World Championships Recap
The nature of distance running-- particularly when your Coach is Jerry Schumacher-- is that long blocks of training lead into short periods of racing. Day after day, week after week, month after month, athletes train with their eyes pointed towards one peak event. When that event arrives, success or failure will inevitably color the memory of all that came before. A great and enjoyable block of training is marred by a disappointing result. A difficult period is remembered in the fond afterglow of an unexpected success. Every experienced athlete knows this intuitively. It is a process that can’t help but breed tension and nerves.
It’s doubly so when your running is your career and triply so when the peak event is an October World Championships. That is why, all places and times aside, we are so proud of how our athletes ran at the IAAF World Championships in Doha. Each of them confronted the pressure and delivered in the face of it.
The places and times though, they were pretty great!
In the final tally, across 10 athletes, we had 8 top 10 finishes, 5 personal bests, 2 national records, and one big ol’ Bronze Medal.
Below you’ll find all our Instagram recaps for each event, as well as race video where available.
Women’s Marathon
13. Carrie Dimoff, 2:44.35
Women’s 10,000m
8. Marielle Hall, 31:05.71— #6 U.S. All-Time
Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase
6. Courtney Frerichs: 9:11.27
Women’s 5,000m
9. Karissa Schweizer, 14:45.18— #5 U.S. All-Time
Men’s 1,500m
8. Matthew Centrowitz, 3:32.18
Men’s 10,000m
5. Moh Ahmed, 27:59.35— Canadian Record!
6. Lopez Lomong, 27:04.72— #3 U.S. All-Time
World Championships Schedule and Preview
The World Championships stretch for 10 days from September 27th to October 6th in Doha, Qatar. We have 10 athletes competing across 8 events. See below for the detailed schedule (all times are Pacific).
Note: for “Where to Watch” we have included the channels on which there is scheduled to be live coverage. There will also be tape delays on certain days. You can see the full TV schedule here. In addition to TV, all action can be viewed live or on demand with the NBC Sports Gold track and field package.
Friday, September 27th
9:00am PT: Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase, Prelim
Courtney and Colleen look to qualify for Monday’s final. Courtney is defending her historic Silver medal from 2017, while Colleen would like to avenge a disqualification in the prelims from that year when she just barely stepped on the inside line.
Where to Watch: NBCSN or NBC Sports Gold
9:55am PT: Men’s 5,000m, Prelim
Moh and Marc head up the international contingent for BTC in this prelim. Fresh off a second place at the British Trials, Marc is looking to make his first World Championship final. Moh has made the final at three consecutive World or Olympic Championships.
Where to Watch: NBCSN or NBC Sports Gold
1:59pm PT: Women’s Marathon
Carrie competing in the 2018 Payton Jordan 10,000m where she ran under 32 minutes for the first time.
At 36, Carrie makes her first ever appearance at the World Championships. The BTC Elite athlete, Nike shoe designer, and mother of two has been taking more time off than usual from work and family duties to prepare for this opportunity. The marathon is the one event that can’t take place in the air conditioned stadium in Doha. The race will be at night, but it still projects to be 90 degrees. In a marathon, tough conditions mean anything could happen!
Where to Watch: Olympic Channel or NBC Sports Gold
Saturday, September 28th
11:10am PT: Women’s 10,000m, Final
Marielle competes at her second World Championships in a stacked field. Earlier this year she set a personal best at the 5,000m, but was disappointed with her lone 10,000m race at the US Championships. We think she’s primed to put it together at the longer distance.
Where to Watch: Olympic Channel coverage lasts until 11:30 and then the action switches over to NBC. You can always stream online at NBC Sports Gold.
Monday, September 30th
11:20am PT: Men’s 5,000m, Final
We know Moh is in great shape, but one question remains: will the headband make an appearance in Doha?
Moh has finished 12th, 4th, and 6th in his previous three global championships in the 5,000m. This year he became the first Canadian under 13 minutes. Can he make the jump to the podium? Marc battled through a spring injury to make his second World Championships team. How high can he finish with a little bit of experience under his belt?
Where to Watch: Olympic Channel or NBC Sports Gold
11:50am PT: Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase, Final
Courtney shocked the world with her finish in 2017, everyone will see her coming this time. Colleen has struggled with injury the past month. She’s as tough as they come and will need to be to face this challenge.
Where to Watch: Olympic Channel or NBC Sports Gold
Courtney even surprised herself at the 2017 World Championships.
Wednesday, October 2nd
7:35am PT: Women’s 1,500m, Heats
The first of hopefully three races for Shelby. The name of the game: survive and advance.
