VIPAM: What happened to Moses Mosop (KEN)?

I was in Ostrava, and prepared the race of human athletes behind Bekele (he's not human, is a machine). I had many athletes in the group (Hassan, Mosop, Kipchumba, Admassu, Maiyo and Bushendich). I told them that the race was very difficult, because the pace of Bekele at the beginning probably was not too fast, but in any case too fast for them. With Jos Hermens we planned 13:12 + 13:08, as Bekele uses to improve when the rabbits finish their work. So, his pace was about 63.5 per lap, while the supposed pace for Hassan, Mosop and Maiyo (the best of my group) had to be 65 (for beating the World junior record of Chelimo, running under 27:10). But, becauuse 63.5 and 65 at the beginning of the race are very similar paces, the big risk was to stay together (not having rabbits for the second group). This is what happened. Here there are the splits (every km) for my athletes :

HASSAN

2:38.6 - 5:17.8 (2:39.2) - 7:57.6 (2:39.8) - 10:38.5 (2:40.9) - 13:18.4 (2:39.9) - 16:00.6 (2:42.2) - 18:45.8 (2:45.2) - 21:35.6 (2:49.8) - 24:26.6 (2:51.0) - 27:15.03 (2:48.4)

MOSOP

2:38.3 - 5:17.2 (2:38.9) - 7:56.8 (2:39.6) - 10:38.3 (2:41.5) - 13:21.8 (2:43.5) - 16:08.2 (2:46.4) - 18:59.8 (2:51.6) - 21:52.4 (2:52.6) - 24:43.2 (2:50.8) - 27:30.66 (2:47.4)

MAIYO

2:40.2 - 5:21.6 (2:41.4) - 8:02.6 (2:41.0) - 10:45.6 (2:43.0) - 13:31.8 (2:46.2) - 16:18.6 (2:46.8) - 19:05.2 (2:46.6) - 21:53.0 (2:47.8) - 24:43.0 (2:50.0) - 27:30.30 (2:47.0)

So, what happened is very clear : all the athletes ran too fast at the beginning of the race, and their distribution of the energy was very bad. Nobody was able to continue with an even pace, and nobody was able to control his rhytm. Mosop ran in 13:09 in Hengelo, a split of 13:21 is only 12 seconds slower. Hassan at the moment can run in 13:05, the difference was 14.0. Maiyo can run 13:10, the difference was 22.0. Kipchumba (his split was 13:32 with Maiyo) can run about 13:20, so his difference was too little. For Bekele (13:14.4 with 12:37 in Hengelo) the difference was 37 seconds, that permits to improve in the second half.

I was on the track for giving the splits to Kenenisa (Jos was on the finish, I at 200m), and I was impressed by the expression of Bekele : with 200m to go, after 9800m, his face was the same of the start. This guy is incredible : he can destroy all the records, running 12:30 and 26:00 before 2006. He doesn't need rabbits, is mentally very strong. His recovery is incredible : after a very tough workout (for example, 10 x 1000m in 2:35 / 2:37 in Addis Abeba, with 2 min recovery) he needs only one day for recovering his energies, and is able to go for another hard session only two days after the first tough training.

Physiologically speaking, he's stronger than Gebre. His ntural value of hematocrite in 49, while Gebre never was able to have more than 42. For the next 6-8 years, nothing to do in 10000m. We must accept the idea that Bekele is one of those athletes that born every 30 years, like Michael Johnson, Bubka, Edwin Moses. When there is an athlete like them, the only possible thing for the others is running for the second place, awaiting that they finish their career.

I want also to do my compliments to Alan Webb. I liked him too much : he was aggressive, with big personality, good in pacing but also in the final sprint. I'm sure that he can run very close 3:30 in a more fast race. I don't know if he has the real possibility of a medal in Olympics, as many runners are not yet in shape, and others are yet to run (like Baala). But, if is able to keep the current condition, Webb can run at the same level of the bests.

