MEN'S 5K PREVIEW | WOMEN'S 5K PREVIEW

As is customary with almost all distance races at U.S. Championships (or any championship for that matter), the men’s 5,000m at USA’s on Sunday afternoon is likely to be very tactical. Several of the top names in the field will be coming off the 10K on Thursday night, and additionally no one wants to be the guy who goes out hard and blows up at the end. With warm weather expected in Eugene throughout the weekend, all the factors are there for a slow early pace with fireworks over the last lap. Buckle your seatbelts distance fans, anything can happen in this type of race. 

 

Favorites Bernard Lagat and Galen Rupp are once again the headliners, as both have qualified for every World/Olympic team that they have attempted in their career. The 40-year-old Lagat is the two-time defending champion in this event, and enters USA’s in excellent form after opening with a 13:14 at the Prefontaine Classic on May 29th. He was fourth there, with Rupp a place ahead of him in 13:12.

 

Of course, you can’t write about the 29-year-old Rupp without mentioning the doping allegations that have swirled around him and Nike Oregon Project coach Alberto Salazar for the better part of a month. How much of an effect this has on Rupp’s performance in Eugene will likely be answered on Thursday as he attempts to win his seventh consecutive U.S. 10K title. Even with these allegations, and the limited amount of racing that Rupp has done in 2015, he is still the favorite to sweep both the 5/10K at Hayward Field. His 13:12.36 from Pre is the fastest by an American in 2015. 

Ben True is coming into form at the right time heading into this weekend

Ben True was excruciatingly close to making the 2013 World team in the 5K and 10K, finishing fourth in both events. Fast forward two years to now, and the 29-year-old True appears ready to make his first team on the track, having won the 5,000m at the New York Diamond League last weekend against a strong field of East Africans. In addition, True set the American record in the road 5K (13:22) in April, and won the Healthy Kidney 10K last month against Stephen Sambu, and top marathoners Geoffrey Mutai and Wilson Kipsang. Add in True’s 13:02 PB from 2014, and he just seems due to make his first team.

Ryan Hill finished 3rd in the USA 5K two years ago, and has only gotten stronger since

A strong candidate to prevent True from booking his trip to Beijing will be Bowerman Track Club’s Ryan Hill. Hill qualified to Worlds two years ago in the 5K, out-kicking True in a painfully tactical race that basically didn’t start until the last mile. Since then, Hill has proven himself to be one of the best closers in America, using his tremendous mile speed to his advantage. The 25-year-old won the U.S. indoor 2-mile title in February over Evan Jager and Ben Blankenship, and most recently finished sixth in the Prefontaine 5K in 13:15, the second fastest time of his career. Hill finished 10th in the 5,000m at the 2013 World Championships. 

 

Garrett Heath is a name that cannot be overlooked. Many were surprised to see the Brooks Beast opt for the 5K over the 1500 at USAs after he dropped a 3:34 at Portland Track Festival, but the 29-year-old must like his chances in a kicker’s race given that his mile wheels are at or near the best in the field. Heath finished second in the Payton Jordan 5K in May with a 13:16 PB. 

 

The two other names that jump off the entry sheet are Hassan Mead and brand-new Nike man Eric Jenkins. Mead will be doubling back from the 10K on Thursday night, and it’s certainly possible that if he finishes top 3 in that event he would scratch the 5K. Nonetheless, he has a 13:02 PB from 2014, and most recently ran 27:33 in the Pre 10K. Mead finished 3rd in the USA 5K last year. 

Sure he's young, but Eric Jenkins has the wheels to finish top three at Hayward Field

Jenkins will run his first race as a professional at USA’s fresh off finishing runner-up in both the 5K and 10K at NCAA’s two weeks ago. Jenkins proved himself to be the second best kicker in the NCAA this year, behind only his teammate Edward Cheserek, and will certainly have the Hayward crowd behind him after just completing his Oregon career. Jenkins’ PB of 13:18 is from 2013, but he is definitely in shape to run much faster given his improvement in the mile (3:57) and 3K (7:44) in 2015. The 23-year-old is the wildcard to make the team to Beijing, and shouldn’t be counted out simply because of his lack of experience at USA’s.