KUDOS to Evan Jager

But isn't the point of the meeting to run fast? It's not like Jager could control the other guys actions, unless he secretly paid them to slam their brakes.

Sorry, walking in a 13:16 is not impressive. To give up a 40-50m lead in one lap is evidence of poor strategy and overestimating his ability. Just like when he tried to go sub-8 and fell.

He's no Ngugi and really not even a Chelimo. Face it, he's hyped because he's white and he's lucky he runs a silly event that nobody really cares about.

rojo wrote:

What are you talking about? Zurich is the DL final. The field wasn't full of scrubs. It contained the guys who crossed the line 2-3-4 and 6 at the Olympic Games. It was also in front of a large crowd.

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Unless I've counted wrong, it was #2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11 from Rio.

Why are you hating so much on Jager? Saying he's not a sub-8 guy... Are you on crack? He was clearly in sub-8 shape last year and he ran 8:04 in hot conditions for the Oly silver. I'm going to be laughing pretty hard at you when he does run sub-8 some day because that one when he fell was going to be a 7:57 at least. He fell because he tried to go sub-8? Are you mad, man? He fell because he hit the steeple, not because he just couldn't run sub-8. For crying out loud, he fell down and still ran 8 flat.

Again I'll ask, are you on crack?

Bad Wig wrote:

Please enlighten me how a 13:16 guy is a threat to anyone or how you would credit Chelimo or Lagat for trying to do something which they are clearly incapable of doing.

Face the facts, Jager is not a sub-8 or sub-13 guy and is the beneficiary of poor selections by AK and the inevitable aging of Kemboi.

He is a 13:02 guy. 13:16 obviously isn't his ability level, as he got no help in that race. When Mo wins in 13:50, do you call him a 13:50 guy?

He is a threat to many Americans at 5000m because he has run faster than many of them. Same with 1500 to a lesser extent. I'm not saying he's as good at these events, but to not give him credit as a very talented flat runner is idiotic. If Hill or True or whatever took 3rd at a DL the hype would be insane on these boards.

How are Lagat and Chelimo so clearly incapable of sub 13??? I'm not saying they can, but they clearly have a shot as they both have run 13:0x in the last few weeks.

Please leave your basement and do something that gives you some joy instead of ragging on amazing runners.

How is this even a question? As several people have pointed out, Jager is faster than almost every American who runs the 1500 and the 5000 these days. This is not opinion, and it's not based on whether he pulled a Pre in Zurich. It's a fact!

The only guys at the Trials who've run a faster 1500 than Jager were Centro, Wheating and Manzano. The last two are past their prime. And the only guys at the Trials who've run a faster 5000 were Lagat and Rupp.

So yeah, if Jager wanted to move out of the steeple, he would be a problem for a lot of guys.

That's partly because the US isn't especially deep at those distances. But mostly it's because, as the man says, Jager's faster than almost every other American right now.

I have no clue what his top end is for the 1500 or 50000, or how he'd do in tactical races. I'd like to find out.

QFT

He's got a point, y'all! wrote:

I have no clue what his top end is for the 1500 or 50000, or how he'd do in tactical races. I'd like to find out.

Terrible in tactical races, but great in Monaco.

Kipchoge will be king of the 50,000 though, if and when he ever decides to run one. Capable of sub 2:30 for sure.

Ujay wrote:

Bad Wig wrote:

Sorry, but the Pre strategy is an epic fail.

Tell that to John Ngugi and Ismael Kirui. You need to shut up and learn something instead of speaking of things of which you know not.

I saw Ngugi and Kirui run. Son, Jager is no Ngugi or Kirui.

Ujay wrote:

I give Jäger a ton of credit for today's 5000m. Jäger was training for the steeplechase and he got a silver medal. Then he has the balls to test his limits at 5000m. So many of you criticize elite athletes for coasting in the pack. Jäger learned something today and made the race more exciting in the process. Kudos.

Yeah, he learned that if you run stupidly fast at the start of a race, you get eaten up at the end by runners who paced themselves properly. Most runners learn this in high school.

llpydbenson wrote:

Son, Jager is no Ngugi

Actually he kind of is. Good at fast pace, but no chance against kickers. Ngugi stayed "tactical" in the 1987 WC and went from first to DFL after the bell.

And like Jäger this is despite good MD credentials. Did you know Ngugi is the Monaco meet record holder in the mile?

Bad Wigins wrote:

Kipchoge will be king of the 50,000 though, if and when he ever decides to run one.

He's got to find one first. 50,000's are getting to be even rarer than 10,000's. I'm not sure I can remember the last time I saw one.

I don't get why some people are disparaging Jager's run. I thought it was an awesome display of front running and took real courage to attempt to just go for it the way he did. Jager dropped in behind the pacers, paid pacers, who the athletes are supposed to be able to trust, and Jager got burned with a 29 / 1:31 200/600. It's very easy for a 3:32 1500 guy to stride out a 29, and get spanked for it in the last 2 kilometers. That's exactly what happened. As simple and as easy as it could happen to any experienced racer, he just went out too fast. I liked the confidence though. He truly believed he should be up front.

Recovering LRC poster wrote:

I don't get why some people are disparaging Jager's run.....

But real runners don't make mistakes like that. Take Muir or Kiprop. When's the last time you saw them lose a race because they screwed up their pacing?

properpacing wrote:

Yeah, he learned that if you run stupidly fast at the start of a race, you get eaten up at the end by runners who paced themselves properly. Most runners learn this in high school.

Have you ever been to a race? Most runners absolutely do not learn this in high school. Most never learn it actually.

Jager knew he was rolling the dice but wanted to go for a sub 13. Didn't work out but he knew the risk going in. I doubt he is too broken up about getting third. Not like he would have been able to kick for the win had he run with the pack the entire race anyway.

Clefairy wrote:

properpacing wrote:

Yeah, he learned that if you run stupidly fast at the start of a race, you get eaten up at the end by runners who paced themselves properly. Most runners learn this in high school.

Have you ever been to a race? Most runners absolutely do not learn this in high school. Most never learn it actually.

Jager knew he was rolling the dice but wanted to go for a sub 13. Didn't work out but he knew the risk going in. I doubt he is too broken up about getting third. Not like he would have been able to kick for the win had he run with the pack the entire race anyway.

Exactly. I dont know why he's catching hate from this 5k. I doubt he cares that much about the outcome. He knows he's faster than that anyway.

cbenson4 wrote:

Clefairy wrote:

Have you ever been to a race? Most runners absolutely do not learn this in high school. Most never learn it actually.

Jager knew he was rolling the dice but wanted to go for a sub 13. Didn't work out but he knew the risk going in. I doubt he is too broken up about getting third. Not like he would have been able to kick for the win had he run with the pack the entire race anyway.

Exactly. I dont know why he's catching hate from this 5k. I doubt he cares that much about the outcome. He knows he's faster than that anyway.

The "hate" he is getting is obviously so transparently contrived to elicit responses that one might wonder whether it is a desperate attempt to receive attention no matter in what manner.