Bekele vs Jim Ryun in a mile

Bekele, his 5000m Pr is just a bit slower than 4 minute mile pace.

I don't know his PR in the mile, but Bekele certainly could have run faster than 3:51. It comes down to much faster you think Ryun could have run on an all-weather track and with a more even pace. I also believe that Ryun overtrained. IMO, Ryun was as talented as Coe and Overt.

Ryun were in his prime when Bekele was in his 5000m prime, if the two men raced seven times over 1500m, Bekele would have beaten Ryun at least once.

Ryun, not consistent wrote:

Ryun were in his prime when Bekele was in his 5000m prime, if the two men raced seven times over 1500m, Bekele would have beaten Ryun at least once.

'67 Ryun would have destroyed Bekele over 1500. Like he did Keino throughout that year. Way higher basic speed, faster finish.

Bekele ran a 3:32 1500m and has the WR for the indoor 2,000m at 4:49 so he is sub 3:50 just based from that. I think he could have had the potential to challenge El G's WR if he focused more on it. Imagine if he concentrated on the 1500m and 5000m double for a few years after. He should have done this after his 26:17 in 2005 and WC gold in 2005. If he concentrated on 1500,5000m from 2005 after WC until the end of 2007, he could have the WR for the mile/1500m and sub 12:30 5,000m. Wow, just wow.

Banana Bread wrote:

Bekele ran a 3:32 1500m and has the WR for the indoor 2,000m at 4:49 so he is sub 3:50 just based from that. I think he could have had the potential to challenge El G's WR if he focused more on it. Imagine if he concentrated on the 1500m and 5000m double for a few years after. He should have done this after his 26:17 in 2005 and WC gold in 2005. If he concentrated on 1500,5000m from 2005 after WC until the end of 2007, he could have the WR for the mile/1500m and sub 12:30 5,000m. Wow, just wow.

Bekele got burned at the finish of the 5k in Athens '04 by El G. El G did not have Ryun's sprint speed. Comparing times thirty and forty years apart doesn't do it. Ryun had the greater speed (than either of those guys) Put them in the same track today the American takes out the Ethiopian, just as El G was able to do. (Oh - and no EPO's.)

Kenenisa Bekele wrote:

Who wins?

who wins!?!?!?

duuuur its obviously jim ryun! everyone knows he had PRs of

43'9

1'39

3'24

if he ran 3'24 that gives him a 3'40 mile! boooom long live vent!!!!

"Bekele got burned at the finish of the 5k in Athens '04 by El G. El G did not have Ryun's sprint speed. Comparing times thirty and forty years apart doesn't do it. Ryun had the greater speed (than either of those guys) Put them in the same track today the American takes out the Ethiopian, just as El G was able to do. (Oh - and no EPO's.)"

Agree, eliminate the 35-40 year gap and make equipment and training "technology" comparable and Ryun wins at 1 mile easily

jim ryun by a mile

Ryun, obviously. Not close.

Not to mention if I had Bekele's drugs....

Armstronglivs wrote:

Bekele got burned at the finish of the 5k in Athens '04 by El G.

Because Bekele ran a stupid tactical race. If you meet the best 1500 runner in history you can´t fart around at a modest pace and then think you can outrun him the last 300m.

Bekele beats Ryun at 1500. Sure, maybe he loses if the first 1100 is 2:45 or slower, but in a match race the first 1100 would be 2:38 at least. And in a paceset race 1100 would be 2:34.

The 2000 WR indoors is a big tip off. Bekele raced few 1500s and was certainly 3:30 capable.

Jim Ryun wrote:

Not to mention if I had Bekele's drugs....

Ryun was as likely on PED's as anyone else. The pro athlete drug of the era in 1960's was amphetamines.

well,, wrote:

Armstronglivs wrote:

Bekele got burned at the finish of the 5k in Athens '04 by El G.

Because Bekele ran a stupid tactical race. If you meet the best 1500 runner in history you can´t fart around at a modest pace and then think you can outrun him the last 300m.

Well, Bekele ALSO lost to El G in 2003, and that was in a 12:52 race...

A prime Bekele could beat Ryun by employing Keino's strategy at MC, and Bekele is faster than Keino. But Ryun was much faster at 800. If it comes to a kick Ryun wins.

Agreed! Ryun in 67 form would destroy Bekele in any type of 1500 or mile race. If it’s slow, Ryun’s 47 400m speed out kicks Bekele easily. Bekele was no better than 3:31 for 1500, Ryun was running 3:33 on dirt, and off fairly uneven splits, which is probably worth 3:30 on modern synthetic and half decent pacing, so Bekele wouldn’t have been able to drop him in a fast race.

Bekele would never have broken the 1500 WR had he focused on it, a ludicrous claim. He was perfect for 5 and 10k, and that was highly likely with a little help from EPO!

Ryun was one of the all time great milers. Bekele wouldn’t have posed a threat.

well jim ryun was a 3:33.1, and what we know is EPO gives around 7-8 seconds, so i would have ol jimbo running a 325.1 - 3:26.1....forget all that dirt track for just a minute, and convert his 3:33.1 to FAT, and that puts him at a 3:33.36, then sauce him up on EPO for ~7- 8 seconds and you have a 3:25.36 - 3:26.36....and as you can see ol jimbo on EPO was right there with El G....and El G beat KB so jim beats KB.

now we hop a sauced up jimbo on that annoying fake monaco track and dude now runs vent/calculo fantasy of 3'24...but so would have El G

Since 400m is raced in lanes the entire distance, no one handicaps a 400m race based upon which athlete has the most superior 100m PB. We know Bekele was not afraid of H.el.G.'s raw speed; Bekele would not have allowed a 1500m versus Ryun to turn into a jog & sprint. Bekele would have taken Ryun through 1000m sub-2:20. Ryan would not have been able to demonstrate his 1:44.xx 800m speed versus Bekele. People act as if Ryan would have been a great 1500m runner in the current era. Ryun would have been a solid 1:42.xx 800m specialist in the current era, maybe even slightly faster. Ryun was physically too large to race 1500m well. No sub-3:29 1500m runners are anywhere near Ryun's size.