is still throwin down 5k's, I personally think by 2016 he'll be either a 10k or marathon specialist though. I don't think he'll have the speed in 4 years to win at 5k. Maybe at trials, definitely not at the Olympics though. He'll be a badass half/full marathoner, however.

I don't think it would be a competition between Bumbi and Jager. Jager=superior speed and superior talent in general. If he chooses to focus on the 5k in 2016, he could be trials champion. Unless Rupp is still throwin down 5k's, I personally think by 2016 he'll be either a 10k or marathon specialist though. I don't think he'll have the speed in 4 years to win at 5k. Maybe at trials, definitely not at the Olympics though. He'll be a badass half/full marathoner, however.

chauncey wrote:

He explains this in his post-race interview. He's also talked about doing a 5000 this summer.

Haven't had the chance to watch it yet. Thanks though, I will now.

Who says he won't? But Jager looks very natural and at home in the steeple. I don't question the notion that he could be marginally more successful in that event than the 5K.

Teg and Jager both seem more talented than Solinsky. Solinsky was just better for a time because he trained harder over more miles and stayed healthy. Until he wasn't healthy.

In any case, I'm looking forward to seeing Jager in the Olympics. He's ready to test himself against the world's best and see how he stands.

Because he was constantly injured and didn't have enough time to put in the work necessary to make the team at 5k

I haven't seen Jager run in a while. When I was 16 I saw him run at the Benedictine Invitational in 2006. The guy ran a 9:00 3200m by himself. I was in awe. I'd only been to small meets. That's when this guy was no another level.

Simons15 wrote:

I don't think it would be a competition between Bumbi and Jager. Jager=superior speed and superior talent in general. If he chooses to focus on the 5k in 2016, he could be trials champion. Unless Rupp is still throwin down 5k's, I personally think by 2016 he'll be either a 10k or marathon specialist though. I don't think he'll have the speed in 4 years to win at 5k. Maybe at trials, definitely not at the Olympics though. He'll be a badass half/full marathoner, however.

here it is.

http://dyestat.rise.espn.go.com/search.jsp?athID=44194

2006-05-06 B-3200 8:57.30Lisle Inv (#1)

The guy ran this alone, like it was a time trial or something.

It's a shame more National/International Meets aren't in Chicago or the Midwest. It easier to appreciate the performances watching in person.

Yea, I also saw him run in high school a few times. The dude was a beast, ran quite a few impressive solo efforts. I'm from Michigan, and actually had his aunt and uncle for physical therapists back in high school when i had tendinitis in my knees. They gave me some insight and that's when i started paying attention and following him. He will absolutely be a force at 5k if that's what he chooses for his future. With that said, he'll be a beast in the steeple too. Really a win-win situation, that is if he can maintain health. I think if he stays with steeple he'll have the AR very soon, possibly by years end??

He has better 5ks than his teammates, he has more talent. Teg has admitted before that if he did what Solinsky did for two weeks, he'd be injured. Running a lot, injury free, is pretty talented.

ryan foreman wrote:

Teg and Jager both seem more talented than Solinsky. Solinsky was just better for a time because he trained harder over more miles and stayed healthy. Until he wasn't healthy.

In any case, I'm looking forward to seeing Jager in the Olympics. He's ready to test himself against the world's best and see how he stands.

Besides, he got surgery for falling down the stairs, not for running.

Yea, Sol has massive talent. Did anyone see how jacked he looked when he ran his 26:59 AR?? That is not normal my friends. Most people running 26:59's look like rupp, if not smaller (east africans.)

Jager is a TREMENDOUS talent--perhaps even more so than Chris Derrick. Not only has he consistently beaten Derrick over the years (albeit with the one year age difference), but he found success very early with much less mileage than Derrick. It's crazy that he was running those kinds of times on only 40 miles a week.

You can find some of that info in this interview and the comments:

http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/248453-2012-Journey-to-Eugene-and-the-Olympic-Trials/video/614679-Evan-Jager-on-going-pro-early-and-advice-to-others

Robot Unicorn wrote:

Jager is a TREMENDOUS talent--perhaps even more so than Chris Derrick. Not only has he consistently beaten Derrick over the years (albeit with the one year age difference), but he found success very early with much less mileage than Derrick. It's crazy that he was running those kinds of times on only 40 miles a week.

You can find some of that info in this interview and the comments:

http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/248453-2012-Journey-to-Eugene-and-the-Olympic-Trials/video/614679-Evan-Jager-on-going-pro-early-and-advice-to-others

Exactly. He was running unbelievable times for the work load that he was putting in. Superb talent, I really hope he gives the 5k a shot again (and who knows, maybe even the 10K??) It'd be interesting to see what he could do.

why didn't he stick with the 5k??

way easier to be a top steeple guy and earn good money than 5K...

I disagree. I think Jager has greeniculous talent.

How does one get this shirt:

http://www.letsrun.com/2012/images/jagerhomeboy2.jpg

Why would Jager run the 5,000? He'll likely wind up the American record holder in the steeple when it's all said and done. He can still run a 5,000, but he's a natural at the steeple.