Establishing Position

Photo by Joe Hale

Words by Jeff Merrill

Establishing Position

Rounding into the bell lap, Yared Nuguse held the lead after dictating a bungeeing pace. George Mills, the British runner for OAC made a hard move to go around Hobbs Kessler, who found himself on the inside of Nuguse’s long back kick, trapped from preventing any movement behind him. Mills pushed into second, chasing Nuguse with Kessler now in third. 2:51 on the clock for three quarters of a mile.

The young Americans are still new on the scene. Both Nuguse and Kessler have had brilliant flashes in their short racing careers. Although Yared Nuguse is now the indoor and outdoor American record holder in the mile and 1500m, one could argue that this race was the first international one in which he would do his trendy arena walk up as the heavy favorite. As such, he would have to balance the pressure of attempting to break the world record with battling a field of worthy challengers, in a current culture of racing much less deferential to headliners, let alone attempters of world records.

How many men went with Yomif Kejelcha just 5 years ago in his world record attempt? A race that included Josh Kerr, Olli Hoare, Nick Willis, and Craig Engels. None were with him through half mile in 1:52.99.

The climate of international racing is changing. There is an attitude in the air. Levels are rising and with them, the knowledge that spots on the line in the races at the very top are limited, and thus coveted. Your space today may not be your space tomorrow if you do not fight to defend it. Tactical knowledge going forward will be sought after, and execution will be honed as much as the training to be fit enough to carry out plans. A pursuit brushed aside previously for the focus of just getting fit enough to try and stay with the ringmasters. Now, neglect of either of these is detrimental, especially in the roller derby of indoor racing, where the stakes are high, and the windows are tighter.

Information around peak level training and shoe tech is as prevalent and available as it has ever been. It is no longer held by only a fortunate few. It will not be enough to simply get fit. Wins and losses will come down to split decisions made on the fly and not simply the size of the engines driving the distance. If the contenders in the most visible meets get spiraled to the back of the pack, there are lines of bruisers down at the BU bounce house looking to level up and slot into their spot in the center ring under the bright lights.

Training groups will become racing teams.

Consistency, always the most underrated value in competition no matter the rating, will be valued even more.

Kessler wound up passing George Mills in the final 50 meter straight to finish behind Nuguse. 3:47, 3:48, 3:48- the 3rd, 5th and 8th fastest indoor miles ever. The pass made by Mills with a lap to go was not due to Kessler’s inability to keep the hard pace, it was a tactical misstep that he will study and prepare to anticipate to better position himself the next time, when he’s faced with a move made against him in a blender, when engines are revving red hot, and instincts are tested.

It is a new era, and we’re going to like it a lot.