Rupp vs Levins vs Lagat vs Derrick in Pre Classic 5000m

Where's Mo at?

Ritz in 10k?

The Pre 10,000m field hasn't been released yet, but I know Mo isn't going to be in it since he's doing the Bupa London 10K on May 27th. I'm not sure about Ritz

Does anybody else find it utterly nuts that Jerry's "Oregon Track Club" crew don;t particpate in races like this?

Jerry will have Derrick will run in back because he doesn't need the A-standard (will run 10k at USATF) and then Jager is in steeple, but where is Lamong, Bumbalough, Teg, Solinsky, Fernandez and any other studs he has signed in the last year?

Maybe Rupp and Lagat deserve to be in the thread title, but Derrick and Levins will do well to make the top 10.

Full Start List:

Isiah Koech (Kenya) 12:48.64

Yenew Alamirew (Ethiopia) 12:48.77

Thomas Longowisa (Kenya) 12:49.04

John Kipkoech (Kenya) 12:49.50

Edwin Soi (Kenya) 12:52.40

Mark Kiptoo (Kenya) 12:53.46

Bernard Lagat (USA) 12:53.60

Galen Rupp (USA) 12:58.90

Jacob Cheshari (Kenya) 12:59.72

Albert Rop (Kenya) 13:01.91

Collis Birmingham (Australia) 13:09.57

Juan Luis Barrios (Mexico) 13:09.81

Hayle Ibrahimov (Azerbaijan) 13:11.34

Chris Derrick (USA) 13:12.00

Hassan Mead (USA) 13:15.50

Cam Levins (Canada) 13:18.29

Geoffrey Kirui (Kenya) 13:20.54[/quote]

Rupp DNS (allergies)

Cam Levins has no business being in that race given lifetime PR, accomplishments and recent form.

No Gebs, No Interest.

The fans wanna see killa cam, hence he belongs in the race.

great chance for Rupp to go after the American record and for Derrick to get low 13. But it has to be said that there have never been any world historical super fast 5000s in America. Hasn't there been only one sub 13 race on American soil? Probably this will be more tactical, high 12:50s or low 13:0x, and then Rupp and Lagat will go after the AR in Europe in July. I'm sure that Salazar had no problem getting Levins in, but I do wonder about the infrequency with which most of Jerry's guys run. Solinsky should be good for 13:10s by this time, at least>but maybe he's running something else before and maybe he couldn't get in this.

From the Pre Classic website: "The 5k race at the 39th Pre Classic is the signature event of the meet’s namesake, Steve Prefontaine, who was known to run fast and fearless. It was won last year by eventual double London Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah in 12:56.98, the fastest ever in the U.S. That mark could be in jeopardy. And what of Mr. Farah? In an intriguing development, Mo will decide the week of the meet between the 10k on Friday and the 5k on Saturday. Rupp and Lagat and Farah? Oh My!"

As for Ritz, maybe he has the same intentions as Farah. It would be difficult, however, to run a hard 10000 and then come back not quite three weeks later to run another 10000 in what promises to be hot weather in Des Moines. And speaking of the weather, I wonder if Farah (and perhaps Ritz) are waiting to see if the weather will be cool enough to run a fast 10000 at Pre before deciding. Also, since the 10000 will function as the Ethiopian Trials for Moscow, does this mean there will not be a pacesetter? If so, the pace will be all over the place, and thus hardly conducive for Ritz to try and run a fast time.

One last thing, I had no idea how ripped Ritz is now:

http://www.flotrack.org/photo/838289/photoalbum/448811#ad-image11

http://www.flotrack.org/photo/838289/photoalbum/448811#ad-image8

Solinsky is trying to get the "A" standard at Oxy this Friday.

i recall solinsky and/or derrick saying in an interview after Payton Jordan that most of the group will be at Oxy going for standards and then trying to get into the two sections of miles at Pre which would be a nice underdistance race for them

[/quote]

Fixed for you, I don't recall much from Kipkoech in the recent years either. what are the 3000 and 10000 PR's of these guys as well? 7:30 and 26:48 indicate much better than 12:58 and given Lagat's abilities to outkick others, I wouldn't rule him out either. lets also not forget that at that race last year Koech barely beat Rupp

Do we have a pacer?

Last year there were two pacesetters in the 5000, so I assume the same will be true this year.

trello wrote:

Do we have a pacer?

Fixed for you, I don't recall much from Kipkoech in the recent years either. what are the 3000 and 10000 PR's of these guys as well? 7:30 and 26:48 indicate much better than 12:58 and given Lagat's abilities to outkick others, I wouldn't rule him out either. lets also not forget that at that race last year Koech barely beat Rupp[/quote]

Kipkoech is officially 21 years old and ran 12:49 last year, so your comment "I don't recall much from Kipkoech in recent years" is particularly ignorant. Are you implying that you do recall much from him when he was 14 or so?

Montesquieu wrote:

One last thing, I had no idea how ripped Ritz is now:

http://www.flotrack.org/photo/838289/photoalbum/448811#ad-image11http://www.flotrack.org/photo/838289/photoalbum/448811#ad-image8

1) Ripped is not the first word that comes to mind when looking at Ritz. Or the second... or third...

2) lulz when a dog gets in the way of the group

What are the odds of a new American record? If the weather is at all conducive, and if the pacers do their job well, I would think it would be about a 60% likelihood. And I think Rupp is slightly more likely than Lagat to be the one who gets it (if either one does).