Allyson Felix 100 or 400 next year?

[fasttrack85]

Which one should she run and why? I would like to hear from everyone. I won't bias the thread with my opinion.

[mump boy]

She has unfinished business with the 400m at 100m i think she's achieved all she's going to. She can be a finalist at 100m but she's not going to win gold at 400m i think we all believe she's a world beater when (if) she gets it right

[26mi235]

She has unfinished business with the 400m at 100m i think she's achieved all she's going to. She can be a finalist at 100m but she's not going to win gold at 400m i think we all believe she's a world beater when (if) she gets it right

I disagree on how she will interpret her experience. The 100 gave her what she needs to win the 200. She already had enough 'finish' in the 200 throughout her career, running 400s did not help that much. On the other hand, it is hard to argue with Olympic gold and those two stellar 21s. She might run some 400s, but will not focus on it even to the extent of it being her main secondary event.

Also, she does have unfinished business in the 100 --- winning a global medal but she also can probably claim the title of the best 200m runner of her generation if she gets another 200 Gold, especially since I doubt VCB will win another 200 title (VCB could medal, but she appears to not even be the best Jamaican at 200 now) if AF gets the 200 in 2013. The 200 in 2013 could be pretty hard to get as there will be possibly all the top five from last year as well as those coming up, and with Hooker coming back maybe.

[Speedster]

She's spoilt for choice! The 200m is her best event and going up or down she'll never have the same amount of success.

If she was going to run the 400m in Moscow she would need to alter her training from now and recognise that her 200m chances were going to be hampered, with Jeter and FP now being fast enough to run down a tired Felix. I think she could race the 400m on the circuit and win off her 100m/200m training but not over rounds.

From a fan's view, the 100m in 2013 for Felix is more exciting, her races this year were always a highlight and there is still room for improvement. With VCB's health an issue again in 2012 and Madison on a possible Winter Olympics journey, Felix could medal in Moscow.

[mump boy]

She has unfinished business with the 400m at 100m i think she's achieved all she's going to. She can be a finalist at 100m but she's not going to win gold at 400m i think we all believe she's a world beater when (if) she gets it right

I disagree on how she will interpret her experience. The 100 gave her what she needs to win the 200. She already had enough 'finish' in the 200 throughout her career, running 400s did not help that much. On the other hand, it is hard to argue with Olympic gold and those two stellar 21s. She might run some 400s, but will not focus on it even to the extent of it being her main secondary event.

Also, she does have unfinished business in the 100 --- winning a global medal but she also can probably claim the title of the best 200m runner of her generation if she gets another 200 Gold, especially since I doubt VCB will win another 200 title (VCB could medal, but she appears to not even be the best Jamaican at 200 now) if AF gets the 200 in 2013. The 200 in 2013 could be pretty hard to get as there will be possibly all the top five from last year as well as those coming up, and with Hooker coming back maybe.

I agree 200m is her event but that wasn't the question. If she was to chose between 100m or 400m i would prefer she chose 400m

[mump boy]

She's spoilt for choice! The 200m is her best event and going up or down she'll never have the same amount of success.

If she was going to run the 400m in Moscow she would need to alter her training from now and recognise that her 200m chances were going to be hampered, with Jeter and FP now being fast enough to run down a tired Felix. I think she could race the 400m on the circuit and win off her 100m/200m training but not over rounds.

From a fan's view, the 100m in 2013 for Felix is more exciting, her races this year were always a highlight and there is still room for improvement. With VCB's health an issue again in 2012 and Madison on a possible Winter Olympics journey, Felix could medal in Moscow.

She could medal in 100m but she could win 400m

[26mi235]

She could medal in 100m but she could win 400m

But she is more likely to win the 200 if she runs the 100 than if she runs the 400...

[mump boy]

She could medal in 100m but she could win 400m

But she is more likely to win the 200 if she runs the 100 than if she runs the 400...

SHe should take a year off the 200m she has absolutely nothing to prove.

[CookyMonzta]

Definitely the 400. I'm not so sure she can go much faster in the 100, maybe 10.82 or 10.83 at her max. She is obviously better at the 200, but what else has she got to prove here, when she is capable of going so much faster in the 400? That 48.1 split in London tells me that, if she were to run from the blocks the way she ran from a relay handoff, she could easily go 48.50-48.99.

