The truth is birnbaum can just not race the youngs, and everyone will accept he is better than them. It's the young's fault for not racing him earlier.
The Youngs had scheduling conflicts. I don't think they were ducking anyone. For example, NPHS apparently had a mandatory graduation rehearsal that prevented them from running Brooks PR. And their prom was the same night of Sound Running.
I wonder if birnbaum will get a contract to run pro.
This is what NIL is for. Phil Knight isn't exactly strapped for cash and even though it's just running. I wouldn't be shocked if there's a NIL collective for Oregon distance runners.
runners marrying runners and having kids. i guess this would be about the 3rd or 4th generation of runners possibly now since it became popular. first sub 4 was in 1954, so every 20 to 30 years those people are producing talented kids of their own. makes sense people get so talented these days.
Can't lie; for some of the current crop of really fast high schoolers, I would love to see something to support this.
Certainly there are very fast children of running couples, who were both fast in their day. We all know that.
But could you stretch that back another generation, or even two?
Could you show that of the four grandparents there is at least one and maybe more with a real running pedigree? And if you can show that a couple of the great-grandparents were runners, that would be really impressive. (And I don't just mean that they had to be world-beaters. If you found that the great grandparents finished marathons, or even qualified for Boston or something similar, that would be impressive).
Edit to add: Sorry if this reads like I'm expecting YOU to do this or know the answer. I just mean to say that it would be fascinating if anyone knows an answer or could show an example for even one current top high schooler.
This post was edited 3 minutes after it was posted.
With all due respect I wish you all would stop about the shoes and the wavelight nonsense. When basketball first started they shot the ball in a peach basket could barely dribble,wore shoes to play in. If you give most people a wavelight and super spikes they won't run incredible times. The training is better, more emphasis on not overtraing. Once barriers are broken time wise then other athletes shoot for those goals as well. Track and field is evolving for the better.
This whole men's class is interesting to watch. How will NILs work for them? Will someone really break out like Teare, Hocker & Nuguse to make a run at Paris '24, or do we get typical freshman adjustment to NCAA? The breadth and depth of talent in this men's class of '23 very special.
Hold up. Hocker is the only one who broke out as a “freshman,” but it was in fact his second year of college training since Covid scrubbed his true freshman track season. He was 20 when he made the Olympic team, versus Birnbaum who will be 18 or barely 19 at the time of the Paris OTs. Nuguse’s best time as a freshman was 3:42.44 and he didn’t run faster than 3:37.93 until he was nearly 22. Teare’s best times as a freshman were 3:59.29i and 3:43.91; he first ran something comparable to Birnbaum’s 1500 as a 20 year old junior.
I wouldn’t think about his Paris Olympic chances yet—that’s an entirely different level. If he can transition well next year and run say, 3:36-low or faster, he’ll be on track to contend for teams in his early 20s.
I think Mantz has only done 1500 pace stuff this week and last week looking at Strava. I don't think he did very much specific training for this. I think if he trained a month for it and had a couple for 1500s he could probably go a couple seconds faster. If if not, that is still a great time for how he is training.
My Brother was an Olymp[ic finalist in Mexico. Those who finshed abover him have all been shown to be invovled in the foping side of the sport.
Anyway, at his funeral his Daughter, in her eulogy said the advice he gave her was
"Free your mind, and your ass will follow"
Its perfect advice. There are so many great performances today due to the shoes etc, but also from those who have stopped limiting their efforts. This kid ran the race more senior athletes should have. Up with the pacemeakers, not being precious about his 'legend'
There are plenty like him out there. I hope they surface.
Maybe you are being sarcastic, and I'm being dense but when I saw the result, I felt quite the opposite. Maybe you aren't being sarcastic and we're each entitled to our takes.
I don't imagine any of the US guys who just ran 2:08-2:12ish in Boston could hold a candle to 3:37 for 1500m right now. Honestly, I bet most of them couldn't even touch close to 3:37 back in their track days.
Conversely, I am also fairly confident that neither of the other dudes who ran 3:37 in Eugene would have been close to 2:10 in Boston.
I have definitely been getting lulled to sleep with all these gaudy marks over the past couple Springs with the new shoes, pace lights and everyone just upping their collective games but 3:37 is real for a roads guy even in the current era of redefined track marks. I'm impressed.
not impressed. Kipchoge ran 3:33 without super shoes.
NPHS apparently had a mandatory graduation rehearsal that prevented them from running Brooks PR. And their prom was the same night of Sound Running.
To each their own. But if it were me, I'd totally skip both. Screw prom and what the hell are they gonna do if you skip a mandatory graduation rehearsal? Have some of your fellow grads and friends that are alphabetically close to you break down the rehearsal for you. I'm just saying competing and laying down fast times at those fast invitationals outweigh that other crap in my book. No brainer.
How would this compare to German Fernandez' 4:02/8:37 at the Cali championship in 2008?
3 hour time frame
It was 4:00.29 and 8:34! And I believe it was closer to 2 hours, no?
How could flub up the most memorable details? We all seen that video when he comes through in 1:59, 2:59, then 4:00. The crowd getting louder every time he split under 60 secs.
How would this compare to German Fernandez' 4:02/8:37 at the Cali championship in 2008?
3 hour time frame
It was 4:00.29 and 8:34! And I believe it was closer to 2 hours, no?
How could flub up the most memorable details? We all seen that video when he comes through in 1:59, 2:59, then 4:00. The crowd getting louder every time he split under 60 secs.
I’m guessing he was converting to imperial for some reason
NPHS apparently had a mandatory graduation rehearsal that prevented them from running Brooks PR.
what the hell are they gonna do if you skip a mandatory graduation rehearsal? Have some of your fellow grads and friends that are alphabetically close to you break down the rehearsal for you.
I'm just saying competing and laying down fast times at those fast invitationals outweigh that other crap in my book. No brainer.
If Lex and Leo had skipped the mandatory graduation rehearsal, then their high school would not have let them participate in the graduation ceremonies.
So Lex and Leo attended their graduation rehearsal and ceremony and then they are also going to run the Nike meet, instead of Brooks PR. It's the smart thing to do. Good thing they don't take advice from you.