If Gear is fit, I don't see anyone outkicking her at the end. Wayment or one of the others will need to really push the pace.
Gear's last race was a 4:42 road mile just a few weeks ago. That doesn't sound like someone who is in shape to make an Olympic team.
Gear is scheduled to run the 1500 at the Sound Running meet next week. It will interesting to see how close she can get to the 4:09 she ran in May last year.
She won the BAA road mile in a kick. It wasn't a time trial.
I’m a big fan of Olivia Markezich. I would like to see her on the team. I’m also wondering if a long shot like Annie Rodenfels could improve to the point to be a contender.
I’ve been a bit out of the loop. Has Courtney Frerichs retired or is she injured?
Good catch.
Frerichs was scheduled to open her outdoor season in the Steeple @ Payton Jordon but DNS'd.
She's not updated her IG in over a month -- and, has not shown up in any of Pume Elite's IG posts in the same time period where PE's longer distance runners are now based in Park City.
Invariably, when athletes "disappear" from their own social media, they are injured or having other personal issues they choose not to share with the public.
Meaning, they treat social media as a one-way street: you'll know when everything in life is sunshine & rainbows, but give you nothing but radio silence when it's not.
So, as a fan and outsider-looking-in trying to decipher the tea leaves and make assumptions which I shouldn't have to do, my guess is Frerichs is injured again.
Courtney is entered in the Pre Classic Steeple on May 25th but nothing prior.
Likely we won't know one way or another until then.
Which all means the door is now wide open for a younger generation of steeples like Hyde & Markezich to step through and contend for an Olympic spot.
I’m a big fan of Olivia Markezich. I would like to see her on the team. I’m also wondering if a long shot like Annie Rodenfels could improve to the point to be a contender.
I’ve been a bit out of the loop. Has Courtney Frerichs retired or is she injured?
Good catch.
Frerichs was scheduled to open her outdoor season in the Steeple @ Payton Jordon but DNS'd.
She's not updated her IG in over a month -- and, has not shown up in any of Pume Elite's IG posts in the same time period where PE's longer distance runners are now based in Park City.
Invariably, when athletes "disappear" from their own social media, they are injured or having other personal issues they choose not to share with the public.
Meaning, they treat social media as a one-way street: you'll know when everything in life is sunshine & rainbows, but give you nothing but radio silence when it's not.
So, as a fan and outsider-looking-in trying to decipher the tea leaves and make assumptions which I shouldn't have to do, my guess is Frerichs is injured again.
Courtney is entered in the Pre Classic Steeple on May 25th but nothing prior.
Likely we won't know one way or another until then.
Which all means the door is now wide open for a younger generation of steeples like Hyde & Markezich to step through and contend for an Olympic spot.
Gear's last race was a 4:42 road mile just a few weeks ago. That doesn't sound like someone who is in shape to make an Olympic team.
Gear is scheduled to run the 1500 at the Sound Running meet next week. It will interesting to see how close she can get to the 4:09 she ran in May last year.
She won the BAA road mile in a kick. It wasn't a time trial.
She won the BAA road mile in a kick. It wasn't a time trial.
Mitchell just knocked 4sec off her 1500m PB.
Crazy to be in a time where Jennings is the most “lock” of a pick out there for the steeple. Wayment has looked poised to me for a couple years to make a jump in fitness, but can’t quite seem to reach it yet. 14:49 indoor 5k was great, but 9:30+ in first steeple outing not too encouraging. I could see Gear having a rough season then somehow coming from nowhere and making the team though. Curious to see if Frerichs is truly injured as her training looked very good in the winter, same with Rainsberger but she was a 4-6 type of pick even in great form (haven’t seen her in any recent workout videos).
She won the BAA road mile in a kick. It wasn't a time trial.
She outkicked Ngarambe who ran a 4:06 six days later at Wake Forest.
Yeah and Gear won the BAA mile last year in 4:40, similar time. She seems on track to me.
The curve ball for her is the coaching situation. She had a different coach last year and based on her interviews, it doesn't seem like the smoothest adjustment. Others like Wayment are also more endurance based. Gear needs to increase her strength to really compete consistently.
Dont forget former qualifier Val Constein, she is coming off injuries and I believe also running Pre so should be interesting
Agreed. Maybe that list needs to have her and Mitchell acknowledged, but where in the list? Mitchell ran 9:24 last year, but just bettered her 1500m PB by 4 seconds, and if Val Constein is fully back, should be right up there contending for a spot.
She outkicked Ngarambe who ran a 4:06 six days later at Wake Forest.
Yeah and Gear won the BAA mile last year in 4:40, similar time. She seems on track to me.
The curve ball for her is the coaching situation. She had a different coach last year and based on her interviews, it doesn't seem like the smoothest adjustment. Others like Wayment are also more endurance based. Gear needs to increase her strength to really compete consistently.
for a moment I thought Krissy Gear switched to Mike Smith Elite. in the latest Nikki Hiltz Tracktown video Krissy is seen training with Nikki and Rachel Smith with Mike Smith standing there coaching them. but I guess that happens a lot amongst pros, switching up workout partners.
Dont forget former qualifier Val Constein, she is coming off injuries and I believe also running Pre so should be interesting
Agreed. Maybe that list needs to have her and Mitchell acknowledged, but where in the list? Mitchell ran 9:24 last year, but just bettered her 1500m PB by 4 seconds, and if Val Constein is fully back, should be right up there contending for a spot.
Mitchell, Hyde, Val Constein and Ostrander are on the Trackfest steeple startlist (May 11.)
Agreed. Maybe that list needs to have her and Mitchell acknowledged, but where in the list? Mitchell ran 9:24 last year, but just bettered her 1500m PB by 4 seconds, and if Val Constein is fully back, should be right up there contending for a spot.
Mitchell, Hyde, Val Constein and Ostrander are on the Trackfest steeple startlist (May 11.)
As well as the Indian steepler, Parul Chaudhary, who ran 9:15 last year.
Without Emma in the race, the pace will be much slower, more packed in and more people in the mix. Could be fun to watch!
not necessarily. Courtney Wayment lead for a good chunk at last years 2023 US Finals, keeping the race honest. and with so many runners feeling they have a legit shot to make the Olympic team no one will let the race get away from them early, especially with Krissy Gears kick looming.
the unpredictabilty of this race is what'll make it fun to watch.