Dear Olympic Trials "Non-A" Standard Men & Women 1500M Finalists

The results from tonight should demonstrate why the strategy recommended by "hukkhusch..." is completely stupid. After seeing the first two laps, I could have already told you who was going to finish last and second to last. McNamara was lucky to hang on as he did.

No you don't. They took the weakest guy and gave him the third pull (instead of the first). That was wrong.

In addition, 3 is not enough...

Running on Empathy wrote:

Woman up! wrote:

> BTW - the last best hope for an "honest" pace in the final was German Fernandez. He's out, so the smart money should be on a more tactical race.

Running fast is a tactic. It is a necessary tactic for those without the A. Running slow is a stupid tactic for those without it. Its a dangerous tactic for those with it. Hayward ain't a velodrome, its _the_ place for US runners to discover themselves.

Does anyone know for a fact that any of the non-A qualifiers have any front-running experience?

It's asking quite a bit to demand that erstwhile drafters suddenly take it upon themselves to push the pace in what is arguably the biggest race of their lives.

Told ya ..... ;)

I predict they'll just jog around never giving themselves a chance either to get the 'A' standard or get top 3.

Bumping this thread because it was a great post and is equally relevant tomorrow.

OP makes good point wrote:

Bumping this thread because it was a great post and is equally relevant tomorrow.

Amen...let's hope not, thanks for da bump!

this is all very accurate but be prepared to be FLAMED by the LRC fanboys WHO LOVE to talk about how "saving it" and sit and kick is the smartest way to race. I've been saying the same thing as OP for years on this board. To no avail. Our top runners still make the same mistakes EVERY SINGLE TRIALS. It's a JOG FEST, EVERY SINGLE TRIALS.

Quenton Cassidamius wrote:

They got to go for the A standard. There is nothing to lose by going for it and since so many guys need it they could share the work. I hate to see so many guys just give up their Olympic dreams just because guys like Centro want a slow race. The least they can do is make the guys with the A work to get on the team.

Been watching track and field for more than two decades. I'd love to see this. BUT I'm not holding my breath.

There is a reason. Most of these Guys couldn't run 3:36.2 in ideal conditions, let alone leading the 3rd race in 4 days.

For almost every finalist, finishing top 5 is a better accomplishment than leading early and finishing 12th.

Now, I think Yorks and Alexander should push it and give themselves a shot. Every other non A standard guy should not and won't. Mark my words, if someone like Eric A. Takes the lead early, he'll finish 11th or 12th.

Indeed but it will be a 3:34 "last lapper" not an American 3:47 last lapper.

Alan MF Webb!!!

I loved that race! That's how you do it American 1500m runners! Not this 2:16/800m split!!

get lost tho hoser wrote:

Quenton Cassidamius wrote:

They got to go for the A standard. There is nothing to lose by going for it and since so many guys need it they could share the work. I hate to see so many guys just give up their Olympic dreams just because guys like Centro want a slow race. The least they can do is make the guys with the A work to get on the team.

Been watching track and field for more than two decades. I'd love to see this. BUT I'm not holding my breath.

We saw them try it (and fail) 4 years ago so who says they won't try again?

This ^^^. Get that PR in your national championship final. Be that pace maker. Finish 2-3 places better than you would've otherwise!

My best NZ nationals I got 3/4 PBs in the 800&1500 heat, and 800/1500 final. Lead over 2 laps of the 1500 heat & final. Finished 6th in the 800 & 9th in the 1500. Still my best ever series of track races and national placings. (This was as a senior - event is more like a small college level meet in the US performance wise)

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I hope your NOT right as I've mentioned before .... looking for something brave like the NCAA 800 meter finals: talk about bold & brave. A WOW race ... might have even smoke-checked Brazier for the OT, but I'd take that 1:43.55 & a NCAA Championship any day.

Johnsons wrote:

We definitely see the pace going out fast for 400. But unless these guys without the 'A' have gotten together and formulated a plan, it's going to hard to do it after that as it'll be your classic case of prisoner's dilemma as to who leads.

To us, the easiest way to get the 'A' is to go out fast - in about 1:55, then slow down and run a 60 and then kick in 40.

Wouldn't 58-59-59-40 be easier?

webby wrote:

Wouldn't 58-59-59-40 be easier?

+1

American runners are too emasculated now to run hard in a trials final. You forget these guys are weak minded millennials. Not hard-nosed greatest generation runners. They will do a slow jog and sprint the last 200m. No one will get the standard who doesn't already have it. They, like our current country's leadership, have no balls, and will never take any risks to be great.

bareforererererere wrote:

webby wrote:

Wouldn't 58-59-59-40 be easier?

+1

American runners are too emasculated now to run hard in a trials final. You forget these guys are weak minded millennials. Not hard-nosed greatest generation runners. They will do a slow jog and sprint the last 200m. No one will get the standard who doesn't already have it. They, like our current country's leadership, have no balls, and will never take any risks to be great.

If the LetsRun interviews prove correct, I think you'll unfortunately prove "spot on." I was phenomenally disappointed in both Wheating's and Cain's perspective on leaving it all on the track tomorrow: it was caution, caution, caution.

40 is a very quick last 300m and not going to happen for any but the top guys.