Is Mo Farah "fastest ever" sub 2:10 marathoner?

I think he is the only person who has run sub 3:30 and even posted a marathon time in a serious race.

But to determine if he is the "fastest ever" sub 2:10 marathoner you need to compare 100m times.

So look up the sub 2:10 guys and cross reference their 100m PRs.

My guess is that you won't find a single one that has a 100m time listed on their IAAF profile.

Didn't the guy run like a 13 second 100? Not exactly what I'd call "fast". He does have a good kick, but someone who is a kicker on the track isn't necessarily much use at the end of a 'thon.

Also, almost every great distance runner will be pretty good at every event 1500-marathon.

Bring Back the 880 wrote:

Didn't the guy run like a 13 second 100? Not exactly what I'd call "fast". He does have a good kick, but someone who is a kicker on the track isn't necessarily much use at the end of a 'thon.

Also, almost every great distance runner will be pretty good at every event 1500-marathon.

Haha everyone who is looking to laugh this morning read this. Idiot

RunnerBoy2 wrote:

Bring Back the 880 wrote:

Didn't the guy run like a 13 second 100? Not exactly what I'd call "fast". He does have a good kick, but someone who is a kicker on the track isn't necessarily much use at the end of a 'thon.

Also, almost every great distance runner will be pretty good at every event 1500-marathon.

Haha everyone who is looking to laugh this morning read this. Idiot

What part of his post is funny?

quite a bit different wrote:

RunnerBoy2 wrote:

Haha everyone who is looking to laugh this morning read this. Idiot

What part of his post is funny?

Using his last 100m of a 10K and making that his 100m time. That part was unintentionally funny.

whatsmyname wrote:

Using his last 100m of a 10K and making that his 100m time. That part was unintentionally funny.

You know that's not where he got that 100m time from. Why are you acting like you really think he got it from the last 100m of a 10k?

quite a bit different wrote:

whatsmyname wrote:

Using his last 100m of a 10K and making that his 100m time. That part was unintentionally funny.

You know that's not where he got that 100m time from. Why are you acting like you really think he got it from the last 100m of a 10k?

Because I'm stupid. Duh!

Sub 3:30. He is obviously not slow, 1500-marathon range.

That's not too shabby.

whatsmyname wrote:

quite a bit different wrote:

You know that's not where he got that 100m time from. Why are you acting like you really think he got it from the last 100m of a 10k?

Because I'm stupid. Duh!

Wow - there is a very immature person on this site that for whatever reason chose to use the same name I used. Quite pathetic, whatmyname#2.

quite a bit different wrote:

whatsmyname wrote:

Using his last 100m of a 10K and making that his 100m time. That part was unintentionally funny.

You know that's not where he got that 100m time from. Why are you acting like you really think he got it from the last 100m of a 10k?

Well, I'm not sure then where the 13 comes from though he has run that at the end of 10Ks. If he were to run a 100m race, he surely would run 11.xx where the xx is debatable but the 11 is not.

Matter of Perspective wrote:

Has anyone else ever run sub 3:30 for 1500m and sub 2:10 for marathon?

Geb's obviously way better averaged out, with 3:31 and 2:03:59, but with everyone hating on Mo last spring, I thought we might look at it a different way.

I can't think of a single elite marathoner over time with sub 3:30 1500m credentials. But then again, I didn't do my research.

Geb has 3:31/2:03:59

Bekele has 3:32/2:05:04

Way back in the day everyone talked about which marathoners had gone sub 4 mile and sub 2:10. Maybe we ought to give Mo more credit. He's run the equivalent of a 3:46 mile AND a 2:08:21. Was it fair to expect him to do any better over such a different distance? He's already got incredible range.

Sigh. The general thrust of what I've been saying starkly (and what many are astonished at, in regards to Mo) on many threads since the London Marathon finish. People like to go a tad bit overboard in not giving Mo credit and making qualifications. 3:28-mid and 2:07-high (in not the best conditions in London) in his DEBUT... very close to each other... and following an absolutely STUNNING pinnacle stretch of 5k/10k track career...

