How fast would Bernard Lagat run in his prime with modern shoes and tracks?

it's not the spikes, well a little. wrote:

Redonculous Maximus wrote:

It’s funny… i was commenting on one of those Jakob love-fest threads that Jakob’s 3:26-high with superspikes is closer to a 3:30 pre superspikes. It was like I was speaking blasphemy. But despite all the naive naysayers, I think the shoes are work 3+ seconds in the 1500m. I think if you look at the times in the Olympic final you might agree.

Well, Jakob ran 3:30 in Victories at like 17 or 18. So do people think he hasn't improved on his own merit in the last five years?

"Super" Spikes are not really that super. There's only so much technology you can put into a four ounce shoe. Throwing them on maybe helps the elites by a half second seconds per mile and 2-3 seconds for the average college runner.

Obviously the recovery is much better with a little more heel. So in that sense runners like Bekele who struggled with calf and achilles injuries may had run a lot faster because they would had been able to recover and put in more work.

Redonculous Maximus wrote:

Not in the know wrote:

I often see modern shoe and track technology as a factor contributing to the recent fast times in the 1500. This got me wondering how fast people think Bernard Lagat, with a 1500 PR of 3:26.34 would have run if he had the benefit of these factors?

So if you believe the shoes and tracks are that much of a factor, then would Lagat have run 3:25? 3:24?

When people pose this question about El G, the common sentiment is that he was full throttle on EPO, but for some reason Lagat is far more widely to be considered clean. Do these people think he would run 3:23 with EPO, better shoes and tracks?

It’s funny… i was commenting on one of those Jakob love-fest threads that Jakob’s 3:26-high with superspikes is closer to a 3:30 pre superspikes. It was like I was speaking blasphemy. But despite all the naive naysayers, I think the shoes are work 3+ seconds in the 1500m. I think if you look at the times in the Olympic final you might agree.