Julien Wanders had flu in Copenhagen half (1:03:47), Bonny Kibiwott was injured 2 months (60:00)

Ghost1 wrote:

Wanders is cooked wrote:

Nice try but let's face it: Wanders is done. He had a great couple of years many moons ago, but he lost his shape and perhaps his drive.

He's not going to run anywhere near his PRs. Sorry.

Why are people saying this about the Swiss man? The kid is only 26 years young. If he can sort out his problems there’s no physical or psychological reason as to why he should not get back to the same level or preferably better. I don’t think Julien would invest all his time and energy in living in Kenya full-time, almost like a monk, if he didn’t think that he could reach the highest level in athletics and remember he’s the European record holder for 10 km on the road and half marathon road, 27:13/59:13, which he ran back in 2019 - not so long ago.

Ghost1 wrote:

Ghost1 wrote:

Why are people saying this about the Swiss man? The kid is only 26 years young. If he can sort out his problems there’s no physical or psychological reason as to why he should not get back to the same level or preferably better. I don’t think Julien would invest all his time and energy in living in Kenya full-time, almost like a monk, if he didn’t think that he could reach the highest level in athletics and remember he’s the European record holder for 10 km on the road and half marathon road, 27:13/59:13, which he ran back in 2019 - not so long ago.

Link:worldathletics.org/athletes/switzerlan...

correction: he ran the 27:13 on January 12, 2020 in Valencia Spain just before Covid cast its unfortunate shadow over the world and ruined the plans for many. I think that was his last good race before his downward spiral. However, in February 2022 he got back to a semblance of his best form with 1:00:28 in the Napoli half marathon, Italy. He was following Super Italian runner Crippa, for a substantial part of that race before having to concede near the end.

I am surprised by the ill deserved negativity towards the Swiss runner on this website which is very unfortunate, and not logical, because as previously mentioned the kid is only 26 years young. Let’s let this ecto monster continue building and give him the chance to show his true worth which will come about again in December in Valencia, which seems to be a magic location for many athletes, where he will toe the line in the marathon .

Ghost1 wrote:

Ghost1 wrote:

Link:worldathletics.org/athletes/switzerlan...

correction: he ran the 27:13 on January 12, 2020 in Valencia Spain just before Covid cast its unfortunate shadow over the world and ruined the plans for many. I think that was his last good race before his downward spiral. However, in February 2022 he got back to a semblance of his best form with 1:00:28 in the Napoli half marathon, Italy. He was following Super Italian runner Crippa, for a substantial part of that race before having to concede near the end.

I am surprised by the ill deserved negativity towards the Swiss runner on this website which is very unfortunate, and not logical, because as previously mentioned the kid is only 26 years young. Let’s let this ecto monster continue building and give him the chance to show his true worth which will come about again in December in Valencia, which seems to be a magic location for many athletes, where he will toe the line in the marathon .

Instagram:www.instagram.com/reel/Cib6WC0oyfI/?ig...

Julien training in Iten recently prior to the Copenhagen half marathon with good mates Bonny Kibiwott (not to be confused with another monster, Kibiwott Kandie) and fellow Swiss Tadesse Abraham, who ran a stunning 59:53 at the age of 40 in Copenhagen a few days ago. Comparing Julien with Abraham is interesting. Tadesse is fundamentally of stronger physical build, at least outwardly. Julien appears to have less muscle tone but nevertheless for his light frame he is probably still very strong. I don’t think Wanders will keep on running until the age of 40, but that’s another matter. Perhaps he will transition to the rap music industry which appears to be one of his major interests in life. Somewhat paradoxical because both of his parents are classical musicians in Geneva, Switzerland. Classical music and rap are poles apart but that is the way things happen many times between parents and children with the latter making their own stance in life often at diametrically opposite directions.

$baby wrote:

Ghost1 wrote:

Instagram:www.instagram.com/reel/Cib6WC0oyfI/?ig...

Julien training in Iten recently prior to the Copenhagen half marathon with good mates Bonny Kibiwott (not to be confused with another monster, Kibiwott Kandie) and fellow Swiss Tadesse Abraham, who ran a stunning 59:53 at the age of 40 in Copenhagen a few days ago. Comparing Julien with Abraham is interesting. Tadesse is fundamentally of stronger physical build, at least outwardly. Julien appears to have less muscle tone but nevertheless for his light frame he is probably still very strong. I don’t think Wanders will keep on running until the age of 40, but that’s another matter. Perhaps he will transition to the rap music industry which appears to be one of his major interests in life. Somewhat paradoxical because both of his parents are classical musicians in Geneva, Switzerland. Classical music and rap are poles apart but that is the way things happen many times between parents and children with the latter making their own stance in life often at diametrically opposite directions.

Thank you for your analysis on this tread, Ghost1- a pleasure to read and learn. However, your recent comment about Wanders's interest in rap is truly interesting to me. Are you asserting that he might take a job within the rap industry (as a producer or in marking for instance) or that he might become an actual rapper? If it is the latter, I would be most delighted and horrified at the same time. Maybe he should reconsider his post-running plans... surely there is not much of a market for the rap music of a skinny almost middle aged Swiss man in old Asics half tights?

