Did Bernard Lagat send a message at US Indoor Nationals? Maybe

Albuquerque, N.M.– It’s probably unrealistic to think that a race held in Albuquerque, New Mexico will have any impact four months from now in a lush and beautiful Des Moines, Iowa. Too many variables, too many unknowns.

You get the feeling tonight a message was sent in Bernard “Kip” Lagat’s uncanny kick to with 150 meters to go in the 3000m, edging out Galen Rupp. No matter how subtle it may be - a U.S. Outdoor Championships message was sent.

In front of a 2,979 sell out crowd, Lagat won in 8:12.60, ahead of Rupp in 8:13.49 at the 2010 USA Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Albuquerque Convention Center in Albuquerque, N.M.

Lagat and Rupp are the cream on top of the strawberry on the American distance scene. In tonights running, the presence of the younger Galen Rupp was evident, as he stayed with Kip for the majority of the race. But the bigger picture is that Kip performed much better and had a much bigger impact on the race.

On the flip side, it wasn’t too difficult to notice Rupp in just his first full season on the professional circuit has a major upside.

Considering that the two have previously met up this indoor season, the race became a two man run off and this will surely happen again in championship races. This race could have mean a lot. Or nothing. Who really knows at this point?

But we have to know that both athletes are happy with their respective performances.

Whether you consider this a piece of foreshadowing or just a stretch of the imagination, there is no denying that Kip Lagat came to run tonight.

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