Where to Watch: NBCSN or NBC Sports Gold
8:25am PT: Women’s 5,000m, Prelim
Karissa takes to the track in her first ever World Championships with one goal: make the final.
Where to Watch: NBCSN or NBC Sports Gold
Thursday, October 3rd
12:00pm PT: Men’s 1,500m, Heats
The first of the three rounds for Matt, the master tactician. Coming off a 13:00 5,000m personal best, he’s definitely strong enough to handle the extra rounds at Worlds.
Where to Watch: NBCSN or NBC Sports Gold
1:00pm PT: Women’s 1,500m, Semi-final
The road gets a little rockier for Shelby. The 1,500m semi-finals are always tense and exciting qualifying races. This is her first World Championship appearance in the 1,500m and her tactics and kick will be tested in this round.
Where to Watch: NBCSN or NBC Sports Gold
Friday, October 4th
10:10am PT: Men’s 1,500m, Semi-final
Even the Olympic Champion has to sweat the Semi-final at this level.
Where to Watch: Olympic Channel or NBC Sports Gold
Saturday, October 5th
10:55am PT: Women’s 1,500m, Final
Shelby winning the 2018 Prefontaine Classic her first sub-4 performance.
At the last World Championships Shelby was still a 5,000m. Since then she’s won two Diamond League 1,500m’s and broken 4:00 three times. We can’t wait to see her in what will hopefully be her first 1,500m final. Don’t miss this one!
Where to Watch: Olympic Channel or NBC Sports Gold
11:25am PT: Women’s 5,000m, Final
The pace in Women’s 5,000m finals are often brutal and unforgiving. We saw Karissa handle conditions like that really well at the Prefontaine Classic. We hope to see that again!
Where to Watch: NBC or NBC Sports Gold
Sunday, October 6th
9:40am PT: Men’s 1,500m, Final
The men’s 1,500m is often chaotic and unpredictable. It’s become straightforward in the past two years as Kenyan Timothy Cheruiyot has taken to making the pace hard. We know Centro can excel in a sit and kick affair and, as a 13:00 5,000m man, he’s got the strength for the long run for home. No excuse for missing this one: Sunday football doesn’t even start until 10!
Where to Watch: NBC or NBC Sports Gold
10:00am PT: Men’s 10,000m, Final
Lopez dominated the USATF 10,000m in July.
They say good things come to those who wait. We hope that’s true because Lopez is going to have to do a lot of waiting for his chance to shine in these Championships. After winning the 10,000m and the 5,000m at the US Championships and running 13:00 for 5,000m, it’s safe to say he’s in the best shape of his life. The pace in these races is often run close to 27:00, which will be a huge test. Moh already passed that test in London in 2017, when he ran the Canadian Record of 27:01. Hopefully the BTC boys can work together to handle the storm!
Where to Watch: NBC or NBC Sports Gold
USATF Championships Viewing Guide
All the info you need to watch BTC at the 2018 USATF Track and Field Championships
The USATF Track and Field Championships are in Des Moines, IA from Thursday June 21st to Sunday June 24th. We will have 10 athletes competing over the 4 days of competitions. This year we are hoping to step up our social media game and provide you with more updates, photos, and video from Des Moines. Follow us at @BowermanTC on Twitter and Instagram to keep up with all the action. Below you can find event by event viewing information so you don’t miss a single race! All times are in the central time zone.
You can find a complete schedule and list of entries here.
Women’s 10,000m: Marielle Hall, Gwen Jorgensen, Carrie Dimoff
Date/Time/Where To Watch: Thursday, June 21st, 7:00pm CDT (NBC Sports Gold)
Carrie and Gwen at the 2017 Payton Jordan Invite. Photo: Talbot Cox
The Women’s 10k field is deep this year, with 9 women who have broken 32 minutes, including defending champion and American Record holder, Molly Huddle. 3 of those women are BTC athletes. Marielle was an Olympian at this distance in 2016, but opted for the 5,000m last year. Her 31:37 personal best is the third fastest in the field. Gwen and Carrie each had big personal bests at the Payton Jordan Invitational in May, running 31:55 and 31:57 respectively. The two #RunnersWhoMom have both taken unorthodox paths to the starting line in Des Moines. Gwen is the reigning Olympic Champion in the Triathlon who now trains with our professional group and will be appearing at her first USATF Track Championships. Carrie, a shoe designer at Nike, finished top 10 at the Olympic Trials in 2008 and 2012 in the Steeplechase, but has blossomed at the longer distances over the past year. In addition to her 49 second 10,000m personal best this year, she ran a 2:30 marathon and was second at the USATF Championships at that distance in 2017.
