Not a mormom wrote:
Just playing devil’s advocate here: Why is everyone so quick to dismiss the merged results? You could argue that NAU should have been capable of finishing faster with the slow early pace. Isn’t that how negative splitting usually works?
Negative splitting doesn't generally leads to slower times. If a 1500 goes out in 70, a 3:40 guy isnt going to be able to get anywhere near 3:40. If it goes out in 60, he probably could, if it goes out in 58 seconds, he has his best chance to PR of the three scenarios.
Also, the Grant Fisher's and Tyler Day's of the world can still close hard and finish with the fastest times of the day, but not every guy in that race has that kind strength and they wasted a lot of energy chopping their steps in a crowded pack.