Bekele open 400 time

What's most impressive to me is less the kick and more the fact that he can handle a pace for 5k that's only about 2-3 seconds per 100m slower than his top speed.

When I was in my best shape, I was about 5 or 6 seconds slower per 100 meters than my top speed for 5k--twice as slow as Bekele.

Back when in high school I once closed the last 300 of a 3200 (that I was already on pr pace to begin with) in roughly the same pace as my 400 pr at the time(53). Does that mean my 400 pr was just slow and I could go significantly faster? No, I had run it fresh multiple times surrounding that race and was always around 53-54. For whatever reason (adrenaline, fitness, etc) I was just able to pretty much hit my top-end speed at the end of that 3200. And if I as a bumbling, severely undertrained, awkward 18 year old could hit my max speed at the end of the 3200 I see no reason why Bekele, one of the most prolific distance talents of recent memory, can't do the same in a 5k or 10k.

And the whole "I know a 4:30 miler who can run 48, are you telling me he's more talented than him???" logic is stupid. Let's look at that logic from the other direction, using a 4:00/46 guy - well, Wariner can run in the 43's, so he's definitely more talented than that guy! Wariner's easily a sub-4 miler! See how stupid that logic is now? You can't just say "BK has a faster 1600 pr than so and so, and so and so can run a 400 in 47, so BK can at least run a 400 in 47"

Bekele's max speed is probably around 49.low - a 48.mid wouldn't surprise me much but anything under certainly would. For shits and giggles, I'd say Wanjiru probably wouldn't break 50.

I agree about Wanjiru. In fact, he might have an astonishly slow 400m given his marathon ability. It wouldn't shock me if he was only good for a 53 point.

malmo wrote:

What you'll find more common than not is guys with blazing speed, who have no kick at all.

Alan Webb? He can run 47-48 and 1:43 but I've never seen him close a mile race in under 54.

How good your kick is is probably more related to your aerobic conditioning.

I would say that Bekele could run 44 secs for 400m. With some explosive training from the blocks he could just duck under 44.

He is basically the most gifted distance runner we have ever seen, and he could take the world records from 800m to the marathon given the right races. Bolt and Bekele over 400m would be a great race.

bekelefan wrote:

I would say that Bekele could run 44 secs for 400m. With some explosive training from the blocks he could just duck under 44.

He is basically the most gifted distance runner we have ever seen, and he could take the world records from 800m to the marathon given the right races. Bolt and Bekele over 400m would be a great race.

lol, please. Bekele's legs are very short, for the 10k and 5k it suits him very well. For the 15, it doesn't really effect him, but in the 8 and 4 he wouldn't be competitive at all.

With a running start, I'd say he's good for 48.75, and in an open 8 from a standing start, 1:45.9 under incredible circumstances. 1:45.9 and 3:32 (really 3:30 if he concentrated) go together for a guy with 12:37 and 26:17 behind him.

I'm willing to bet money he can run under 50 seconds.

47.5 would be my guess. NO Power? Have you seen the dudes legs? dude has got some major pop in those legs. we just dont get to see it because he runs the 10k. My bet is that if he really tried he could have won the 1500, 5k, and 10k.

Ramzi would have been toasted.

is probably 48 high; remember he is now a 5K road racer and sometimes miler.

Bekele doesn't need yam therapy since yams (even the funny yellow ones) do not mix well with EPO.

Bekeke would be a world class mountain biker in a couple years if he swithed over. You heard it here first.

10000m pace 63.1

5000m pace 60.6 (2.5 seconds faster)

3000m pace 59.4 (1.2 seconds faster)

2000m pace 58.0 (1.4 seconds faster) (indoors)

1500m pace 56.5 (1.5 seconds faster)

800m? I say He could string together a couple of 53's for a 1:46 flat

400m? probably 49xx, although I wouldn't put a 48 past him. Any faster and he would, as Malmo said, be an 800/1500 man.

For the posters who said 46/47-

If he could go 46/47, his 800m pace would be about 50-51.

How much could he bench press?

I say he could throw up 200 lbs

If he were to race 400, he would get the good doctor to give him different drugs than he takes now.

He wouldn't go so quick but they would take him so far.

and malmo why do guys with blazing speed have no kick at all? what do you attribute that their lack of kick? Poor training? lack of killer instinct at the end of a race?

Just curious....

LETS not forget that the great Yifter the Shifter ran the 400 open in 47 seconds.

I believe if he chose and concentrated on the 400 for a while that he could be the Ethiopian national, continent of Africa, and world record holder in the 400. Bekele is that good period.

Different runner, same idea.

I watched German Fernandez run his oft talked about quadruple (4:21, 1:57, 8:53, 53 split). I was sure he could run way faster on a relay split fresh. Later in the year, I watched him run a relay split fresh in .... 53.

I tend to agree that Bekele's max speed is probably not that much faster than he can close down in the 10000. Mid 49s would be my guess.

bekelefan wrote:

I would say that Bekele could run 44 secs for 400m. With some explosive training from the blocks he could just duck under 44.

I bet he could pole vault over 25 feet!