by Larry EderThe steeplechase, properly run, is a lesson in energy management. The barriers and water jumps take a huge toll out of the athlete, and if not run with some caution, the last couple laps feature hurdles and barriers that seem much higher than the early laps.
The problem is, the women’s steeplechase is going through a revoluntion. Celliphine Chespol, the U2 world record holder, just whipped Ruth Jebet, the current WR and Olympic champion. Not too far behind them is one Emma Coburn.
Emma Coburn took the Olympic bronze, but also the American record in Rio last summer. On Friday night, at Joan Samuelson Night at Hayward Field, Emma Coburn ran a masterful race, and her last lap, 69.13, was faster than the three athletes in front of her, has she flew around the lap, and finished inches out of her American Record!
How fast can Emma Coburn go? RunBlogRun believes that Ms. Coburn can break nine minutes, and we could see that quite soon. We are so happy to see an American woman battling the world’s best. The Pre Classic race, for Emma Coburn, should be a true confidence builder.
