Ben Saarel will be one of America's best soon

Samtheman wrote:

cbenson4 wrote:

Sub-13 5k in the future. No question. 7:52 3k already as a freshman. He has everything needed to be world-class. Awesome endurance, top-notch finishing speed. He will be a contender on the world stage if he continues to stay healthy.

Yeahh, no, German ran 7:47 and look where he is now. Sarrel ran too many miles in high school, upwards of 90.

Wrong he did upwards of 65(70-75 if you include walking), which makes him even more special. Goto 8:56 of this video.

The worst thing if you are drafting is the slam/accordion effect as the leaders hit the headwind, then everyone sprints when they get the tailwind. It won't show up in splits but the pace is like a fartlek. I've easily lost 20 seconds in a 5K while buried in the pack which was alternately jogging-sprinting, despite my best efforts to even things out.

[quote]Alani wrote:

Saarel's 7:52.+ may rank 2nd only to Fernandez's 7:47.+ as the fastest indoor 3k ever run by a college freshman. Not sure if the NCAA keeps track of records like this.

Fernandez, Saarel, Derrick and Jennings are the only college runners I am aware of who have broken 8 min as true frosh./quote]

Ryun ran an 8:25 2 mile on a dirt track in 1966 which converts to 7'47

cbenson4 wrote:

Sub-13 5k in the future. No question. 7:52 3k already as a freshman. He has everything needed to be world-class. Awesome endurance, top-notch finishing speed. He will be a contender on the world stage if he continues to stay healthy.

Third place yesterday, top finishing American! Pretty remarkable for a true freshman.

People who keep thinking Saarel isn't anything special need to give it a rest.

The kid is fun to watch.

Big things set for his outdoor season.

Saarel wasn't the top American...

Saarel might be the next Chris Derrick--end up as one of the best runners ever in the NCAA, but without a championship. I think he can run ~13:25 or so in the 5000m outdoors.

I would say he had a chance in the future because of his kick, but cotdayum Cheserek's kick was crazy.

v6 wrote:

Saarel might be the next Chris Derrick--end up as one of the best runners ever in the NCAA, but without a championship. I think he can run ~13:25 or so in the 5000m outdoors.

I would say he had a chance in the future because of his kick, but cotdayum Cheserek's kick was crazy.

Are you saying 13:25 outdoors this season? That would be intense.

cbenson4 wrote:

v6 wrote:

Saarel might be the next Chris Derrick--end up as one of the best runners ever in the NCAA, but without a championship. I think he can run ~13:25 or so in the 5000m outdoors.

I would say he had a chance in the future because of his kick, but cotdayum Cheserek's kick was crazy.

Are you saying 13:25 outdoors this season? That would be intense.

That's what I was thinking. My comparison is just to other NCAA freshman in HS that have performed about as well as him up to this point their freshman year (German Fernandez, Chris Derrick, Luke Puskedra) and the less recent CU Buffs at about his talent level (Ritzenhein, Goucher). Obviously those guys are uber-talented, but that's really the level I think Saarel is on, and he has the best college distance coach in the nation.

German: 13:25

Derrick: 13:29

Ritzenhein: 13:27

Not sure of Goucher's 5000m time, or if he got in a good race his frosh year, but he was probably the best runner in CU history and the most talented, so I'm guessing somewhere in that range as well. That 7:52 indoors by Saarel was pretty legit, and based on the way Wetmore trains, I doubt he was peaked for that race. I think he could be in around 7:40-45 shape in the 3000m this outdoor season, which would make me think he could be in the 13:25-35 range for 5000m.

Okay, I like your logic. I can't wait to see him in outdoors.

Hmm... it would be awesome to see Cheserek and Saarel pushing each other in the future.

Kicker C wrote:

Saarel wasn't the top American...

Kirubel Erassa is still an Ethiopian as far as Im concerned. He didnt come to the US until 2005 and he still calls Ethiopia his home when he is interviewed. His own words, not mine.

is this a troll wrote:

cbenson4 wrote:

Sub-13 5k in the future. No question. 7:52 3k already as a freshman. He has everything needed to be world-class. Awesome endurance, top-notch finishing speed. He will be a contender on the world stage if he continues to stay healthy.

