W. Kipsang on Farah: "(Farah) may have an advantage on course endurance.” - Huh?

Farah has done altitude training, so he is on par with the top Kenyans in that respect. He is also more familiar with the course, so he will be able to stay strong, recognizing the area and how far he is from the finish line. It seems pretty obvious.

The Kenyans aren't counting out Farah, excepting that he hasn't raced a marathon before now, making him unlikely to win a race against world-beaters. But I am sure that any one of them realizes that Farah could certainly beat them, if they don't have an optimal race, and Farah's familiarity with London will only increase their caution as they race him.

For myself, I don't think he will place higher than fourth. But, I have noticed that "star power" affects even star Kenyans. But we shall see. Overall, I am more interested in Bekele's debut- London will just be a "cluster-cuss," no matter what way you slice it.

I really do hate to say this, but articles in "The Nation" are often indecipherable and make no sense at all.

NOP-E wrote:

Farah has done altitude training, so he is on par with the top Kenyans in that respect. He is also more familiar with the course, so he will be able to stay strong, recognizing the area and how far he is from the finish line. It seems pretty obvious.

So Farah is more familiar with the course than the kenyans like Wilson Kipsang who run the whole course multiple times and won it? Yeah, pretty obvious.

rojo wrote:

NOP-E wrote:

Farah has done altitude training, so he is on par with the top Kenyans in that respect. He is also more familiar with the course, so he will be able to stay strong, recognizing the area and how far he is from the finish line. It seems pretty obvious.

So Farah is more familiar with the course than the kenyans like Wilson Kipsang who run the whole course multiple times and won it? Yeah, pretty obvious.

Home course advantage. Ever heard of it, stupid?

juggawat wrote:

Home course advantage. Ever heard of it, stupid?

Yeah, in high school cross country....

juggawat wrote:

rojo wrote:

So Farah is more familiar with the course than the kenyans like Wilson Kipsang who run the whole course multiple times and won it? Yeah, pretty obvious.

Home course advantage. Ever heard of it, stupid?

...

First off, Farah trains in the US so it isn't like he is on the course all day.

Farah has run half of it. Once.

Kipsang has run the entire marathon several years in a row against top competition. If Farah had grown up running that as his magneto loop or something that might be relevant...but since that didn't happen I have no idea what you are thinking by home course advantage (unless you mean crowd support and comfort with being in GB...but that is definitely NOT familiarity of the course)

Is English Kipsang's first language? Probably just a mistake and he didn't know what he he said.

I'm sure Kipsang is equally stumped by reading your "articles".

LetsRun.com wrote:

It's poorly written/explained.

Ironic

SMJO wrote:

I'm sure Kipsang is equally stumped by reading your "articles".

POD

In his formative years Mo used to run (and win) the mini marathon (part of the last 3 miles of the course) so he should know that section quite well.

LM wrote:

First off, Farah trains in the US so it isn't like he is on the course all day.

Farah does a lot of training in Iten this time of year. The Kenyans see this as very significant. In fact they will root for him over just about any other non-Kenyan, because they know he "needs" to train in Kenya every year to keep winning.

TAA wrote:

Is English Kipsang's first language?

Of course not, it's at least his third language. It is also likely a misquote by the author.

Can someone tell us what you think that means? It's poorly written/explained.[/quote]

If they quoted what he said how can it be poorly written

I lived in Kenya for 3 years and the standard of journalism is appaling. You can barely read a paragragh in one of the countries two main daily papers without finding mistakes , and often whats written is so baffling as to not even make sense. Kipsang may or may not have said this or anything like this. One of the 'nuances' of Africa is that no one questions anything which is done by someone who is percieved to be powerful or important and journalists fall into this category.

He means that Farah will be pumped full of dope

Nakupenda pia pia wrote:

I lived in Kenya for 3 years and the standard of journalism is appaling. You can barely read a paragragh in one of the countries two main daily papers without finding mistakes , and often whats written is so baffling as to not even make sense. Kipsang may or may not have said this or anything like this. One of the 'nuances' of Africa is that no one questions anything which is done by someone who is percieved to be powerful or important and journalists fall into this category.

Yes, it's true the standard of writing in Kenyan papers is abysmal, but Kenyans tend to write the way they speak so no one cares. Content matters more than style so you'll get people who can't string a coherent sentences together becoming journalists.

And thanks for stereotyping as all as blind sheep who don't question authority, but let me assure you things have changed in this country since the '70s when you lived here.

Nakupenda pia pia wrote:

I lived in Kenya for 3 years and the standard of journalism is appaling. You can barely read a paragragh in one of the countries two main daily papers without finding mistakes , and often whats written is so baffling as to not even make sense. Kipsang may or may not have said this or anything like this. One of the 'nuances' of Africa is that no one questions anything which is done by someone who is percieved to be powerful or important and journalists fall into this category.

Yes about as good as Swahili articles in the US

rojo wrote:

NOP-E wrote:

Farah has done altitude training, so he is on par with the top Kenyans in that respect. He is also more familiar with the course, so he will be able to stay strong, recognizing the area and how far he is from the finish line. It seems pretty obvious.

So Farah is more familiar with the course than the kenyans like Wilson Kipsang who run the whole course multiple times and won it? Yeah, pretty obvious.

Because running a course multiple times beats knowing every landmark in the city and how far those landmarks are from the finish line. I didn't know you had time to sightsee the area while running a sub 2:10 marathon. That seems like something the 4:10 runners do...