Didn't Kiptum say he wanted to run Berlin after winning in London ? That would mean he was indeed NOT invited by the Berlin organizers for budget reasons...or to please Kipchoge. Seems rather short-sighted from them because there's a chance they'll lose the WR to either Chicago or Valencia.
As for Kip, there's no guarantee he'll beat Kipruto either and if that happens his prospects for a third Olympic title won't be very good. There's also the fact that the course doesn't fit him at all, the Paris course has a mean (10%) and long climb that is much harder than anything in Boston (or NYC) where he failed miserably.
I would be very surprised if Kipchoge didn't simply cut Kiptum out of Berlin as a condition of his participation. Kipchoge's failure in Boston and his failure to take on NYC this year are entirely consistent with his apparent unwillingness these days to take on the best competition in fair races, without personal pacers and handlers.
Yeah and Berlin will be devastated when Kiptum takes the WR to Chicago or Valencia, will serve them right.
What nobody yet knows is whether or not the EK Boston failure was because of the hills and poor prep for them and terrible tactics (leading into a headwind) or because it’s over more generally for EK because of age. If he stinks it up in Berlin it may simply be that time caught the old man finally. In that case, he just never ran Boston or NY in his prime and we just don’t know what he might have done. If he’s brilliant in Berlin, then yes, it will be come clearer that it is the unique aspects of Boston that did him in. I think if he kills in in Berlin he will show he’s not washed up in general and he’s got a shot to win Paris and he will regain confidence. He should then absolutely go back to Boston next spring. Wouldn’t preparing for Boston be ideal preparation for Paris? I guess he might just not run a spring marathon at all, but that’s not his style.
People can also have an off day, no?
Somehow I doubt Kipchoge's confidence is shaken
Yeah, it’s presumptuous of us mere mortals saying that one of the greatest ever has lost confidence after a bad race, but I do think his reactions after his London loss and now after Boston are telling. After London he ran that weird marathon in Belgium and now he’s going back to his home course, so to speak, of Berlin. This is the behavior of a person who needs a confidence boost.
Yeah, it’s presumptuous of us mere mortals saying that one of the greatest ever has lost confidence after a bad race, but I do think his reactions after his London loss and now after Boston are telling. After London he ran that weird marathon in Belgium and now he’s going back to his home course, so to speak, of Berlin. This is the behavior of a person who needs a confidence boost.
To be fair he was supposed to run another race (hamburg?) instead of the weird race in the airfield, but that race got cancelled like a week before because of a lockdown so NN team hastily put a race up for their athletes who were ready to run. Because of covid a lot of races were cancelled or moved, so they had slim pickings to start with so that might be one of the reasons they went with hamburg which isn't a world major.
"As Kelvin Kiptum rises, Kipchoge said he is confident in his legacy After running 2:01:53 to win Valencia and 2:01:25 to break Kipchoge’s course record in London in his first two marathons, both with massive negative splits, many have wondered whether 23-year-old Kelvin Kiptum will take a run at Kipchoge’s 2:01:09 world record this fall. I asked Kipchoge whether his decision to run Berlin had anything to do with wanting to lower the world record and put it out of Kiptum’s reach, but Kipchoge said he believes his legacy is already secure. “Kelvin Kiptum has all power to do what he wants,” Kipchoge said. “I have done enough. I trust that what I have done in the world will be respected. In any case, I wish him well. But I aim to make Berlin a good and beautiful race. I want to enjoy it for the sixth time. I want to run a good race and cross the finishing line by celebrating. I’m not in a rush for anything. Because I am the person to run under 2:00. If Kiptum runs under 2:00, he’s always (be) the second. I’ll be the first one. So I have no worries at all.”"
I guess nobody asked him if he would like to chase sub-2 in a race. And if Kiptum does it, he will be first sub-2...
Exactly! Look at how cheptegei has been white washed by kiplimo in all the half marathons they've run together?
