Cain with her first clunker.

The English made the meet just for the Americans, no Ethiopians, one mediocre Kenyan, no Russians (at their champs), no particularly good Europeans, and this race didn't even have most of the best Americans, Martinez in the 8, Simpson not running, Moser in the 3k (of course she's doing very badly at the moment), Rowbury and Anderson in the 3k. So, Cain's result is disappointing. Instead of showing significant progress for once, she regressed a lot. But with fresh legs at world's, it will likely be a different story unless she fails to position herself aggressively.

Let's assume that Al Sal & Co knows what they're doing, they've proven it enough times by now. Hence follows that Cain positioned herself the way she did on purpose, and from there she kicked better than everyone else in the field down the home stretch.

That kick is what she'll need to survive qualifying rounds and make the final at Worlds - BUT IF SO there's still ten seconds up to Aregawi and the very best Ethiopians in a likely all out fast race so in that final she won't be given an option anyway, again she'll need to be able to come from behind there too for making up positions in the results list.

That's for Worlds this year, 2-3 years from now will be a whole different matter...

I would be nice to see the gender of people making these comments. I bet MOST of the overly critical comments are coming from women.

jjjjjjjjj wrote:

The English made the meet just for the Americans, no Ethiopians, one mediocre Kenyan, no Russians (at their champs), no particularly good Europeans, and this race didn't even have most of the best Americans, Martinez in the 8, Simpson not running, Moser in the 3k (of course she's doing very badly at the moment), Rowbury and Anderson in the 3k. So, Cain's result is disappointing. Instead of showing significant progress for once, she regressed a lot. But with fresh legs at world's, it will likely be a different story unless she fails to position herself aggressively.

No, we didn't make the meet for the Americans. It's the anniversary games, celebrating one year on to the day since the London Olympics. The Kenyans who are going to WC aren't allowed to compete (by Athletics Kenya)... I think.

Dennis Reynolds wrote:

lets complain wrote:

So a high school junior just placed 5th in a DL 1500 in 4:08 with the strongest close in the field and you guys are all disappointed. Truly unbelieavable.

This. I feel sorry for Cain. The expectations of fanboys is going to crush her.

When you guys look at your racing careers do you have fantastic races each and every time out? If so you need to stop posting and start publishing your training because every distance runner on the planet will want to buy it.

10/10

I don't think it is a tactical problem. She may well have been told to stay at the back, but she was yards adrift of the field at the bell.

It was the performance of a runner who either not feeling well, or more likely was "flat" and struggling to keep contact, until finding her sprint at the end.

How she goes at the world's will depend on why she was tired/flat. If it's coming down from altitude, and/or recent hard training, she'll be Ok. If it's because she's on the downside of a peak - which is possible given how long she's been running well, right since winter - then her only shot is to take things easy, and hope some freshness comes back.

My opinion is she needs to work on her nerves.

I don't know what her coach told her, but I know what I would have told a highschool kid with great speed and potential, but no international experience, running a big European race for the first time two weeks before the Worlds: "Stay out of the mix, kid; watch and learn, don't get hurt, and if you see a chance for a good place at the finish, take it."

seriously, she is so good i keep forgetting she is still 16???? geezes she might not even peak for another 10 years!!!

Just watched it. Wasn't a bad race, and didn't help that it went out super slow. Often times you get mentally psyched out when the pace is that dull. She was at the very back the entire race and never in the mix until she kicked down half the field the last 100m. Learning experiences.

Thats not reasonable and rational. No one here pointed out any flaws, first of all. And even if they did, she'd never see them. LR just likes to criticize.

fikv wrote:

NOP Follower wrote:

You have to understand, Cain shouldn't being treated as an amateur high school runner anymore. She is a world class athlete, and no one is making fun of her for having a sub-par race. It's important to point out some flaws in her races so that she can learn and adapt in the next race. Do you think Salazar will tell her "Oh you're just a high schooler, it's ok to make those mistakes." ? He won't be too hard on her, but he will definitely tell her all the mistakes she made. Cain will brush this off, and move on to the next one.

How dare you come in here with your reasonable and rational viewpoint!

I would give anything to run 4:08 right now..... lol

Dennis Reynolds wrote:

lets complain wrote:

So a high school junior just placed 5th in a DL 1500 in 4:08 with the strongest close in the field and you guys are all disappointed. Truly unbelieavable.

This. I feel sorry for Cain. The expectations of fanboys is going to crush her.

When you guys look at your racing careers do you have fantastic races each and every time out? If so you need to stop posting and start publishing your training because every distance runner on the planet will want to buy it.

Gasoline Powered wrote:

lets complain wrote:

So a high school junior just placed 5th in a DL 1500 in 4:08 with the strongest close in the field and you guys are all disappointed. Truly unbelieavable.

sort of...the 1500 wasn't a DL event. Still a nice run, but nothing to get too excited about for someone who has been running as a professional since the winter.

yeah, probably nowhere close to your track exploits as a HS JR, huh? Wow. All of you are pathetic.

A lot of top GBR athletes didn't compete either (e.g. England and Weightman in the 1500). Others with "soreness" saving themselves for Worlds. Majority of the runners in men's 800 were American. I'm sure the fans in the stands are a bit disappointed.

track chick wrote:

No, we didn't make the meet for the Americans. It's the anniversary games, celebrating one year on to the day since the London Olympics. The Kenyans who are going to WC aren't allowed to compete (by Athletics Kenya)... I think.

"So a high school junior just placed 5th in a DL 1500 in 4:08 with the strongest close in the field and you guys are all disappointed. Truly unbelieavable."

What is truly unbelievable is that Cain took fifth in 4:08 when the winner ran 4:08.77, and Cain finished about twenty feet behind her.

If this was a clunker for high schooler Cain, what was it for former world #1 Uceny who finished behind her?

Peter Andersson wrote:

ukathleticscoach wrote:

'But this was far from your normal DL field. It was a watered down DL field.'

Good point! In that aspect it was much more like a first round at a championship. If Cains goal this year is to make the final at Worlds it makes perfect sense to practice coming from behind to finish among the top five in such a race, as that's usually the way the more experienced runners do it there. Let's be realistic, with Aregawi's training aimed for a possible sub 3:55 from the front if the weather is right it's gonna be such a fast final that a medal this year for Cain is out of reach anyway, making the final for experience already would be top notch result as for now.

That was not my point that was the point I replied to hence the quotaion marks in my post

"Went from 12th to 5th in the last 75 meters though. Nice finish I thought."

Damage control.

There is more than one way of counting. Only six went sub 4:10. Cain was second from last in a mediocre group of 4:08.77 and slower.

For Cain this has been a very long track season and year, which included her first track 5000. This was one of Salazar's dopier ideas for a 17 y/o. I have the feeling Cain will just go through the motions at the WC.

Cain is mid-distance, not distance. If distance is what Salazar has in mind for Cain eventually, he is nuts -- and the Cains are nuts if they go along with it.

I called this is a thread a long time ago. What goes up must come down. It's completely ridiculous people think that Cain is just going to keep improving at her current rate. Not saying I don't think she'll do well in the future (I definitely want her to very well), it's just unreasonable to think any human being is going to break records every time out. I'm sure Salazar has drilled this into her and it won't crush her mentally when she levels off a bit. Imagine Alan's Webb's career if he had been coached by Salazar from the early years instead of Raczko.