Rieti 1986 - Sebastian Coe - m.1500 - 3'29"77

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• augusto

[deano27671]

@marlin804 Just quoting Coe in his book. I agree its not obvious he had to slow down at bell, but apparently Coe was all ready for a final surge when Chesire came past, got in front & then slowed, although hard to tell from the angle. Coe hesitated for a few strides before deciding to go past him on the bend, causing him to run slightly wide. Perhaps the slowing down& the running 1-2m extra is what he was alluding to. Certainly the uneven pace and lack of drafting would have slowed it a bit.

[marlin804]

Not sure if that would have caused Coe .5 seconds with Chesire doing what he did. Maybe .2 seconds at best as he didn't have to slow down. However, look at how strong he finished. If this was a mile, I think 14 seconds for him in the last 100 was easily doable!! That would have been 3:44 flat or so....pretty darn impressive!!

[koudasso10]

HROZNÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ HOVADO



[deano27671]

I also believe it caused Coe to over-compensate and go too fast in the 1st 100m of that last lap, which was 13.6, & more like 13.4 with the extra distance run. That's 53.6 pace in a 55.2 last 400m. If he'd had 55.5, 1:52.0 & 2:34.0 with good drafting to that point, I think he'd have run 3:28.6 - 3:28.8 that day. If it had been at his peak in late 84 or 81, I think sub 3:28 was possible. Unfortunately there really wasn't anyone else around who could or would have given him the necessary pace.

[deano27671]

In his book he said he was ready for a long drive as he approached the bell, when Chesire came in front of him & started slowing down almost immediately. Coe, realising Chesire wasn't going to drop out & worried that the pace was dropping, then run outside him on the curve, running an extra couple of metres. Coe believed that whole incident cost him 0.5 & the WR.

[deano27671]

@ollie705 Coe's 800 split was actually 1:51.9/1:52.0, as he was a few metres behind the first pacer, who went 1:51.05. I think his 800 split was bang on the money. What stopped him running faster still was the first lap he covered in 54.0! That's too fast. It was followed by a 58.0, which represents a 4.0 sec difference, v. uneconomic pacing. 2 laps of 56.0 would have given him a lot more left at the finish. Also, he got no drafting from 450 to 750m, which lost him about 0.75.

[ollie705]

It's easy to say what could have been. Coe definitely had the potential during the early/mid 80s to run sub 3:29, and maybe sub 3:28. I also had the potential to run faster times as a teenager but for various reasons didn't. Here, 1:51 at 800m cost him a possible sub 3:29. Cheshire didn't hinder him that much IMO.

[deano27671]

@dunsford Yes, I think with an interrupted 82 & 83 he'd still be the 800 and 1000 world record holder.

[dunsford]

Just as interesting to ponder what he may have achieved in the 800m. Remember he lost 2 years in 82 and 83 when I suspect he would have gone under 1.41

[Philcher69]

@marlin804 I think his series of 7 races in 9 days in LA 84 are unrivalled in terms of quality. I also think it strange that no one has been capable of sub 3:29 in the last 6 years or so. I have to say that I think there were some very strange times produced in the late 90's and early '00's when EPO was rife. It wasn't just one race, it was in many.