Molly Beckwith Ludlow runs 1:57!! Time trial

Medal Favorite? Are you freaking nurs?

No video in the link. Anyone got a video?

i can't watch the video right now, but can somebody give more info? any splits, exact time, anything?

and yes, 1:57 makes you a medal favorite.

2009 Berlin 2nd 1:57.90 3rd 1:57.93

2011 Daegu 3rd 1:57.42, 4th 1:57.48

2012 London 2-5 all ran 1:57.23-1:57.93

2013 Moscow 1-4 all ran 1:57.38-1:57.95

so yeah, 1:57 pretty much means you're a medal favorite (although there are prelims, semis to account for)

If they are cutting the infield grass during the final in Beijing, she will medal:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwGBfuUSqfk

Dibaba only ran a 2:02 recently... Of course she ran 700 meters before that in her 1500...

suspicous peds wrote:

Dibaba only ran a 2:02 recently... Of course she ran 700 meters before that in her 1500...

Actually, 2:01, but with a rolling start ha.

And there's that 1:58...on the sixth rep.

Fortunately for those who get OOC testing, she isn't entered in the 800.

Ahskan wrote:

This is absolutely insane. The fact that the fourth placer in US champs might be a medal favorite is crazy.https://twitter.com/iutrackxc/status/632211327273037824

Ok, we need more info. Was it with a running start? If so we're looking more at 1:58 flat. Did she have a male pacer the whole way?

At best 1:57.2 is a hand time so that's like 1:57.5. With a rolling start it's more like 158 flat. There are 4 people in the world (only 3 of whom will be at Worlds ) under 1:58 this year. But running a 1:58 flat in a race is harder to do it than in a time trial with a male pacer and running start. IN a time trial, you run exactly 800 metesr. in a race, you run much more unless you are leading.

I'm sorry. I'm not calling someone a medal favorite based on what they did in practice.

I can't do it. Here are her last two results:

1:59.58 4th Sainsbury's London 25 Jul

2:02.67 8th Bauhaus Stockholm 30 Jul

Medal contender? Ok. Favorite. Nope.

Word, the US is so deep right now it's crazy. Now she's gotta do it in an actual race...ideally in Beijing, and if she can do it there she could be able to grab a medal. Granted that I'd equate a 1:57.2 hand-timed time trial with a running start to like 1:57.9 or 1:58.0 FAT. Still impressive AF though

The video came up fine for me. It's just her and a male pacer. She passes the first 200 in 27 something and the first 400 in 57 something. 1:57.2 for the full run. I didn't try timing along with it, but it certainly looked legit.

Anyway, IMO, pretty much everyone can go faster in a race than in practice. Certainly makes you wonder what she's capable of. Personally, I would rank her a strong medal contender.

Why do you call it practice.

You practice the piano but train for running

rojo wrote:

Ok, we need more info. Was it with a running start? If so we're looking more at 1:58 flat. Did she have a male pacer the whole way?

Video:

So, yes on both counts, running start and male pacer all the way.

Was it in trainers? If so she has the spirit of the Rexing in her and nothing will stop her from at least dominating the message boards if not Worlds.

cdavis80 wrote:

Was it in trainers? If so she has the spirit of the Rexing in her and nothing will stop her from at least dominating the message boards if not Worlds.

New Vibram FiveFingers

Time Trials are great for many reasons, but running 1:57 in lane one with no traffic, changing of pace, positioning etc vs. in a race situation are no where near each other.

Regardless, sounds like she is fit!

Good luck

It wouldn't be surprising to see Ludlow as the top American finisher in the 800 at Worlds, given that Montano is returning from having a child and seemingly not at 100% yet and Martinez has not performed at the level she did in 2013 ahead of the World Championships.

This is the first I've ever heard of an elite running their PR in practice in their primary event. Jumpers, yes; runners, no.

That said, Molly seems to struggle a bit tactically. Her 1:58 in Paris was excellent, she got out in good position; normally she ends up buried in the pack trading elbows the whole way. Maybe she can get fit enough to get in the top three and avoid that.

realitypolice wrote:

Time Trials are great for many reasons, but running 1:57 in lane one with no traffic, changing of pace, positioning etc vs. in a race situation are no where near each other.

Regardless, sounds like she is fit!

Good luck

True, but didnt look like a max effort either.

Dirty Paula wrote:

rojo wrote:

Ok, we need more info. Was it with a running start? If so we're looking more at 1:58 flat. Did she have a male pacer the whole way?

Video:

https://www.periscope.tv/w/aJ38RjU0NTY0MDd8NjEwNjk0NDP7_43IcZamE0sklA4CO2gkGudwYxoxP63ZPQf9FX5kRA==

So, yes on both counts, running start and male pacer all the way.

I watched the video and don't get the rolling start. What purpose does it serve? Calm nerves? Prevent hamstring pull from fast start?

The potential time savings offered by rolling start over 800 meters would seem to be minimal to non-existent. The start of an 800, particularly in a time trial, should be fairly smooth so I can't imagine it saves any energy.

Only time I've seen/used rolling start for a "time trial" is for a "flying" 100 test.

Personally, I kind of like the jolt of a cold start for a time trial. If Molly likes the running start that's cool but I had not seen this before.

rojo wrote:

At best 1:57.2 is a hand time so that's like 1:57.5.

Not necessarily. Hand timing starts late with a gun start, but if the person holding the watch says "go" then there's no reaction time.