Mercifully it seems like only the pace will be hot in this race, as the current weather forecast is for cooler temps and rain.
Men’s 10,000m: Lopez Lomong
Date/Time/Where to Watch: Thursday, June 21st, 7:40pm CDT (NBC Sports Gold)
Lopez has made Olympic and World teams at 1,500m and 5,000m and will now finally try his hand at the 10,000m. He debuted at the distance earlier this year in 28:21. There are a lot of new names in the field this year, but the most experienced is Shadrack Kipchirchir who ran 27:07 at the World Championships last year.
Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase: Courtney Frerichs
Date/Time/Where To Watch:
Prelim: Thursday, June 21st, 1:50pm CDT (NBC Sports Gold)
Final: Saturday, June 23rd, 3:20pm CDT (NBC)
Courtney and Emma Coburn at the 2017 World Championships where they went 1-2.
An unfortunate foot injury will keep Olympian Colleen Quigley from competing in this event, but BTC will be well represented by 2017 World Championships Silver Medalist, Courtney Frerichs. Courtney has kept a relatively low profile this year, running just two track races in preparation for a long outdoor season. She ran a personal best of 4:14 in the 1500m in April and finished 4th in Oslo Diamond League Steeplechase in 9:20. Reigning World Champion Emma Coburn has dominated this event, winning six national titles in the past seven years. Can Courtney challenge her for supremacy? We hope.
Women’s 1500m: Shelby Houlihan and Kate Grace
Date/Time/Where to Watch:
Prelim: Thursday, June 21st, 3:35pm CDT (NBC Sports Gold)
Final: Saturday, June 23rd, 3:46pm CDT (NBC)
Shelby celebrating her victory at the 2018 Prefontaine Classic.
Kate was second at this distance last year, in the best 1500m season of her career. This will be her first outdoor championships with BTC. Shelby, perhaps better known as 5,000m runner before this year, has been on fire over 1500m in 2018. This indoor season, she won the US title and took 4th at the World Championships. At the Prefontaine Classic she stunned a world class field over the final 150 meters to win in her first sub-4 performance. The star BTC pair will face off against an always deep field headed by Jenny Simpson, whose 4 World/Olympic Medals make her one of the most accomplished US middle distance runners of all time. Expect a lot of buzz around this race!
Women’s 5,000m: Shelby Houlihan and Marielle Hall
Date/Time/Where to Watch: Sunday, June 24th, 3:20pm CDT (NBC)
Marielle at the 2018 Portland Track Festival. Picture: Jordan Beckett
Both BTC athletes will be doubling back in this event, which could prove extra grueling by virtue of being in the middle of the afternoon (temperatures are currently forecast at around 80 degrees for Sunday). Shelby will be attempting to defend her title as US Champion, while Marielle will be looking to improve on her 5th place finish from a year ago. Shelby has not competed at this distance in 2018. Marielle recently won the Portland Track Festival in 15:16 as a final tune up for USA’s. The field is missing usual stars Molly Huddle and Shannon Rowbury, but still features 7 women who have run 15:20 or better.
Men’s 3,000m Steeplechase: Evan Jager and Josh Thompson
Date/Time/Where To Watch:
Prelim: Friday, June 22nd, 3:15pm CDT (NBC Sports Gold)
Final: Sunday, June 24th, 3:55pm CDT (NBC)
Evan on the way to winning his 6th consecutive US title in 2017.
The Master and the young Padawan: Evan has won more steeplechases national titles than Josh has run steeplechases in his life. Twice as many, to be precise. Evan goes for his seventh consecutive title against four other athletes who have gone under 8:15 in their careers. Coming off a narrow third place finish in 8:11 at the Prefontaine Classic, he is well positioned to defend his title, but winning at this level is never easy or guaranteed. Josh struggled with injury in his first year as a pro but opened up his season 10 days ago at the Portland Track Festival by winning the Steeplechase in 8:35. The prelim will be just the 4th Steeple of his career and these championships will be an excellent chance to build his experience in the event.
Men’s 5,000m: Ryan Hill
Date/Time/Where To Watch: Sunday, June 24th, 4:30pm CDT (NBC)
This race figures to come down to the 4 men who have run under 13:10 in their careers. Ryan is one of them. The favorite is defending champ and Olympic Silver medalist Paul Chelimo who ran very aggressively at the front last year. Will he adopt similar tactics this year or will it be a slow race like the last time the championships were held in Des Moines in 2013? That race favored Ryan’s 3,000m prowess, as he closed in under 4 minutes for his final mile and surprisingly made the World Championship team while still representing North Carolina State University. In either scenario, expect Ryan to be hanging out near the front, waiting to use his big finishing kick.