Sorensen says Vyacheslav Shabunin on target to go sub-4

If anyone can appreciate the world-record spree of Vyacheslav Shabunin, it’s Jim Sorensen, the Northern California miler who had one of his own in 2007. After the Russian set his 1500 indoor WR, I wrote to Jim for his reaction. He admits: “It would be sad to see my (outdoor) record go.” But Jim knows the game, and he’s becoming a fan of Shabunin. Certainly he admires his ability to hang with the elites.

Jim Sorensen (in gray) still mixes it up with the kidlets.


Here’s the note I got from Jim:

My reaction? Well, many have seen this coming. This guy was world class and didn’t take a hiatus from running in his latter years as many have done. He has continued to compete into his late 30’s and now he’s 40. Other than forced layoffs, this is the path I took, I never strayed from trying to stay in top form as I approached the big 40. The difference is that I was not a world class runner. Shabunin was indeed world class in his heyday. He boast PR’s of 1:47, 2:21, 3:32, 3:49, 4:57, 7:39, 8:36yd, 13:43, 28:23, and 61:29 (1/2-Marathon)

As you can see, he has shown great range in his career from 800m to half-marathon. I imagine he probably has some sponsorship support. I wonder how much he has to work. He ran 3:41.41 last year and that was down from his previous years. His recent 3:44.39 and 8:04.34 show great early season form. According to his IAAF biography, he ran a world record 2:24.93 1km  in January, but I havn’t seen any news about this. So that’s 3 records already. I am wondering if he is primarily doing strength right now or if he is in peak form.

If he still has some sharpening to do and is really preparing for the outdoor season, then he really is on target to break 4:00 for the mile and get my mark of 3:44.06. He may even get the 3:44.06 en route to a sub-4 mile, I wouldn’t be surprised. From what I know, he also appears to be fairly durable, but I am not sure about that. Even if he’s not in top form at this point, he still may break the famous 4-minute barrier soon.

Now that he is 40, he has the added incentive of potential world records, will have additional opportunities to race, and may even have some financial incentives (though I actually LOST money trying to get records).

To be honest, it would be sad to see my record go. I persevered and went through numerous injuries, comebacks, doubts, frustrations, sacrifices, etc. to even get to the point where I had a shot. Through it all I never gave up, stayed motivated and full of desire, and continued to believe that it just might happen. Yet there was always something to to render my confidence and belief uncertain.

But then again, it has to happen sometime. Records are made to be broken. I guess I should have ran faster back in 2007. I would be happy for him, even though he lives on the other side of the globe, speaks Russian I presume, and may make my 2.5 year old record look like an amateur mark. But I have something in common with him, the absence of retirement and a willingness to consider breaking masters records a worthwhile pursuit.

As far as my training/racing, I was hoping to do an early January 10-mile race for a workout and then the Hartshorne mile in late January. I caught a cold/infection after Christmas and struggled with running and recovering from the illness for about a month. I almost went to NY and perhaps could have raced well, but I was hesitant to fly across the country for a race that I wasn’t totally prepared for.

I feared an injury and perhaps even hitting the wall at the halfway point. I reluctantly canceled. But I wasn’t so sick that I couldn’t train some. Now that I appear to be 99% recovered from the cold, I am starting to hit my stride now. Another couple of full weeks of training and I will contemplate what racing to do. The indoor season always seems to pass me by due to injuries or someting. But since the US Masters indoor is in late March, I am eye-balling a race or two there.

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February 7, 2010

3 Responses

  1. Khalid Mulazim - February 7, 2010

    It would be great attention for masters athletes.
    Go Vyacheslav!

  2. Matt Bogdanowicz - February 7, 2010

    He ran 8:01.44 today 3000
    I think he has a good shot at a 3:58-9 outdoors. He is lightweight which helps in recovery about 126 pounds.

  3. Matt Bogdanowicz - February 7, 2010

    In 2001 he set his Mile PR and also ran the equiv. of about 5 laps under an average of 60 (indoor 2K)
    Amazing. So it seems likely: 9 years and 9 seconds = 3:58. Makes you wonder in about 10 years where will this records be? No doubt Sub 4 is possible by a 45 year old someday and 3:54-55 is possible as the masters record. Heck, in 5 years Lagat may run 3:55.

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