Like Last Year wrote:
I suspect that Rupp will help Ritz set the pace again. Last year it was to make sure Ritz got the A. This time, the goal will be to drop either Derrick and/or True.
Prediction:
Rupp, Derrick, Ritz.
Bingo.
Ritz knows he's in the best shape he's been in in years, and he wants this bad.
He also knows his only good shot to beat out both Derrick and True is to take it out very hard.
To do it by himself might be suicide, but he doesn't have to, because he's got his teammate GR to drag him along.
Galen knows he'll likely have to run quite fast anyway (I'm sure he figures he's got to be ready to go 27 flat, or fairly close to it, to be safe), so he won't be unwilling to take it out hard to aid Ritzie.
Everyone keeps talking about the weather, but the forecast is actually pretty benign (low-70s, modest humidity and breeze). If that holds, the weather won't be much of a factor.
Assuming Galen's okay, and Pre was an aberration, and the weather's pretty mild, this will be a very fast race.
Nothing like the 'tactical affair' most people have been talking about for the last couple months.
It'll look a lot like Trials last year, but a good bit faster.
Galen and Ritzie take it out at 64/65, and trade leads on the way to a 13:30.
Derrick and True sit on them, and a couple others (Curtis? Braun?) get sucked along, figuring they've probably got nothing to lose.
Then it gets really interesting.
Who can hang on to that train?
With luck, the Big Four hold together to 4200, and then we get an absolute Battle to the Death in the last 800.
And, of course, if it *does* play out like this, there's always the chance that one or even two of the big boys crash and burn, and one of the 'B' team gets a chance to sneak in for third.
I'm looking for a truly Epic race.
If the USATF doesn't find a way to make sure people can watch this, they should all be fired for crimes against the Sport.