Track Coach:
I stated this several pages ago a day or two ago, I will state it again.
U.S. runners are close to east African in the 800m event. For U.S. runners to catch up to east Africans in 800m, it is a matter of greater participation in the 800m event by sub-50 400m young men and by sub-58 400m young women. If let's run influences high school programs to signicantly increase mileage, no doubt there will be more sub-9, sub-9:30 and sub-10 3200m runners. Opportunity cost: If T&F programs make it normal to encourage more mileage, fewer 400m athletes will move up to 800m. Olympic & W.C. T&F is moving away from 5000m and 10000m. Increases in high school mileage will mean more U.S. lads racing Marathon 2:09 to 2:11. Higher high school mileage will at the same time weaken U.S. 800m potential. The Marathon gain in performance is not worth the loss of 800m performance for U.S. runners.