Wanjiru to run BERLIN!! How will Geb get out of this one?

Cooler Ethan wrote:

Yeah! We should have some sort of championship race where all the best runners in the world come together and compete head to head. Whoever wins that can say that they're the best in the world! Let's call it the World Championships!

Good plan. I like it. Who's putting up the money for the WC's again? Why can't we get these two to commit to it?

I don't really care where they race each other, I just want them to go at it so we can all shut up about it.

I would give somebody every dollar I own to see a Bekele, Wanjiru, Geb half marathon.

You must not own very much.

I have to say that Wanjuri is potentially a faster marathoner and has a more efficient style for the marathon than does Geb.

However the record is owned by Geb, until someone runs a faster time and takes it away from him.

This is an exciting time, as there are at least 6 marathoners cabable of smashing the record.

It is amazing to think that, within the next couple of years we might see a sub 2:03 marathon!

J.R. wrote:

This is an exciting time, as there are at least 6 marathoners cabable of smashing the record.

"Smashing" a record I would say means more then 1 second per mile. Name the 6 or more marathoners capable of running 2:03:33 or better.

I think Wanjiru and Gebreselassie are the only 2, and I'm not even 100% sure about Geb. Who are the other 4? Why do you make such silly statements? You are the worst poster on letsrun, really!

Mr. Obvious wrote:

You must not own very much.

Correct.

But I would give it all.

No way wrote:

Correct.

But I would give it all.

Well then, you're a man, my friend.

A man has the right to change his name to vatever he vants to change it to. And if a man vants to be called Muhammad Ali, godammit this is a free country, you should respect his vishes, and call the man Muhammad Ali!

Cooler Ethan wrote:

Yeah! We should have some sort of championship race where all the best runners in the world come together and compete head to head. Whoever wins that can say that they're the best in the world! Let's call it the World Championships!

No, let's call it the London Marathon.

Twoinchkiller wrote:

Just because Wanjiru wins every race he runs doesn't mean he's hiding out on the roads. It's just that he's that good.

Wrong. He's lost plenty of races. He got beat by Lel last year at London, got crushed by lel and others in recent 1/2 marathon, got creamed in the Kenyan cross trials last year (and this year too? maybe not), ran some really poor track races last year or the year before (MUCH slower than expected), etc, etc.

Of course he's great, but he's lost plenty of races the last few years. He races a lot and occasionally bombs.

man..you aint never met no martin luther the king!!!

Threads like this crack me up. Geb has never behaved this way, even when things were suspect. (ie WC 2001). It's not as if his Marathons have been vs "The B Team." (And Lel beat Wanjiru last year. Wanjiru is not God.)

Twoinchkiller wrote:

Since it seems Geb only involves himself in time trials anymore, how is he going to wiggle out of RACING someone (Wanjiru) who can stay with him and make moves in the late stages of a marathon? Maybe he isn't committed yet to Berlin so he can do the WCs instead? I guess I'd predict a sudden asthma attack and a quick DNF. For the record, I hope I'm wrong and they both beat each other into the road on their way to a sub 2:03.

-The Killer

Lancy, wtf? I'm agreeing with you! LOL!!!

Sir Lance-alot wrote:

Twoinchkiller wrote:

Just because Wanjiru wins every race he runs doesn't mean he's hiding out on the roads. It's just that he's that good.

Wrong. He's lost plenty of races. He got beat by Lel last year at London, got crushed by lel and others in recent 1/2 marathon, got creamed in the Kenyan cross trials last year (and this year too? maybe not), ran some really poor track races last year or the year before (MUCH slower than expected), etc, etc.

Of course he's great, but he's lost plenty of races the last few years. He races a lot and occasionally bombs.

kenehaile bekeselassie wrote:

J.R. wrote:

This is an exciting time, as there are at least 6 marathoners cabable of smashing the record.

"Smashing" a record I would say means more then 1 second per mile. Name the 6 or more marathoners capable of running 2:03:33 or better.

I think Wanjiru and Gebreselassie are the only 2, and I'm not even 100% sure about Geb. Who are the other 4? Why do you make such silly statements? You are the worst poster on letsrun, really!

How about both of the guys who ran 2:04:27 at Rotterdam - Kibet and Kwambai (plus maybe the 3rd guy who ran 2:05 low). Tsegay Kebede was only 10 seconds behind Wanjiru in London. Jaouod Gharib was the only one near Wanjiru in Beijing. Martin Lel (if healthy again). That is more than the 4 you asked for.

Eight of the top ten times ever run in the marathon have been set in the last year (going to last year's London). Wanjiru is only 5th fastest of these 8.

sc42 wrote:

Track Fan wrote:

Geb will not line up at the start with Wanjiru. It will either be something regarding his asthma that he has to pull out or a phantom injury he sustains during his 1 hour run record attempt next month. I just don't see him toeing the line against Wanjiru. The last thing he would want is to DNF and lose his WR at the same time.

If I recall correctly, I think I saw Geb in contention with a lap to go in the 10k at a track meet in Beijing last year. I forget the name of the meet. Olartics or something like that. Anyway, a bunch of the top guys were there.

That was different. Nobody was expecting Geb to medal. In the marathon he can´t afford to start getting beaten because then his market value will drop.

Jefe in the CO wrote:

2:03:59 > 2:05:09

I don't care if conditions were perfect, the pacers were awesome, it was a "time trial", blah, blah, blah - Geb is the World's Fastest marathoner. Wanjiru is maybe the World's Best at winning the big ones.

There's the time to beat - someone go get it - until they do Wanjiru's "World's Best" title will always carry an asterik.

By this idiotic logic, Allen Webb was a better runner than Seb Coe

Rudyard Kipling wrote:

No way wrote:

Correct.

But I would give it all.

Well then, you're a man, my friend.

This genuinely made me laugh.

flava fo yo ear wrote:

man..you aint never met no martin luther the king!!!

Somebody has pulled out the dusty tape of Coming to America.

I hope Geb doesn't pull out (I have a strong feeling he will) cause I'd love to see the world's best racer go up against the world's best time trialer. If only Kwambai and Kibet would also sign up and hitchhike a ride along with Geb and Wanjiru and make it a real race for the world record...we could see 4 guys under 2:04...simply unreal year so far and is getting more ridiculous each month.

Geb is an amazing runner and has done many incredible things on and off the track, but in berlin he will get his ass handed to him by wanjiru. It will certainly be interesting.