He obviously doesn't have awesome endurance and top-notch finishing speed if he's only running 7:52. That's a great performance for someone at his level, but let's not exaggerate it.

That's a great performance for someone at his level?!? What the heck is that supposed to mean anyway?

7:52 is great for someone who can run 7:44 but only ran 7:52? (I think I'd disagree with that one).

7:52 is great for someone who can only run 8:05 (ummm...yeah).

Running 7:52 is great for someone who can run 7:52?

Seriously, WTF is that supposed to mean?

sawthatonecoming wrote:

German was almost definitely more talented than Saarel, but Saarel has the better coach. German was probably the most talented guy in US distance running history if he could stay healthy. German had 12:52-ish type talent. I think it's fine to expect big things with Ben Saarel assuming no injuries. If he ends up chronically banged up like Fernandez, obviously it won't go over as well.

No disrespect to Saarel, but, talent wise, he is not in the same category as Lucas, Webb, Ryun and a few others. I am not sure if he cracked any top-10 H.S. or NCAA freshman lists. With that said, I think he has a bright future.

trackcoach wrote:

No disrespect to Saarel, but, talent wise, he is not in the same category as Lucas, Webb, Ryun and a few others. I am not sure if he cracked any top-10 H.S. or NCAA freshman lists. With that said, I think he has a bright future.

Pretty sure he's the American Junior Record holder in the indoor 3000m?

Pretty sure he ran the fastest 3200 ever at altitude in high school, ran a 4:02 mile in horrendous conditions, closed an 8:45 3200 in 4:14 with a last lap of 54.99, was 4th at Footlocker, and improved so much in the last year that he ended up 8th in the NCAA in the 10k XC as a frosh. So the "I am not sure if he cracked any top-10 HS or NCAA freshman lists" quote is just wrong. As talented as Lukas, Webb, or Ryun? No, he probably isn't another Jim Ryun, but that's a once in a century or more type of talent. Webb ran the 3:53 in the absolute perfect race but Saarel is close to as good as he was in the other distances, and I'm convinced his 4:02 would have been 3:58 in better conditions. Lukas was an aerobic beast but his mile isn't better than Saarel's, and even his 2 mile isn't noticeably better (paced 2 mile). Saarel is in the same category as these guys, maybe not as good, but very very close.

No, not really wrote:

is this a troll wrote:

He obviously doesn't have awesome endurance and top-notch finishing speed if he's only running 7:52. That's a great performance for someone at his level, but let's not exaggerate it.

That's a great performance for someone at his level?!? What the heck is that supposed to mean anyway?

7:52 is great for someone who can run 7:44 but only ran 7:52? (I think I'd disagree with that one).

7:52 is great for someone who can only run 8:05 (ummm...yeah).

Running 7:52 is great for someone who can run 7:52?

Seriously, WTF is that supposed to mean?

He probably meant the college freshman level.

None of what I am saying is to take away from Saarel, because he is an outstanding athlete, but I do need to correct you on a few things. To be fair, Lukus ran 3:58 in the wind and rain, Lindgren ran an 8:41 indoor two mile on an 160y unbanked track, Webb also ran an 8:45 two mile on a flat and slow indoor track, Webb also ran a 3:59 mile indoors, Ryun ran a 3:59 mile on a cinder track. When Rupp set the HSR 5k record he can through the two mile only a little slower than Saarel's two mile PR, Lindgren and Ryun were Olympians while still in H.S. And, quite a few athletes were NCAA champs as freshman like Fernandez and Kennedy for example. Several athletes won Footlocker twice. Rudy Chapa ran a 28:32 10k at a year younger than Saarel. Go back and look at some of the incredible doubles and triples the great athletes like Webb and Fernandez accomplished. Kim Gallagher set the mile HSR as part of a triple at a sectional meet, she set the world Jr 800m in H.S. and won an Olympic silver medal 2 years later. Hopefully you get the point...Saarel is very good, but he is not great and the other young athlete ran great in less than ideal circumstances.

Something to remember here. Mark Wetmore's program is not oriented toward immediate results. He is somewhat famous for telling potential recruits that they will work harder than they ever worked before, and they won's see results for 2 years.

Give Mark his 2 years, and then judge. And think Ben Saarel will be there.