WR! Mo is optimal at 3000m. Should he start training for the Steeple?

I think Steeple on the top end has just as much talent as the flat races but after the first couple kenyans the talent pool drops off substantially. I mean Evan Jager is a great steepler and he has a lot of athleticism but now if Kemboi/Kipruto dont come back to form it could be 1. Birech 2. Mekhissi 3. Jager and lets face it Jager can't medal in the 1500m/5000m in the olympics his only shot is in the steeple.

No but he should have started training for the 1500m and 5000m a long time ago.

Maybe he could have already cracked 3:27 by now and be in the top 3 of all time, and after that moving up to 5km/10km. Well it was his decision to stay in 5/10 and we can't really blame him, 5 gold global titles should legitimate his choice.

I bet Mo could open up with an 8:10. He probably knows how to hurdle from years of hurdle mobility drills.

NO! NO! NO GOD NO!

which current top steepler would be winning flat 1500m or 5000m world championships? Cherono's probably the last one even in the ballpark, at his peak.

walker is right, steeplechase is a soft event, kind of.

in reality - the steeplechase is one of the toughest tests in track running.

there is the technique to get down.

there is the much increased chance of injury.

you have to really concentrate rather than just sit and kick, you know the pompus and mentally lazy kiwis love to sit and kick, sit and kick. sit and kick is just the practical and easy way to win, but don't say you're a hero doing this tactic. it's a parasitic tactic.

so this is why the steeple chase is soft, the bigger names are not rewarded to put up with the grief of the steeple chase. and the big names don't have the stomach for the extra hard work you need to do.

a 5k or 1.5 k is so much easier. and for more money.

jjjjjj wrote:

which current top steepler would be winning flat 1500m or 5000m world championships? Cherono's probably the last one even in the ballpark, at his peak.

And which top 1500 or 5k runner would be winning steeple championships? None of them, that's who.

To be the top steeplechaser in the world, you pretty much have to be capable of a world class mile. Anybody who has broken 8 minutes could run a great mile, although some of them perhaps never gave it much of a shot. Lagat of course could break the master's record in the steeple, and of course Farah could run 8:05 or faster with a little practice. But what would be the point?

newname wrote:

Why do you assume Farah is "optimal" at 3000m?

It's kind of obvious given his 1500m and 10K ability he'd be great at the 3K distance

jjjjjj wrote:

which current top steepler would be winning flat 1500m or 5000m world championships?

BENABBAD!!!!

Mo has run SC albeit 2,000m 15 years ago in 5:55 although his brother is more of a steeplechaser with a PB of 8:49

Komfort Zone wrote:

JW stayed in his comfort zone (1500m-mile). He failed at the 5k, and only ran sub 1:45 in the 800m once. Yup, JW was afraid of the SC, and 5k on up.

look who he beat in this race and helped his country to win the world team title

Eventful half marathon by Sir John:

So many turned up for race three in 1983 that the 1550 entries created a huge traffic jam and the start had to be delayed 15 minutes to allow all entrants trying to park at the finish line at the rugby club time to arrive at the new start line. There were $11,500 worth of prizes up for grabs. The event produced a classic contest. John Walker won again in 63.46 but not without difficulty and in doing so showed the undoubted quality and class that nationally had made him a household name.

Wellington¡¦s Gary Weston Webb charged to the front and quickly had the large field strung out. He was still in command at 4km but international marathon star Trevor Wright formerly of England but now resident in Tauranga then hit the front and kept the pace honest and steered the field over the railway bridge and down the Huntly main street. Then drama. Pre race favourite John Walker running in second spot was seen to slow to a walk at 7.5km then double over with stomach cramps and stop. Seven places were dropped as Walker fought the cramp and the field swept past.

Walker shuffled back into action while out in the lead there was more drama as leader Wright ran off course and expatriate kiwi Canberra based Derek Froude swept to the lead. Froude went through 10 km exiting the river footbridge in 30.10 with Wright 9 seconds back. Walker still not running freely was back into 6th but still some 39 seconds adrift of Froude.

The out and back slog over the final 11 km on the west bank of the Waikato River saw Walker edge his way through the field. Over the 8kms from when he stopped and commenced running again Walker ran successive kilometres between 2.50 and 2.54 and by 16km he had joined leader Froude. After matching strides for a while Walker eased ahead and by 20km he was well clear. Running negative splits the second 10km was 2 minutes faster for Walker and he finished strongly in a course best of 63.46 some 20 seconds clear of Froude in 64.

Whoa. He beat Derek Froude in a half marathon! That certainly lays it all to rest.

I suspect Jager and Benaddad might well be mixing into the WC finals at 1500 or 5000 if they focussed on those distances rather than steeple.