The meet organizers need to go for broke with a huge incentive for the girls. €500,000 to anyone who dips under 48.50, €1M for sub-48.00, and €2M for the WR.

[ATK]

Felix should stick with the 1-2 for this cycle. Go for the 400 in 2014. I would much rather see her push closer to the 200 record, and win a few more titles to cement herself as the greatest 200m runner, which I think is possible if she really can dominate through Rio.
Her 400m abilities will always be over estimated because of her relay splits.

So simply, she should run the 100 because it helps her 200...

[j-a-m]

Felix should stick with the 1-2 for this cycle. Go for the 400 in 2014.

That's a valid point. While I'd like to see her make another run at the 400, the 2014 season is probably better suited for that.

[fasttrack85]

Just to clarify, when I asked this question I was asking whether the 100 or 400 should be her primary secondary event not her primary event overall just in case that wasn't clear.

I am going to have to agree with those who want to see her tackle the 100 again. For everyone who wants to see her win another 200 title this is probably the only option. Allyson is not naturally an aggressive runner and I think too much relativley low intensity high volume training will lead to slow turnover rate in her running. Not to mention championships schedule of having the 400 first puts her favorite event at a disadvantage if things were the other way around maybe she would actually have a good shot at that double but as it stands it will be impossible with the talent running the 200 now.

I think Allyson has a 10.80 in her and sometimes it takes a couple seasons of consecutive training to get an event down pat. She has never run the 100's as seriously as she did in 2012, in 2008 she had a go at it but the years after that she went the longer sprint route.

To Speedster..... I agree that a tired Allyson is vulnerable to Jeter, Fraser Pryce, and VCB but she would not be run down by them. If Allyson had enough gear to actually have a lead coming off the curve she would likely have enough to finish. The more likely scenario would be that they would come off the curve to far in front of her for her to run them down a la Deagu.

[TrackFan4Ever]

Felix should stick with the 1-2 for this cycle. Go for the 400 in 2014.

That's a valid point. While I'd like to see her make another run at the 400, the 2014 season is probably better suited for that.

I agree also. Yet, I do not agree with the point that her open 400 abilities are over estimated in light of her relay splits. I believe that her 48.0r, 48.1r, etc., show what her real ability is and that her PB of 49.5x is the anomaly. AF has relied too much on her strength in the final 100 of the 400 instead of relying upon her speed in the first 200. Have we ever seen her hit the 200 mark at 23.7? Also, have we ever seen her get caught from behind in the final 100? I ask as a fan.

[Speedster]

She's spoilt for choice! The 200m is her best event and going up or down she'll never have the same amount of success.

If she was going to run the 400m in Moscow she would need to alter her training from now and recognise that her 200m chances were going to be hampered, with Jeter and FP now being fast enough to run down a tired Felix. I think she could race the 400m on the circuit and win off her 100m/200m training but not over rounds.

From a fan's view, the 100m in 2013 for Felix is more exciting, her races this year were always a highlight and there is still room for improvement. With VCB's health an issue again in 2012 and Madison on a possible Winter Olympics journey, Felix could medal in Moscow.

She could medal in 100m but she could win 400m

This is true but she would need to sacrifice the 200m to achieve it.

[Speedster]

To Speedster..... I agree that a tired Allyson is vulnerable to Jeter, Fraser Pryce, and VCB but she would not be run down by them. If Allyson had enough gear to actually have a lead coming off the curve she would likely have enough to finish. The more likely scenario would be that they would come off the curve to far in front of her for her to run them down a la Deagu.

What we saw in 2011 in Daegu was poor turnover and no real change of pace following a change in preseason training and three rounds of the 400m before the 200m. She needs to be sharp to get start and bend like she had in Eugene and London this year and the 400m naturally puts a big dent in that - Michael Johnson was a freak and while talented, Felix doesn't quite have his natural strength. The balance of training for 400m rounds versus explosive speed is really hard.

Another issue to consider is that she has no wildcard for either event having run silver and bronze in Daegu, with another big US Trials in 2013 looking possible if she plans to double.

[ATK]

Felix should stick with the 1-2 for this cycle. Go for the 400 in 2014.

