German Fernandez: Epic Aggression.

Burn hard, burn bright, burn short.

This is tough for me to watch. How many times has he looked good since this race? 2009 US Champs/World Trials when the Wisco trio made the World team in the 5000 meters?

That was a good year. German won the 1500 meters at NCAAs, but before that he and Derrick were swapping the 5k AJR back and forth.

Lots of speculation over what's happened with German, what will happen, etc.

There's a better video out there somewhere from the other side of the track, but I can't find it at the moment. But this completely solo 3:55.02 is outrageous.

http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/234422-2009-Indoor-Season/video/162697-German-Fernandez-35502-Collegiate-World-Junior-Indoor-Mile-Record#.VPvR8Gt5mSM

ljkw wrote:

Look how hard he goes out the first 150m... he doesn't do that anymore... and then leads the whole freaking way to a 3:39 win. That is fitness. Wow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2tDb6n5-ek

What's he doing with his hand after he finishes? It looks like he dislocated his entire hand from his arm and his hand is spinning like a fan.

Letsrunners always say avoid leading.

Perfect example of when you should lead.

I suppose he should've tucked in & avoided leading this race too.

glory days haze wrote:

There's a better video out there somewhere from the other side of the track, but I can't find it at the moment. But this completely solo 3:55.02 is outrageous.

http://www.flotrack.org/coverage/234422-2009-Indoor-Season/video/162697-German-Fernandez-35502-Collegiate-World-Junior-Indoor-Mile-Record#.VPvR8Gt5mSM

"outrageous" indeed, and awe-inspiring. 3:55 -flat. 18 y.o. With no help, and indoors, that has got to be as good as web's 3:53. Same age as webb (yes, he had a year of college x-c training, but he actually was quite undertrained in HS, missing parts of seasons while hurt. So he was no 100 mpw for years guy at this point, no, not even close).

And sadly, his recent 2 mile was exactly the same time he ran his sr year in HS.....2 hours AFTER running a 4:01 mile.

(as far as the video, I've never seen another version. But I love this one, I like to hear the reactions of his teammates/friends (whoever they are) as he runs. They too are in awe. I love the comment "he just doesn't care!" {as in: the pace in no way intimidates him or concerns him}. Inspiring video, but sad too )

ttc wrote:

I suppose he should've tucked in & avoided leading this race too.

Yes, then maybe his career highlights would go beyond his college freshman year. Instead we have a bunch of fan boys ooohhing and aaahhing over an local college indoor race.

ttc wrote:

Letsrunners always say avoid leading.

Perfect example of when you should lead.

Yup- when you're far and away the best athlete in the race, leading is often the best course of action.

After watching McFarland USA I started thinking about German Fernandez, like what is his background, his life story? How did he get so good? I don't think he lived in poverty but I do think he was lower middle class.

Does anyone know what his life story is?

I know more than the average letsrunner about German, but am not qualified to give his life story. We don't have a lot of row crops here in our part of the valley, mostly nuts and tree fruits. Harvesting those nuts is mostly done by machines these days. There are definatley kids working in the fields (well, more like the orchards, picking fruit), but I'm pretty sure German wasn't one of them.

He was such a talent. A joy to watch run in those days when there was every hope that he would be a world-beater. I still hope he can deliver on that early promise some day ...

wow. that's was beautiful. hope he catches fire again for one more year, but if he doesn't , thank you German for bringing me so much pleasure with efforts like that 3:55. I have to go look up his XC workout at OK. think it was repeat 1000s or miles. that one is also a beaut...

It's not sad. He has had tough years but he could come back. If not, he gave it his best. No need to be sad about that, it can't work out for everyone.

The videos show why people keep checking for his results

German could have broken 4 minutes in HS, he just didn't, I do not know of anyone who thinks otherwise.

So the drop to 3:55 while a dominant effort is not quite as big as it looks.Although not many would have predicted immediate 3:55, 7:47, 13:25 marks.

The fact that it was Indoors? Almost anyone and everyone agrees that you can run as fast on a Mondo banked 200M track with no wind or weather, as you can outdoors assuming same fitness, I think a lot of guys , Rupp, now Jenkins especially have proven that.

Also, Derrick and he did not trade the Jr. record back and forth, which assumes more than once, German's one time 13:25 frosh PR still is his PR. He ran one meaningful mark at 5K in college.

So, the point is? German was an incredibly advanced talent and at the time with an edge to him, he had a winner's mentality.

he was one of two guys I have seen in past decade+ plus in NCAA comp who could completely control his competition and a race from the front or the back at 1500/mile, when Manzano was in college, he could do the same thing.

It's a shame what has happened, but he presses on.

German's kind of out of the blue again 3:34 or 3:52 mile equiv indicates such huge gifts. I saw him run in person in HS and on web casts many times, I always hope he can get it back again, the reality of this sport is , it waits for no one. Guys are always coming in on top of wunderkind talents.

By the way, where is Mac Fleet, one of my favorite talents.And a great racer.

German is still pretty young, so is Andrews, so was Wheating, again, all next level unreal talents, it ain;t easy out there.

.

quehombre wrote:I have to go look up his XC workout at OK. think it was repeat 1000s or miles. that one is also a beaut...

Repeat miles.

And it was the best video flotrack ever made.

Devil Dog wrote:

quehombre wrote:I have to go look up his XC workout at OK. think it was repeat 1000s or miles. that one is also a beaut...

Repeat miles.

And it was the best video flotrack ever made.

Gonna have to agree.

quehombre wrote:

wow. that's was beautiful. hope he catches fire again for one more year, but if he doesn't , thank you German for bringing me so much pleasure with efforts like that 3:55. I have to go look up his XC workout at OK. think it was repeat 1000s or miles. that one is also a beaut...

Fernando Cabada... Same thing. The best was with a good coach. Potential was lost despite Nike/Reebok money.

When it becomes about the dollars, the emotion and art is lost..... Too sad...