Deer Cooper Teare: please switch to the steeplechase

Even if this idea came up before, it’s worth revisiting due to the dynamic nature of the increasingly competitive landscape in the 1500 and 5000.

If you’re concerned about spacing, then that’s another reason he should switch. Think about the potential congestion at the top of the 5000 in the US: Fisher, Nur, Nico, McGorty, Kincaid, Blanks, Chelimo, Beadlescomb, Klecker, Hacker, Wolfe, Jacobs. That’s potentially a lot of bodies to navigate in a race!

Now look at the steeplechase. There is a dearth of talent at the top. Not a single American ran under 8:10 last year. Only two ran under 8:15, and both of them will be in their mid 30’s this year. Teare would have a lot more room to maneuver in the steeplechase because there aren’t as many people at or near his level in that event as there are in the 5000.

Please stop. Now and forever. Steeplechasers are not crazy. You are. You're batsh]it crazy in the lovable uncle sort of way. In order to run the steeplechase, first and foremost, you must be grounded. You must be able to focus at an extreme level, all the while under duress. Rojo, sorry to say it, but your understanding is anything but the traits needed for the most badass event in track and field. I'm speaking the truth. Nothing more, nothing less.

Crazy may not have been the best word - fearless is better.

But saying they must grounded is incorrect. Some of them have that trait - I guess that's you but you are making the mistake that many athletes do and that's assume that's it's your traits that make you sucessful. False. Coaches have a much wider interaction with lots of athletes and are way better at knowing what is key.

Fearlessness, athleticism, running talent and not being into being a rhythm runner are the keys to being a good steepler (and some people have really great springy power coming out of the water jump).

My first Ivy steeple champ was a total free spirit with no cares in the world. I acutally think that's best - to not be thinking about it too much. No worries. One other near NCAA qualifier was quite serious.

But your concept of "Being ablet to focus" as being the key is kind of absurd really. All runners are focused when they are racing.

And being too focused can hurt you. One year at Heps, there was a steeple favorite from another school who was not very good at hurdling. There was a delay at the start as they coudln't get the barriers to the right height. THis guy focused on practing his technique so many times I knew he was screwed. He was having a mental breakdown.

It would have been better for him to just think, "I've run 10 seconds faster than everyone else. My form doesn't matter. Let's just sit down here at the start line like Rupp did at the Trials one year and wait to kick everyone's ass." Instead he obsessively was hurdling over the barriers.

Rojo, you keep repeating stories about your coaching success in the minor leagues. Thats exactly what I'm not talking about. Your idea that coaches have " a way better idea of what is the key" is categorically wrong. There a perhaps a handful of coaches who have any understanding of the event at all. A handful, and you're not one of them.

The idea of "focus" isn't what you believe it is. In the steeplechase the athlete lives in a self imposed bubble. The only thing that matters is 15-20 ft ahead of you, and your competitors 4-5 ft around you, the rapid changes in their positions relative to yours, and the instantaneous adjustments you need to make to negotiate the barriers cleanly. You don't learn this sh!t in some Level I coaches clinic.

Through experience I've learned you have to take your concentration levels up to Defcon 1, especially in the later laps, to be successful in the steeplechase. Anything less creates ex-steeplechasing geldings.

FWIW, your "first ivy league steeplechase champ" isn't anything like the world class steeplechasers that I trained/raced with. Heck, even my college understudy, Bruce Baden, ran the Penn Relays three times -- 1st, 2nd, and 3rd -- is far beyond your coaching experience or comprehension. Dont feel slighted, its just the way things are. Bruce was a quiet badass.

FWIW I've never said that tall is an asset in the steeplechase. Its not.

malmo some of that was so over the line I feel compelled to say - you are not sounding like a elite coach -

If there is in fact a deer Cooper Teare out there I bet he would be awesome at the steeple. When I used to run in the country deer would just bound over fences like it was nothing.

Deer Cooper Teare,

I hope tonight gave you the clarity that you should be running the steeplechase. Yes, you ran a good time in the 5000 but you only finished 9th. You got your doors blown off by the leaders.

Meanwhile young Hobbs Kessler goofed around and ran a 1:45 in the 800. Even with his notoriously bad tactics he will be a handful in the 1500.

Most important of all: did you watch that steeplechase??? Did you see Evan Jager fail to break 8:30? Did you see the top American run a PB of 8:16 to finish second? You know what his best 5000 time is? 13:31. You just ran 12:54. You would destroy those steeplechasers!

If not for yourself, please: run the steeple for America. We need you!

He just ran sub 13 and you're trying to make him do the fraud event that is front loaded with 2-3 dudes that will be just as (if not more) difficult to beat than Jakob and Barega?

Just stop already, he's now the 5th fastest performer of all time in the 5000m for the US and it was his first 5000m where he was ready to compete with the big dogs. Did he close fast enough to come top-3 in this race? No, but I think that we should give him more time to develop better tactics and closing speed in sub13 races. This is his first year back with Ben and we are already seeing PRs left and right. I could see him even beating Grant at the trials on an off day. There is no likelihood of him being prepared for the steeple this year, and there has been zero indication that he would be suited for it anyways, besides his prs and height.

The steeple is not a fraud event. It is very hard to run that fast and to hurdle barriers. I don't think that anyone likes their chances against El Bakkali or Girma. Tons of flat racers are scared of being taken out by the water pit.

Deer are known for their incredible jumping abilities. The Steeples may well be his best event.

I’m not saying he would win gold in the steeple. El Bakkali and Girma will probably take the top 2 spots. But the bronze is there for the taking. He would at least have a chance to medal in the steeplechase. He’s not gonna medal in the 5000. He only got 9th last night, and that field didn’t even include Jakob, Kejelcha, Grijalva, or any of the top Kenyans.

That’s part of my point. This is the best he’s ever been, and his best is only good enough for 5th fastest all time for the US. Having the 5th fastest time in US history is excellent, but do you know what would be even better? Having the #1 time in US history! He can be #1 in US history in the steeplechase. He’ll never be #1 in US history in the 5000. Would you rather be #1 or #5?

He would have no shot at a medal in the steeple. it’ll take at least a year to learn to run the event properly. look at Beamish, who was 5th last year at worlds in his first year and now coming off winning worlds indoors in the 1500 (a team Teare could not make for the US). no chance Teare can outkick Beamish in the steeple. plus we haven’t even mentioned the Kenyans

Beamish’s best times in the 1500 and 5000 are 3:36 and 13:04. Teare has run 3:32 and 12:54 this spring. He would crush Beamish in the steeple. If Beamish was good enough to get 5th at worlds in his first year running the steeple, then that only supports my position that Teare has the potential to get 3rd.