Ajee Wilson Runs Huge 1500 PR - 9+ Seconds at Swarthmore

Full results http://swarthmoreathletics.com/documents/2014/5/12/results.pdf

That track is SHORT. Another BS 1500 from that venue.

Melissa Salerno is a legit 4:12 runner

Looky Here wrote:

That track is SHORT. Another BS 1500 from that venue.

Have you actually got the roller out and measured the track yourself? idiot.

Cheat To Win wrote:

Looky Here wrote:

That track is SHORT. Another BS 1500 from that venue.

Have you actually got the roller out and measured the track yourself? idiot.

That track is also all downhill and wind-aided.

Cheat To Win wrote:

Have you actually got the roller out and measured the track yourself? idiot.

2010 Outdoor:

1 3:45.00a F F Apr 3 Sam Howell Invitationa...

2 3:54.31a V P May 9 Heptagonal Championshi...

1 3:54.62a V F May 9 Heptagonal Championshi...

2 3:50.99a V S May 29 NCAA Division I East R...

2 3:47.87a V P May 29 NCAA Division I East R...

10 3:45.91a V P Jun 12 NCAA Division I Nation...

10 3:49.75a V F Jun 12 NCAA Division I Nation...

2011 Redshirted

2012 Outdoor:

14 3:42.49a Col F Apr 7 Stanford Invitational

1 *3:35.59a V F May 14 Swathmore Last Chance ...

5 3:45.89a Col S May 26 NCAA Championships-Eas...

4 4:05.13a Col P May 26 NCAA Championships-Eas...

10 3:48.03a Col P Jun 7 NCAA Division I Outdoo...

Hahaha whatever you say boss.

I agree with you 100%. Of course it's short. It was put in by the Illuminati, who also built tracks at Stanford, Firenze, Santry, Brasschaat, Oslo, Rieti and every other track where people run big PR's at. I bet the London track was short, and after seeing the men's 800 final so should you.

Prediction for 800 1:57.21

Nodge wrote:

Prediction for 800 1:57.21

Yep, she's in store for a big y ear.

sandybeaver wrote:

I agree with you 100%. Of course it's short. It was put in by the Illuminati, who also built tracks at Stanford, Firenze, Santry, Brasschaat, Oslo, Rieti and every other track where people run big PR's at. I bet the London track was short, and after seeing the men's 800 final so should you.

It's funny that people often think the tracks are short. I was talking to a guy this weekend who had a theory about the 3:35 Merber race. He said a storm had just gone though town and that had some impact on the humidity, etc.

Way over my meteorolgy head but it reminded me when I was a kid, whenever a storms was on its way in, my dad said to expect great things in sports. Right before a thunderstormss when the Mexico City WRs were set apparently.

Any meteorologists out there?

Greg Andersen (Dartmouth Alum) ran that HS 8.00 3000m (1987) shortly after a major thunderstorm rolled through - enriched the oxygen in the air? Had been very hot and humid prior to that.

I was there and there was indeed a storm immediately before the Swarthmore race. It was also perfectly paced by an Olympic silver medalist.

Nothing better as a kid than the time before a major thunderstorm when the air literally feels electric and the wind is blowing.

This is something I have heard before, my H.S. XC coach said it once when a XC race was about to be stopped and he was trying to get them to run it. He was a retired college professor with a PhD in something and taught H.S. just so he could coach. He said the air is good just before and after a thunderstorm; I mainly thought he was talking about the temperature. I recall when Joe Rosa was in H.S., he was on pace to run a sub-8:40 2-mile and they stopped the race with about a lap and half to go because of a pending thunder storm.

I believe there is some truth to this theory, but like a lot of things, the difference is perhaps very small. In terms of Swarthmore, the track is not short, all you need is six measurements and knowledge of 9th grade geometry and you can measure a track pretty accurately. Swarthmore is one of those highly acedemic NE liberal arts colleges. It is a super geeky school, probably as difficult to get into as an Ivy; those kids have probably measured everything on that campus.

From memory, the track is shaded, they always put together good fields and because of where the race falls in the season, athletes are looking to run fast. There is no other reason for elite athletes to go to Swarthmore except to run fast. Also, based on Ajee's 800m PR, a 4:12 1500 is not too surprising even for a 400/800 type. Btw, when a runners runs a good time (not great) in an overdistance, to me it just means that are fit and ready to race. I don't think it necessarily means that any faster than they were before. If Ajee ran a 4:05, then I was say she is in PR shape.

It's an evening meet, temps are nice this time of year, track is in an indent of sorts - it's just a good place to run fast.

Congrats to Ajee. I remember when I saw bobby curtis break 4 for the first time at this meet in 2007, it was the only time I saw a sub 4 in real life. Really cool.

This is a great result and I hope to see more to come in the 1500 for her.

Ajee never took me as the 1500 type. She just doesn't seem aggressive enough. Much like how Robby Andrews races (hanging back and relying on his big kick to win races). She has BMart type 800 speed, so I hope to see her get down into the low 4s this season if she takes this event seriously.

I know that in terms of a moving body, humid air is faster than dry air, one of the reasons why sprinters love muggy conditions. Not sure whether it would measurably affect a 1500.

it may be barometric pressure

I think that Wilson has a great disposition for championship racing. World Indoors this year was the first time I can remember where she did not show up at her very best in a championship race. She's won world youth/juniors twice and performed exceptionally well at senior outdoors. With this big drop in her 1500m time, she is clearly poised to knock down more time at 800m and become a serious threat to win global medals or even championships in coming years at the 8.

Had a minor in meteorology but that in no way qualifies me to answer. That said, I can remember some of my best races were right after it rained, and I thought it was not a coincidence. Maybe it was easier to breath for some reason, or it was just cooler.