Discuss the action here while we wait for etrain to get back on his posting grind (I'm at wedding in Tennessee this weekend, but will hopefully bang something out for y'all Monday).
The Olympics has the 1500, World Champs has the 1500, the rest of the world has the 1500, and we're going to go back to the mile because track "has been declining in popularity for the past 40 years"???? Why not go back to the Imperial system completely, bring back the three-mile, six-mile, half-mile, etc.? Why not rebuild every American track to be a quarter mile now?
This is the USA shooting itself in the foot at these big meets, the 1500 and mile, while similar, have critical tactical differences, and running the 1500 in college (even in HS, I would argue) teaches NCAA athletes those differences and allows them to practice the tactics they need to succeed on the world stage.
The average person on the street hasn't cared in a while and still won't, they think that running a 4:55 mile is really good and don't understand the massive difference between a 3:57 1500 and a 3:57 mile, or the difference between a 4:09 1500 and a 4:09 mile.
There are other issues that, being resolved, will increase popularity, like restoration of credibility by enforcing PED rules, removing corrupt officials, etc.
As for trying to make people run faster? Mike Rutt said it best: "This will only result in 109.344 more meters of jogging at championships."
Kirshenbaum 9:29 McMenamin 9:42 Full two mile at Bishop Loughlin games. It seems like the indoor 3k is relatively open for somebody to sneak in and take if Hock takes the race out hard and then fades a little in the last bit of a race similar to last year.
Also I'm kinda curious, what's everyone think of the NCAA mile vs 1500 debate?
ReplyDeleteThe Olympics has the 1500, World Champs has the 1500, the rest of the world has the 1500, and we're going to go back to the mile because track "has been declining in popularity for the past 40 years"???? Why not go back to the Imperial system completely, bring back the three-mile, six-mile, half-mile, etc.? Why not rebuild every American track to be a quarter mile now?
DeleteThis is the USA shooting itself in the foot at these big meets, the 1500 and mile, while similar, have critical tactical differences, and running the 1500 in college (even in HS, I would argue) teaches NCAA athletes those differences and allows them to practice the tactics they need to succeed on the world stage.
The average person on the street hasn't cared in a while and still won't, they think that running a 4:55 mile is really good and don't understand the massive difference between a 3:57 1500 and a 3:57 mile, or the difference between a 4:09 1500 and a 4:09 mile.
There are other issues that, being resolved, will increase popularity, like restoration of credibility by enforcing PED rules, removing corrupt officials, etc.
As for trying to make people run faster? Mike Rutt said it best: "This will only result in 109.344 more meters of jogging at championships."
I like the mile.
ReplyDeleteI prefer the mile over the 1600, let alone the 1500.
ReplyDeleteKirshenbaum 9:29 McMenamin 9:42 Full two mile at Bishop Loughlin games. It seems like the indoor 3k is relatively open for somebody to sneak in and take if Hock takes the race out hard and then fades a little in the last bit of a race similar to last year.
ReplyDeleteAre the results for the SC Invitational #1 posted anywhere online? I can't find them.
ReplyDelete