by Larry EderThe 2012 USATF Oxy High Performance Meeting was one of the best meets of the new outdoor season. It may have been also one of the most revealing of the racing and fitness levels of some of the todays major distance talents.
Cases in point:
Don Cabral, photo by PhotoRun.net
Don Cabral sets Collegiate AR in the steeplechase, running 8:19.14, and
won the steeplechase after Evan Jager, who was leading at the time, took
a nose dive at the last water jump. Cabral, Huling (8:20.81), Kyle
Acorn (8:20.86) and Evan Jager (8:20.90) all went under the Olympic A
Standard. Cabral, a Princeton student, who had been running a well
controlled race in the steeplechase, moving up through the field, and
was in third when Jager had his meeting with the water pit.
As Princeton head coach, Fred Samara noted (http://www.goprincetontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10600&ATCLID=205429062),
Don Cabral has put himself in a great position to make the US Olympic
Trials steeplechase team. That is an understatement. Cabral has the leg
speed and the hurdling experience that steeplers need. Cabral improved
thirteen seconds in this race.
Evan Jager, photo by PhotoRun.net
Other revelation: Evan Jager. The young man has leg speed, is very fit,
and can hurdle the barriers well, except the water pit. Evan had the
spill that all good steeplechasers have in their careers, the issue here
is, this was Evan’s second steeplechase. Jager will be better over the
water jumps next time. Evan got up, and finished the race, making the A
standard, and improving his time by six seconds.
My guess is that Cabral and Jager could be two of the more fascinating players in the Men’s steeplechase in Eugene.
Bridget Franek, Emma Coburn, photo by PhotoRun.net
Bridget Franek won the women’s section 1 of the steeplechase, running
9:41.96. She has run 9:39 already this season. What impressed me about
Brigit in this race is that she aggressively went for the lead, and she
also controlled the race. Franek showed the race savvy that she needs to one of top women steeplechasers in the Unites States.
Women’s 1,500m
Shannon Rowbury won her 1,500m section in 4:05.92, with Brenda Martinez in third, in 4:06.29. Anna Pierce took second after having spent much of the race in the second, and, like Pierce had done at the Payton Jordan 1,500m, Anna Pierce flew over the last 150 meters. Shannon Rowbury, however, is the one who won, and her world leading 4:05.92 showed that she is fit,and ready to race. Rowbury and Pierce are back. Eugene 2012 is getting more interesting by the day.
Gabriale Anderson won another heat of the 1,500 meters, chasing Morgan Uceny down in the final fifty meters. Anderson noted that this was her first race of the year. Morgan Uceny looked fit, but not race ready.
Men’s 1,500m
In the men’s 1,500 meters, Mo Farah won the race in 3:34.66, with Galen Rupp in second in 3:34.72 and Robbie Andrews in third in 3:34.78. Mo Farah and Galen Rupp had just come back from some hard high altitude training. 5,000 meter and 10,000 meter runners going
down to the 1,500 meters. Mo and Galen both ran personal bests. 800 meter runner Robbie Andrews, finished third in that furious 1,500m, with a pb of 3:34.78.
And then, less than two hours later….
Men’s 5,000 meters
Mo Farah, Galen Rupp, photo by PhotoRun.netMo Farah, Galen Rupp joined Dathan Ritzenhein in the 5,000m. Dathan, one of the training partners of Mo and Galen, was looking to get the Olympic A standard in the 5,000m, which is 13:20.
Dathan, Mo and Galen started out in the back of the pack, and midway, right on 13:20 pace, began to pick up the pace. Galen Rupp ran with their team mate, Dathan Ritzenhein, through four kilometers. Mo Farah stayed with Dathan as they caught the leaders, and with a lap to go, hit in 12:15. Mo Farah’s competitive juices came out and he won the 5,000m, in 13:12.54, which is the European Leader, with Jose Luis Barrios of Mexico in second, Sam Chelanga in third and Dathan Ritzenhein in fourth. Dathan hit 13:14.72, his fastest time in three years, and a great fitness test before his 10,000m race in Hengelo in nine days.
But it was Mo Farah’s double that shone through, a 1,500m/5,000m double, performed in less than two hours. It shows that Mo Farah is very fit, as is Galen Rupp, and that, to race at the long distance level, speed is the key.
Women’s 5,000m
Deena Kastor continues to astound. Last month, in her first 10,000m in four years, Deena Kastor ran 31:49, four seconds off the Olympic A standard. Friday night, Deena led the 5,000 for eleven and one half laps, on 15:20 pace. Jackie Areson and Lisa Uhl went by Deena, and went 1,2, with Areson running 15:14.31, and Lisa Uhl ran 15:15.22. Deena Kastor ran 15:23.51, missing the Olympic A standard by three seconds!
Complete results, courtesy of Flotrack.org
http://www.flotrack.org/article/12502-RESULTS-2012-USATF-Oxy-High-Performance-Meet
GREAT FARAH DOUBLE
EAGLE ROCK (USA,
May 18): Top marks at special distances meet called “Oxy Distance
Classic”. Shannon Rowbury clocked world leading 4:05.92 in the 1500 m
and Don Cabral won the steeple in US college record 8:19.14. But
possibly the most special is a unique one evening double of Mo Farah
with 3:34.66 at the 1500 m and European leading of the year 13:12.87 in
the 5000 m. He achieved this double in two hours.
At the 1500 m second
Galen Rupp and third Robbie Andrews personal bests 3:34.75 and 3:34.78
over Leo Manzano 3:36.08. In other race Canadian Nate Brannen clocked
3:35.88 over 800 m specialist Nick Symmonds who improved to 3:36.04 over
Jeff See also PB 3:36.11. But that was not all in the 1500 m. In the
third race French revelation Jamal Aarrass improved to 3:34.85 beating
David Torrence 3:35.41.
Behind Farah in the 5000 m second Mexican Juan
Luis Barrios 13:13.54 ahead of Kenyan Sam Chelanga 13:14.05 life-time
best and Dathan Ritzenhein in his test before Hengelo 10k his best 5k in
three years 13:14.72.
Behind Cabral in steeple Dan Huling 8:20.81 and
personal bests for Kyle Alcorn 8:20.86 and Evan Jager 8:20.90.
Fastest
800 m time was posted by Tyler Mulder 1:45.68 over Duane Solomon 1:45.86
and 5k world leader Lopez Lomong 1:46.21. In the women events behind
Rowbury second Anna Pierce got 4:06.11 and third Brenda Martinez 4:06.96
PB. Also fast the other race for Gabriele Anderson 4:06.46 life-time
best surprisingly over Morgan Uceny 4:06.52, third Katie Mackey 4:06.67
career best.
Jackie Areson beat in PB 15:14.31 Lisa Uhl who got 15:15.22
and third marathon runner Deena Kastor 15:23.51 (her first track 5k
since 2007). Bridgett Franek was the best in the steeple 9:41.96 and
Geena Gall in the 800 m 2:00.44.
