Did German Fernadez really just run a 3:57 1500? Or am I reading this wrong?

Growth spurt wrote:

Germans problem is that he grew about 3 inches from age 17 to 19. That hurt in a few ways. Less efficient. More injury prone.

Every guy has a growth spurt during that time. Have you never heard of puberty? And why would that hurt him 8-9 years later??

Are you sure it wasn't a championship style race where they jogged the first 1300m? Maybe his kick just isn't there yet.

This doesn't make any sense! When he rabbited a couple of weeks ago, he looked great and was perfectly calm and in control - WTF? And like others have said - if he was nursing yet another injury or even sick - then why in the hell race in the first place? Is he not training with the others? Surely he knows where he's at......or maybe not?

Keep Hoping & Dreaming - its not over!

not a champion wrote:

Are you sure it wasn't a championship style race where they jogged the first 1300m? Maybe his kick just isn't there yet.

So he lost 17 seconds in the last 200 meters? OK, yeah, seems likely.

Tyrone ReXXXing wrote:

I have been a huge fan, likes lots of people of course, of German for years. He was as talented as anyone out there, and I always thought the comeback was really coming.

It ain't coming. Too many injuries, too many setbacks, too many disappointments, too many bad races.

It's over. I could not be any happier if I have to eat my words next year, but I feel about as sure I as can that it's just not gonna happen for German. What a damn shame.

#beat-the-state-of-CA-by-49-secs(14:24 course record)/ #4:01/8:37(converted) HS double (17 y.o.)/ #18 y.o. 3:55 solo mile(i)/ #13:25 5k jr record (18 y.o)

Good bye German, you were the best man.

This ^

Tyrone ReXXXing wrote:

I have been a huge fan, likes lots of people of course, of German for years. He was as talented as anyone out there, and I always thought the comeback was really coming.

It ain't coming. Too many injuries, too many setbacks, too many disappointments, too many bad races.

It's over. I could not be any happier if I have to eat my words next year, but I feel about as sure I as can that it's just not gonna happen for German. What a damn shame.

#beat-the-state-of-CA-by-49-secs(14:24 course record)/ #4:01/8:37(converted) HS double (17 y.o.)/ #18 y.o. 3:55 solo mile(i)/ #13:25 5k jr record (18 y.o)

Good bye German, you were the best man.

+2

op eep

At what point does it become likely he is going to get his contract cut or it not be renewed when it is due to expire? I'm presuming that is this year or next year based on when he signed and was out of contract?

I think he might run better in a less pressure environment, or alternatively under a different coach as he doesn't seem to be adapting to Schumacher's high mileage / volume type of training or the inevitable lack of confidence he must have from being thrashed in workouts pretty much every week in the group he's in and how well some are running.

Maybe a transition to the road and giving his achilles a break from the pounding of the track might help.

Sponsorship Issues wrote:

At what point does it become likely he is going to get his contract cut or it not be renewed when it is due to expire? I'm presuming that is this year or next year based on when he signed and was out of contract?

I think he might run better in a less pressure environment, or alternatively under a different coach as he doesn't seem to be adapting to Schumacher's high mileage / volume type of training or the inevitable lack of confidence he must have from being thrashed in workouts pretty much every week in the group he's in and how well some are running.

Maybe a transition to the road and giving his achilles a break from the pounding of the track might help.

I'm gonna guess that the transition when his contract is up is a transition into retirement from competitive running. There is no way this can be fun for him. I bet he can't wait to get away and start a real career.

It was a super slow race guys don't overreact geez he closed around 54-55

Small peni wrote:

It was a super slow race guys don't overreact geez he closed around 54-55

He lost his heat by 17 seconds.

Which means he could not even come close to keeping up with "a super slow race".

Either that or he was right with the leaders at the gun and the winner closed in 37-38 sec.

His splits weren't too pretty.

They seeded him at 3:44.00. He was 44.804 the first 300, then 1:45.830 at 700 (61.027), 2:46.858 at the bell (61.028), and then he brought the train in with a 70.153 last lap...

There were 4 guys withing a 1 second range of him at the bell, and he was about 7.5 seconds back of the guy in front of him at the finish...

Obviously physically talented (no less than a Willis, Centro and definitely Leo.M) but the one difference? Doesn't have the mental talent to manage life as a pro (same applies to Andrews etc). As for his career as a professional athlete, I hope he got good grades at college because its time to just face the facts that for this guy, its just never going to be.

Say it ain't so.. wrote:

It says 1500 I swear.... His name and Bowerman TC

http://www.sheltoninvite.com/lr/15613/150613F020.htm

Should've been in the fast heat! It would've been a real photo finish, Fernandez, Leer and Brannen all ducking at the line! ... For last!

German did place a close 2nd behind Diego Estrada in the U.S. 5K Road Championships last fall. He beat Trevor Dunbar and Matt Centrowitz. His training must have been consistent enough that he could be trusted to be paid to rabbit some high profile track meets. So no, I don't think he's done. I do wish he'd have run XC this year, and wish he'd quit dicking around with 1500s and work on improving his 5000. That's his race -- his h.s. coach said he had potential to run 13:18 his freshman year in college, and he got fairly close despite some interrupted training.

He's still young enough that if he got a solid year of injury free training, I could see him suddenly making his mark along the lines of what Ben True has done.

German Fernandez - 11/2/90

Hassan Mead - 8/28/89

Diego Estrada - 6/1/89

Galen Rupp - 5/8/86

Ben True - 12/29/85

Yeah, German many years left before he's going to call it quits. Maybe he should take up skiing to build up his aerobic base...

At least he's still faster than Jenny Simpson, albeit barely.

Injured again......no USA's

https://twitter.com/german_ferndz?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=fb&utm_campaign=german_ferndz&utm_content=613419348670087168