That's a valid point. While I'd like to see her make another run at the 400, the 2014 season is probably better suited for that.

I agree also. Yet, I do not agree with the point that her open 400 abilities are over estimated in light of her relay splits. I believe that her 48.0r, 48.1r, etc., show what her real ability is and that her PB of 49.5x is the anomaly.

I disagree. her 49.5 cannot be the anomaly. She has run the Open 400m multiple times in the past 5 years and has been in the mid 49 - low 50 range. Until she drops a sub 49 time, he relay splits will always be the odd times. Relay splits are never very indicative of what an athletes open ability is.

[The Klingon]

Well, I really don't care if she runs the 100, 200, or 400. As long as she run the 2nd leg on the 4x1 and 4x4.

[TrackFan4Ever]

Felix should stick with the 1-2 for this cycle. Go for the 400 in 2014.

That's a valid point. While I'd like to see her make another run at the 400, the 2014 season is probably better suited for that.

I agree also. Yet, I do not agree with the point that her open 400 abilities are over estimated in light of her relay splits. I believe that her 48.0r, 48.1r, etc., show what her real ability is and that her PB of 49.5x is the anomaly.

I disagree. her 49.5 cannot be the anomaly. She has run the Open 400m multiple times in the past 5 years and has been in the mid 49 - low 50 range. Until she drops a sub 49 time, he relay splits will always be the odd times. Relay splits are never very indicative of what an athletes open ability is.

Felix problem is simply race strategy and a commitment to the 400. Her relay splits are indicative of what she can do in the open 400. How many of the elite women are running the open 400 in the range of +1.00 to 1.25 above their relay split?

[fasttrack85]

It's not about whether the 49.59 is an anamoly or not. The 49.59 shows her relative inexperience with running the open 400. For a sub 11 sub 22 sprinte she coasts way too much in that first 300. She almost reminds me of TBO in her running style. When Montsho beat Felix by a hair in Deagu i felt Montsho gave it all she had. Felix gave it all she had only in the last 100. In the relays she fights for that inside lane and keeps running for her life. If she had that same aggressiveness in the open 400 her times would def be much lower.

[mump boy]

Felix problem is simply race strategy and a commitment to the 400. Her relay splits are indicative of what she can do in the open 400. How many of the elite women are running the open 400 in the range of +1.00 to 1.25 above their relay split?

TBO

[26mi235]

Felix problem is simply race strategy and a commitment to the 400. Her relay splits are indicative of what she can do in the open 400. How many of the elite women are running the open 400 in the range of +1.00 to 1.25 above their relay split?

TBO

TBO was running the relay split 1.00 above here open 400 (until indoors, and this whole year had a different feel entirely -- do not know if I have fully adjusted to the 'broadened' TBO).

[mump boy]

Felix problem is simply race strategy and a commitment to the 400. Her relay splits are indicative of what she can do in the open 400. How many of the elite women are running the open 400 in the range of +1.00 to 1.25 above their relay split?

TBO

TBO was running the relay split 1.00 above here open 400 (until indoors, and this whole year had a different feel entirely -- do not know if I have fully adjusted to the 'broadened' TBO).

There is no 'broadened' TBO, while she ran better than expected indoors she didn't run fast and in London her relay split was 50.65 almost exactly 1 sec up on her individual

[Flumpy]

Had a chat with Allyson last night and she won't be concentrating on the 400m this year or anytime soon.

Her exact word were 'It hurts. Even when you win IT HURTS!!!'

She said that she may go back to it later in her career but for now it's on the back burner.

[jamal00005]

Had a chat with Allyson last night and she won't be concentrating on the 400m this year or anytime soon.

Her exact word were 'It hurts. Even when you win IT HURTS!!!'

She said that she may go back to it later in her career but for now it's on the back burner.

Im to assume she will run the 100m and 200m in Russia ..........I think she can medal in both, lets hope VCB(though SAFP seems to be the better one at the 200m right now ) is in her best shape to see if she can challenge her over 200m

[fasttrack85]

From what i hear Allyson seems to be focusing more on running fast times in the upcoming seasons. I truly believe she is going after the world record as a goal. She probably won't get it but we may see some 21.5x in the attempt. I think that pretty much means she will continue to be working on speed.