Prefontaine Meet this weekend

[Coyote Mas Loco]

Except that it's at Stanford not Eugene because of the new track construction at U of O.

Sunday afternoon:
https://preclassic.runnerspace.com/

This is the biggest meet of the year in the US, an the only stop on the Diamond League.

Should be some great races.
Women's 3000 m steeplechase features world record holder Beatruice Chepkoech (8:44) and the top Americans (Coburn, Frerichs, and Quigley with PRs of 9:00 - 9:10) fighting for podium spots and world rankings. Other great women's races in store include the flat 3000 m and 800 (return of Caster Semenya, going against Agee Wilson).
Men's top events include the Bowerman Mile (Timothy Cheryiot and Patrick Mangoi have the best times, with some good Americans in the mix including Olympic Medalists Matt Centrowitz Jr. and Clayton Murphy).
And both men's and women's 100 m races are stacked.

[diablita]

Super exciting!  I heard the RR podcast with Matt Centrowitz a few weeks ago and am rooting for him

[Coyote Mas Loco]

Super exciting!  I heard the RR podcast with Matt Centrowitz a few weeks ago and am rooting for him

He's a funny guy. Considered as one of the Bowerman Babes, didn't he win their Bachelor pool?, and crazy stuff about jelly beans and gummi bears.
Would like to see Drew Hunter in that race, but he's Adidas (and maybe just focusing on getting ready for nationals next month).

[Coyote Mas Loco]

That was a pretty good meet, the Eugene Diamond League meet, in Palo Alto. Sometimes they hype up Prefontaine so much that the meet itself seems a bit anticlimactic, and even though the announcers were touting potential world records, it was not a day for those but many good races and performances.

SPOILER ALERT - RESULTS

https://eugene.diamondleague.com/program-results-eugene/



Women's steeple was great, with Beatrice Chepkoech running a dominating performance in 8:55 (imo,?) She's just too dominating.
USA's Emma Coburn over came a mid-race fall and placed a solid 2nd in 9:04, just 2.5 seconds off her PB, and Hyvin Kiyeng of Kenya 3rd in 8:05. Off the podium but running strong were USA's Courtney Frerich's in 9:09, Colleen Quigley 9:11, and college runner (3X NCAA champion) Allie Ostrander a 9:31 PB.

Caster Semenya was banned from the 800 in May but since then has been reinstated by the Swiss courts (where the sports arbitration panel is situtuated) was also dominant in that event, with  1:55, followed by Agee Wilson (1:58) and Ravyn (alotta hair) Rogers (1:58).

The women's 1500 and 3000 m fields were stacked as Olympic finals - in the 1500 Olympic and World titlist Faith Kipyegon ran 3:59 FTW, followed closely by Britain's Laura Muir and USA's fast closing Shelby Houlihan both in 3:59. Also running well were Bowerman Track Club's Kate Grace (4:02.99 PB) and Dani Jones, still in college at CU, with a PB 4:07.

The women's 3000 was electrifying, a super fast race. Sifan Hassan, Netherlands/NOP ran an 8:18 for a Diamond League and European record and one of the fastest ever in the world (5th ranked all time). She was followed closely by Kontanze (Koko) Klosterhalfen of Germany (also NOP) in 8:19, and Letensen Giday of Ethiopia in 8:20. Heavy favorite Genzebe Dibaba was 4th in 8:22. Lone American Karissa Schweizer (2018 graduate of Missouri and NCAA champion) ran  PB 8:42 (= to 15:01 5K) but was only 14th. That was a fast fast race.

Will discuss men later.

 

[diablita]

I was checking out the results earlier.  Some fast times there.
i've never actually watched Steeplechase.  Would love to.

[Coyote Mas Loco]

Live or on TV?

Here's one for you. You'll have tears in your eyes at the end.
https://www.nbcsports.com/video/2017-iaaf-worlds-emma-coburn-wins-gold-steeplechase-breaks-us-record

[diablita]

live. I  think it would be soooo fun to watch onsite

And OMG.  I just watched that video.  Amazing from both American ladies; thanks for sharing.

Coburn started to show how tough that pace was on her with about 2 laps to go: you really see her twisting side to side.  She's such a great tactician (that last water stop!) and that was so tough and brave of her.

[nadra's babydaddy]

YESYESYES! 

This one is better!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58WRnLjpAHY

[Coyote Mas Loco]

live. I  think it would be soooo fun to watch onsite

And OMG.  I just watched that video.  Amazing from both American ladies; thanks for sharing.

Coburn started to show how tough that pace was on her with about 2 laps to go: you really see her twisting side to side.  She's such a great tactician (that last water stop!) and that was so tough and brave of her.

Some year maybe catch a college invitational in the spring or better yet make an epic road trip to something like Pre or US championships.

[diablita]

Some year for sure.  One of the guys I work with was a really accomplished runner for geneseo and ran the 5K, steeplechase and 4x400.  (He was on our Ville 2 Ville relay.)
I think he'd love it if we'd go to the Cortland Classic one of these days and it's certainly possible.

[Coyote Mas Loco]

Cortland's a nice little town but it's DIII. Actually might be somewhat entertaining. (I can say that because I was DIII).

But you could also check an SEC meet in your region or go to something like Penn Relays, which has world and national class runners. 

[diablita]

   Will's pretty humble about his track career too

I will look into it.  Taking DD to ATL for the marathon trials next year and I'd love to take her to some really exciting meets as well.  I'll do some research.  I think she could be a talented runner or tri athlete if she put her mind to it.  But if nothing else, it's empowering to watch other athletes battling it out and working their hardest.