So what strategy is Eric Jenkins going to employ Friday to attempt to take down Cheserek?

Heisenberg wrote:

Is it in his best interest to let a guy like Kemoy Campbell or Kirubel Erassa do some of the pace work for the first 3k of the race and then slowly grind him out? Or leave it up to the last lap and see who has the better final 400? What would you do in his shoes?

To tell you the truth I think the only way he pulls this off is if he's genuinely faster than Ches. Even in that 3K this winter, it was obvious Ches couldn't keep up with him even if he wanted to because his legs were so tanked from the excess racing. Where they've trained so much together now, I think Ches will be ready for any gambits Jenkins throws his way. I think Jenkins will have to win by four seconds or more if he can realistically pull it off.

sallygoodon wrote:

Why? Because he's a winner? Can't wait to see what criticism people come up with if he wipes the floor with Jenkins. I guess that will be considered being a poor teammate.

Because he's just another African import.

Some runners think when they have dropped you that's it,after passing you,and then they ease up a little and you can then surprise them and pass them back and then you can go on to the win as they have shot their wad.

It won't happen. Mostly because Ches is just better, and also it will be a little warm tonight which I don't think favors the ginger. However, I would recommend taking the pace anytime it drops slower than 66s and getting it back on track. Then try to gradually pick it up the last mile. Hopefully take some of the cheese out of the Ches kick.

He has to sit on Ches and kick. Cheserek is most comfortable when he is not leading. Force him to lead, or at least don't lead for him, and see what happens the final 200. I'm sure nobody knows that kick better than Jenkins

Team Jenkins wrote:

He has to sit on Ches and kick. Cheserek is most comfortable when he is not leading. Force him to lead, or at least don't lead for him, and see what happens the final 200. I'm sure nobody knows that kick better than Jenkins

And how does one *force* Ches to lead? Everyone else running clockwise? Ches would be happy walking the first 4600 then out kicking them all.

They are actually going to cost Oregon the team title by just standing at the starting line staring each other down while everyone else runs the 5000m. Eventually (after everyone is finished) they will start the match-sprint-cycling-style tactical affair for the first three mile, which they will cross in 1:42:11 before Cheserek blasts off to finish 2nd to last in 1:42:25 to Jenkins' 1:42:26.

to take him down, he'll need to throw down like a MF beast. Insane

Team Jenkins wrote:

He has to sit on Ches and kick. Cheserek is most comfortable when he is not leading. Force him to lead, or at least don't lead for him, and see what happens the final 200. I'm sure nobody knows that kick better than Jenkins

He should be a man and drop a 56 sec quarter with 1 mile to go. Worked well for Bates in the 10k:)

Booyah! King Ches reigns again. Guess Jenkins couldn't get that strategy worked out!

jjjjj wrote:

I'd love to see them all go hard from lap 1 to the finish but if I was advising Jenkins, I'd probably suggest that he repeat the indoor 3k approach of lurking (maybe do a better job holding to the rail and drafting, however) behind Cheserek, drafting off him, making no big moves until the last 50m when Ches thinks he's broken everyone, especially if Cheserek breaks his other opponents at 300 instead of 200 or 100--there he would cruise, wait for Ches to tire, and go. With a slow pace all the way, Cheserek could close around 25, maybe faster. Jenkins ran 25.8, going the last 150m at NCAA indoor. He can finish close to Cheserek under any circumstances in the NCAA, I think. Edge to Cheserek but not much.

Pretty much on the money. Cheserek was apparently over 26 on the final 200, and Jenkins finished a few tenths behind him after sitting on him. Maybe one of the other guys making a break for the lead around 200 when Cheserek and Jenkins were still just cruising disrupted Jenkins's plan a little bit. Nice finish.

Team Jenkins wrote:

He has to sit on Ches and kick. Cheserek is most comfortable when he is not leading. Force him to lead, or at least don't lead for him, and see what happens the final 200. I'm sure nobody knows that kick better than Jenkins

That worked well, didn't it? Running like a sissy is such a great strategy. Forget about actually trying to run as fast as you can, which is the point of a race. Hey, he only lost by .25 though.

Please for the love of God, stop making excuse for Jenkins! He lost to Ches in XC, the 10K and the 5K. Ches is simply.....BETTER!!!

seb wrote:

Team Jenkins wrote:

He has to sit on Ches and kick. Cheserek is most comfortable when he is not leading. Force him to lead, or at least don't lead for him, and see what happens the final 200. I'm sure nobody knows that kick better than Jenkins

That worked well, didn't it? Running like a sissy is such a great strategy. Forget about actually trying to run as fast as you can, which is the point of a race. Hey, he only lost by .25 though.

The point of a race is to finish first. Have you ever been in one?

It's a good bet that Cheserek is not the one who came up with the childish idea of finishing together. Hey man, wouldn't it be great if we finished together? Everyone on the team thinks so too! Jenkins the senior has probably been messing with Cheserek's mind from his first day in Oregon. Jenkins showed he's not much of a friend or a competitor for attempting to get Cheserek to play the fool during a national championship contest.

SoVerySlow wrote:

It's a good bet that Cheserek is not the one who came up with the childish idea of finishing together. Hey man, wouldn't it be great if we finished together? Everyone on the team thinks so too! Jenkins the senior has probably been messing with Cheserek's mind from his first day in Oregon. Jenkins showed he's not much of a friend or a competitor for attempting to get Cheserek to play the fool during a national championship contest.

this ^^^ so glad Ches didn't fall for it...he's building a legacy, he doesn't have time for holding hands and "letting" a teammate win so everyone gets a title. Jenkins couldn't beat him and that's that!

Yay, another import wins another title.

No wonder the NCAA's are so boring.

letsrace wrote:

seb wrote:

That worked well, didn't it? Running like a sissy is such a great strategy. Forget about actually trying to run as fast as you can, which is the point of a race. Hey, he only lost by .25 though.

The point of a race is to finish first. Have you ever been in one?

Yeah, but using the same old strategy he didn't finish first.

Team Jenkins wrote:

He has to sit on Ches and kick. Cheserek is most comfortable when he is not leading. Force him to lead, or at least don't lead for him, and see what happens the final 200. I'm sure nobody knows that kick better than Jenkins

I don't think that was his best strategy to employ.