Eric Jenkins runs 13:07 right behind Ben True

In reality... wrote:

Tyrone ReXXXing wrote:

wow, what a run by Jenkins. Amazing time, very impressed.

And that just makes what Ches has been doing the last 2 years that much more incredible. When he's been winning all the titles, he hasn't beating slouches.

Ches should be knocking on the door of sub 13 real soon.

Why would Cheserek be knocking on the door of sub 13 and not Jenkins as well? They seem to always finish within a second of each other...

Maybe he will be. I just meant that Cheserek's overall "body of work" (from some great 1500/miles to the 10x-c and track) is a little bit more impressive. However, Jenkins has seemed to make a new jump in ability. Maybe Ches hasn't made that jump yet, and Jenkins could be in front of him currently. We'll see.

Wowzers wrote:

So Jenkins has a faster PR than perennial top 3 or 5 Americans Ryan Hill, Chris Derrick, and

Andrew Bumbalough, I have to say I'm shocked, particularly since he was not a factor at USAs.

He ran 13:18 two years ago. He was obviously much improved since then, finishing 2nd at NCAA xc and outdoor 5000m and 10000m, and first indoors at 3k and 5k. This isn't surprising at all. He'll likely make a bunch of US teams in the future, enough even to make some 3 hr marathoner in Tennessee happy.

Stick with eharmony wrote:

Nobody cares. Eric is an overrated hack. Go home fanboy

\\\

Awww, feeling butthurt little boy.. that a young American is already one of the best 5000 runners on the planet, with only two Kenyans that are faster?

Jenkins will probably own the American record within five years.

Great run! Any chance he will stay with Powell?

How is it that all the questions and time spent on marathon dad and nobody is questioning a top athlete running an 11 second PR in a 3k?

He is with Powell for now. I think we will probably see a group of post-Oregon guys form around Powell. Isn't Geoghehgan with Powell as well?

He ran an 11 second pr in the 5k, not the 3k, and it is expected that runners in their early 20s will improve by that much in two years.

jjjjjj wrote:

He ran 13:18 two years ago. He was obviously much improved since then, finishing 2nd at NCAA xc and outdoor 5000m and 10000m, and first indoors at 3k and 5k. This isn't surprising at all. He'll likely make a bunch of US teams in the future, enough even to make some 3 hr marathoner in Tennessee happy.

My question is not why he improved, but why he ran so poorly at nationals.

Anyone have an answer to this? wrote:

jjjjjj wrote:

He ran 13:18 two years ago. He was obviously much improved since then, finishing 2nd at NCAA xc and outdoor 5000m and 10000m, and first indoors at 3k and 5k. This isn't surprising at all. He'll likely make a bunch of US teams in the future, enough even to make some 3 hr marathoner in Tennessee happy.

My question is not why he improved, but why he ran so poorly at nationals.

Getting 2nd place to Cheserek at nationals is considered poor running?

I'll quote the LR article: "University of Oregon athletes race all-out/fast races so sparingly, often their in-season PRs are not anywhere indicative of what they can do. This month, Jenkins has started to “put some times next to his name” with 3:38.98 for 1500, 7:41.79 for 3000 and now 13:07.33 for 5000."

He didn't run poorly at NCAA nationals, but at USA nationals. Why? The heat? Maybe coming back from a peak for NCAA's and needing to get in some quality training again. With 13:07 the first time out in Europe, in a 13:05 race, you have to think that there will be a 13 flat or sub 13 by next year in a fast race, not that we get a lot of sub 13 races anymore.

jjjjjjj wrote:

He didn't run poorly at NCAA nationals, but at USA nationals. Why? The heat?

Maybe that was it but others ran well there. Thank you.

When the focus of your season, mentally and physically, is the NCAA championships 2 weeks before USAs, it is tough to transition.

Look at the runners in that USA 5k. Hill, Rupp, True, etc are no joke. You can't fart around in the back of the pack and expect to beat them in the last 800m like in an NCAA meet. Once Ryan Hill gets 2 seconds on you it is very hard to get it back once the break is made.

My mistake. To be honest I did not expect Jenkins to run particularly well at USAs. He may have just wanted to test the waters, get his feet wet on the pro scene, so to speak.

Also, does anyone have footage of this race? I would love to watch it...

Not everyone does equally well in the heat.

jjjjjj wrote:

Not everyone does equally well in the heat.

I think the heat had calmed down significantly for the mens 5k. I remember it only being high 60s or low 70s.