Mr. Canova,

Thank you for your insight. It is truly appreciated. Good luck with the remainder of the season. I am positive that your athletes will run their goal times by season's end.

Great work!!

I've always though of Geb that way.

Renato Canova wrote:

We must accept the idea that Bekele is one of those athletes that born every 30 years, like Michael Johnson, Bubka, Edwin Moses. When there is an athlete like them, the only possible thing for the others is running for the second place, awaiting that they finish their career.

Renato Canova

Thank you for your response and I too think Moses was capable of running under Chelimo world junior record. The problem as you stated was going out too fast; however, Moses is still a great runner. I truly think and I hate to say this but there aren't but three athletes (Sileshi, Haile, and Nicholas K.) who should try and run with Bekele in the 10000m when he is fit and attempting a record. The athletes who ran against Kenenisa are very good world class athletes but they simply weren't ready for that pace.

Moses will no doubt continue to improve and hopeful make the Kenyan team and still get the junior record at the Olympics. Kenenisa will run extremely fast regardless if its a slow first half and blazing second half. The athletes (non Ethopians) running in the Olympics 10000m best chance is to go out as fast as they feel they can without crashing and hope to catch the other Ethopians (besides Bekele) having an off day.

VIPAM

Renato Canova- isn't Hassan the same guy who ran 26:38 last year? If so, is he not quite in top form yet b/c I'd imagine that 1st 5k wouldn't burn him out too bad. Anyway, if I'm not mistaken he's the former Albert Chepkuruiri who is the brother of a friend of mine, Peter Kiprono.

Just like the horse race last weekend with Smarty Jones, there are runners out there who are not racing for second. HGebre will run for first I am sure. There are other also that want to bring down or beat the newly appointed Bekele. Can Bekele hold this fitness till August?

I think Kenenisa is a mutant. He is a totally new character.

Vipam, at the moment there are 6 Ethiopians better than the best Kenyan : Bekele, Gebre, Sihine, Gebremariam, Dehranu and the new of 5000m (13:01) trying 10000m in short time. The problem is that in Kenya there is a very big pressure on the athletes for beating Bekele. Kenyan runners have to try every time, but in their mind well know that is not possible. So, they already are frustrated before starting. Kamathi in Ostrava was not a champion, but a frustrated athlete.

If in Kenya nobody explains to the public opinion that it's not possible to beat Bekele, and that running for the second place is something of honourable in any case, Kenyan runners have close for next 5 years with this distance and also with cross. The only athlete with some chance is Kipchoge in 5000m. When you live in the era of such a Champion, you are unlucky, but cannot do anything. Look at Fredericks against Johnson : 19.68, not winning !

The big difference between Bekele and the most part of Kenyans is in his capacity of concentration. For example, Nicholas Kemboi has nothing less than Bekele. An athlete able to run in 26:30 with 2 full months of work, cannot be at his top. But, after this performance, he relaxed too much, was disturbed by many things, and now is in little shape. He didn't continue his building, starting again from the beginning. Istead Bekele, soon after reaching a record, is concentrated in his improvement. This behavior was typical of Gebre, but is not typical of Kenyans, that never have the same level of professionalism. This is the big difference, not a problem of physical attitude.

I think that Kipchoge and Shaheen have an "Ethiopic" mentality, different from other Kenyans. In Kenya, with such mentality we had Kiptanui, Tergat, and now Wilfred Bungei. See in 1500m, the current situation of Cornelius Chirchir, Paul Korir and William Chirchir, that are very big talents. After having some money, motivation decreases and their stimula are no more enough.

Under this point of view, Ethiopians are very much more professional than Kenyans.

And after Kenny, there is Tariku, and I think he got even one more brother, the Bekele family will dominate for 20 years!

Renato are you the coach of Brimin Kipruto? (8.05/hengelo)

I was stunned by his effortless running, very good stride.