USATF hyping up another Lagat/Rupp "showdown"?

[Ryan]

It appears that the USATF is going back to the well that seemed a bit dry not long ago.

This time, over a distance that would seem to favor Lagat even more. Honestly, I'd think they could find a race that was more likely to be a close battle. Really, I'm more interested in the Rupp/Solinsky matchup that will likely be the battle for second.

[Andrew A.]

This time of year the best races are on turf or on the roads.  Indoor track is for high schoolers and possibly collegians.  On the pro level, it exists to serve agents.  I might watch if I have some free time because it is on, but I would not plan my day around it at all.  USATF & IAAF should kill this dog and pump the funds used on it into other areas of the sport.

[Ryan]

Agreed. Unfortunately, it appears as though they are continuing to support this while cutting support for those races on the turf.

I think you have to look no further than Rupp and Solinsky to see how seriously the athletes themselves even take indoor track. In a two day national championship meet, which qualifies athletes to the world championship meet, both of these contenders for spots on the team are doubling, 1500/3000. Would a contender actually do such a double if he were taking the indoor season seriously? It's clear that these guys are treating even the national championship meet as a tune-up.

Regardless, to the main point I was making, was the last Lagat/Rupp match-up really a thriller? Sure, the USATF says so but just because the far superior athlete waited for 300 meters to go before he went for the win doesn't mean it was a thriller. Nothing against Rupp but that race was hardly a thriller and anyone who expects this race to play out with any significant difference to the last isn't paying enough attention.

[Andrew A.]

Right, and I wonder if Rupp and Solinsky's sponsors pay bonuses for each national championship race they enter and in which finish in the top X and each national team spot for which they qualify.