Ghost1 wrote:

Ghost1 wrote:

Why are people saying this about the Swiss man? The kid is only 26 years young. If he can sort out his problems there’s no physical or psychological reason as to why he should not get back to the same level or preferably better. I don’t think Julien would invest all his time and energy in living in Kenya full-time, almost like a monk, if he didn’t think that he could reach the highest level in athletics and remember he’s the European record holder for 10 km on the road and half marathon road, 27:13/59:13, which he ran back in 2019 - not so long ago.

Link:worldathletics.org/athletes/switzerlan...

correction: he ran the 27:13 on January 12, 2020 in Valencia Spain just before Covid cast its unfortunate shadow over the world and ruined the plans for many. I think that was his last good race before his downward spiral. However, in February 2022 he got back to a semblance of his best form with 1:00:28 in the Napoli half marathon, Italy. He was following Super Italian runner Crippa, for a substantial part of that race before having to concede near the end.

I am surprised by the ill deserved negativity towards the Swiss runner on this website which is very unfortunate, and not logical, because as previously mentioned the kid is only 26 years young. Let’s let this ecto monster continue building and give him the chance to show his true worth which will come about again in December in Valencia, which seems to be a magic location for many athletes, where he will toe the line in the marathon .

Wanders is cooked wrote:

Ghost1 wrote:

Link:worldathletics.org/athletes/switzerlan...

correction: he ran the 27:13 on January 12, 2020 in Valencia Spain just before Covid cast its unfortunate shadow over the world and ruined the plans for many. I think that was his last good race before his downward spiral. However, in February 2022 he got back to a semblance of his best form with 1:00:28 in the Napoli half marathon, Italy. He was following Super Italian runner Crippa, for a substantial part of that race before having to concede near the end.

I am surprised by the ill deserved negativity towards the Swiss runner on this website which is very unfortunate, and not logical, because as previously mentioned the kid is only 26 years young. Let’s let this ecto monster continue building and give him the chance to show his true worth which will come about again in December in Valencia, which seems to be a magic location for many athletes, where he will toe the line in the marathon .

Mid 20s and declining. Classic and unfortunate scenario. Scores of athletes are on the same boat: 2 years of brillance and the inevitable vicious circle of injury, lack of motivation, overtraining etc ... Think Jordan Hasay. Every poor performance is followed by a new explanation/reason/excuse.

Long careers like Lagat's or Gebrselassie are really uncommon.

Ghost1 wrote:

Wanders is cooked wrote:

Mid 20s and declining. Classic and unfortunate scenario. Scores of athletes are on the same boat: 2 years of brillance and the inevitable vicious circle of injury, lack of motivation, overtraining etc ... Think Jordan Hasay. Every poor performance is followed by a new explanation/reason/excuse.

Long careers like Lagat's or Gebrselassie are really uncommon.

I can see your point but lack of motivation is one thing which this Swiss monster does not lack. He lives the high-performance running lifestyle 24/7 and as far as we know and can tell, there’s nothing else in life for him, at least at this time, and at 26 years young surely he has many years in front of him.

Perhaps Professor Canova and other people in his entourage will guide him in the right direction if that is what he needs.

personally, I see these setbacks is a blip in his career but not as a permanent stamp of negativity.

Wanders is cooked wrote:

Ghost1 wrote:

Link:worldathletics.org/athletes/switzerlan...

correction: he ran the 27:13 on January 12, 2020 in Valencia Spain just before Covid cast its unfortunate shadow over the world and ruined the plans for many. I think that was his last good race before his downward spiral. However, in February 2022 he got back to a semblance of his best form with 1:00:28 in the Napoli half marathon, Italy. He was following Super Italian runner Crippa, for a substantial part of that race before having to concede near the end.

I am surprised by the ill deserved negativity towards the Swiss runner on this website which is very unfortunate, and not logical, because as previously mentioned the kid is only 26 years young. Let’s let this ecto monster continue building and give him the chance to show his true worth which will come about again in December in Valencia, which seems to be a magic location for many athletes, where he will toe the line in the marathon .

Mid 20s and declining. Classic and unfortunate scenario. Scores of athletes are on the same boat: 2 years of brillance and the inevitable vicious circle of injury, lack of motivation, overtraining etc ... Think Jordan Hasay. Every poor performance is followed by a new explanation/reason/excuse.

Long careers like Lagat's or Gebrselassie are really uncommon.

Ghost1 wrote:

With regard to the bloke who said that Wanders going out for a 3 and a half mile jog at 3:45 a.m. in Paris last year before the marathon was crazy it may not be that crazy if you take into account that Nairobi is one hour ahead of Paris and also that Julien's body was adjusted to Kenyan time and as he had only arrived in Paris a few days prior to the race. So that means that 3:45 a.m. Paris time is in fact for 4.45 am or almost 5 am Kenya time which is almost exactly the time that Julien normally gets up in Kenya at so it is not really in the middle of the night. Remember that in Kenya almost all the runners go to bed around 8-9pm because there's nothing else to do and the streets are very dark after 6:30 or 7pm. Kipchoge and co usually retire for the night around 8 or 8:30 p.m.. only people up to no good are usually in the streets in Kenyan remote towns after 7 p.m.. this is a generality but it holds true. I've been there and seen it with my own eyes back in Kenya in April and May just a few months ago.