Sure, Geb, Bekele (as it now stands at the beginning of his marathon career) and even Tergat are very significantly faster than Mo at the marathon. But, take the specific details just mentioned--he's clearly beyond anyone in history. Which raises wonder about the training methods and lifestyle employed. Plus, he's not done yet at the marathon.

Geb, Bekele and Tergat compare because you've taken the greatest of all time in the regards of distance range. These guys were fast and the most incredible distance track athletes (and cross country athletes for Bekele and Tergat). And when all is said and done, they did what few or no others have done, which is to proceed from long, world-beating, GOAT candidate distinguished careers at distance on the track to reaching exalted heights or near them at the Marathon... at least, at the time, in regards to time performances (but not necessarily racing/championship record) (and the verdict is not yet out on Bekele).

Many athletes have been great in one area or another but not both--having had great success moving up to the marathon but not all-time top distance track careers. Other fast distance track athletes, with all-time top times and/or championship racing achievements, faltered in a serious move up in distance or pretty much couldn't even sniff the idea of it.

Now, that's only speaking from general and incomplete historical knowledge, lacking insight into specific circumstances (challenges, racing conditions, timelines, etc.)--and the veteran/elders on this board can opine.

But to answer your question--I say yes!! It's mindboggling! And 2:07-high in less than ideal racing conditions in a debut, is different enough from merely sub 2:10 to be remarked upon

Matter of Perspective wrote:

Has anyone else ever run sub 3:30 for 1500m and sub 2:10 for marathon?

Geb's obviously way better averaged out, with 3:31 and 2:03:59, but with everyone hating on Mo last spring, I thought we might look at it a different way.

I can't think of a single elite marathoner over time with sub 3:30 1500m credentials. But then again, I didn't do my research.

Geb has 3:31/2:03:59

Bekele has 3:32/2:05:04

Way back in the day everyone talked about which marathoners had gone sub 4 mile and sub 2:10. Maybe we ought to give Mo more credit. He's run the equivalent of a 3:46 mile AND a 2:08:21. Was it fair to expect him to do any better over such a different distance? He's already got incredible range.

Mo Farah definitely by far has the best 1500m PB from all the sub-2:10 marathoners. The next fastest behind him must be Haile Gebrselassie and than Kenenisa Bekele (without checking, but really can't remember who could challenge them). Rod Dixon has run 3:33,89 in 1974 and has won the 1983 New York Marathon in 2:08:59. Even Arturo Barrios, who has ran a Marathon in 2:08, has a very good 1500m PB of 3:37,61. But there might be many kenyan top marathoners these days who should be capable to better this (if they try).

So, Mo Farahs marathon debut should have gotten a lot more credit in my opinion.

But it's so disapointing for me that he doesn't went for really great times in the Mile, 2000m, 3000m and 2 Miles.

quite a bit different wrote:

whatsmyname wrote:

Using his last 100m of a 10K and making that his 100m time. That part was unintentionally funny.

You know that's not where he got that 100m time from. Why are you acting like you really think he got it from the last 100m of a 10k?

QaBT is correct.

Some other notables:

Eliud Kipchoge 3:33.20/2:04:05

Markos Geneti 3:33.83/2:04:54

If Bernard Lagat ever does a marathon, it'd be interesting to see if he could break 2:10.

whatsmyname wrote:

quite a bit different wrote:

You know that's not where he got that 100m time from. Why are you acting like you really think he got it from the last 100m of a 10k?

Well, I'm not sure then where the 13 comes from though he has run that at the end of 10Ks. If he were to run a 100m race, he surely would run 11.xx where the xx is debatable but the 11 is not.

He ran 12.98 for a 100m race.

troll detector wrote:

whatsmyname wrote:

Well, I'm not sure then where the 13 comes from though he has run that at the end of 10Ks. If he were to run a 100m race, he surely would run 11.xx where the xx is debatable but the 11 is not.

He ran 12.98 for a 100m race.

Facts! I don't need your stinking facts!

It'd be interesting to see if Lagat could break 2:06 more like it!

i remember an old thread about US sub 4 guys and making the olympic trials marathon standard (2:20?) in the same year. how far abart was Farah's 1500m and Marathon? I'm thinking it was within the same year (12month span) so that would most certainly be the greatest ever, as it seems that most are several years apart, typically.