If people were talking of Kiplimo running 2:01, at least I'd believe but cheptegei??? No! No! No!
He'll not even break 2:04. Mark my words! Another hypothesis _ Look at some of the greats on track like bekele and Mo Farah, how did they fare after track with regards to the 26.2 miles distance?
Being good on track doesn't necessarily mean that the same will translate to being good on the roads also!
Didn't Kiptum say he wanted to run Berlin after winning in London ? That would mean he was indeed NOT invited by the Berlin organizers for budget reasons...or to please Kipchoge. Seems rather short-sighted from them because there's a chance they'll lose the WR to either Chicago or Valencia.
As for Kip, there's no guarantee he'll beat Kipruto either and if that happens his prospects for a third Olympic title won't be very good. There's also the fact that the course doesn't fit him at all, the Paris course has a mean (10%) and long climb that is much harder than anything in Boston (or NYC) where he failed miserably.
I would be very surprised if Kipchoge didn't simply cut Kiptum out of Berlin as a condition of his participation. Kipchoge's failure in Boston and his failure to take on NYC this year are entirely consistent with his apparent unwillingness these days to take on the best competition in fair races, without personal pacers and handlers.
The scenario you described is not an impossibility, as other top runners have reportedly insisted on similar "stipulations." In the Coffee Club podcast, Ollie Hoare mentioned that Jakob insisted that Tim not be included in the 2022 Bislett Games Dream Mile entries.
"As Kelvin Kiptum rises, Kipchoge said he is confident in his legacy After running 2:01:53 to win Valencia and 2:01:25 to break Kipchoge’s course record in London in his first two marathons, both with massive negative splits, many have wondered whether 23-year-old Kelvin Kiptum will take a run at Kipchoge’s 2:01:09 world record this fall. I asked Kipchoge whether his decision to run Berlin had anything to do with wanting to lower the world record and put it out of Kiptum’s reach, but Kipchoge said he believes his legacy is already secure. “Kelvin Kiptum has all power to do what he wants,” Kipchoge said. “I have done enough. I trust that what I have done in the world will be respected. In any case, I wish him well. But I aim to make Berlin a good and beautiful race. I want to enjoy it for the sixth time. I want to run a good race and cross the finishing line by celebrating. I’m not in a rush for anything. Because I am the person to run under 2:00. If Kiptum runs under 2:00, he’s always (be) the second. I’ll be the first one. So I have no worries at all.”"
I guess nobody asked him if he would like to chase sub-2 in a race. And if Kiptum does it, he will be first sub-2...
What a POS he is. The arrogance in thinking that little setup was legitimate. Even if Kiptum were to break 2, I would not consider him the first Sub2. You can't trust any result these kenyans produce.
Winning all six majors is A. not a realistic target, he's running out of time and B. it wouldn't add nothing to his legacy.
Two times Oly champion, two times WR, two unofficial WB (Monza en Vienna, breaking two), numerous Majors. Winning all Majors is just a C target for him.
It wouldn’t add nothing to his legacy? So you’re saying it would add to his legacy.
I stand corrected: it would add nothing to his legacy.
Yeah, it’s presumptuous of us mere mortals saying that one of the greatest ever has lost confidence after a bad race, but I do think his reactions after his London loss and now after Boston are telling. After London he ran that weird marathon in Belgium and now he’s going back to his home course, so to speak, of Berlin. This is the behavior of a person who needs a confidence boost.
Enschede is in Holland not in Belgium. It was a weird marathon though, running on Twente Aiport.
And I think Kiptum will run Valencia. He knows it, the weather is more predictable than Chicago, no jetlag...
This post was edited 3 minutes after it was posted.
Yeah, it’s presumptuous of us mere mortals saying that one of the greatest ever has lost confidence after a bad race, but I do think his reactions after his London loss and now after Boston are telling. After London he ran that weird marathon in Belgium and now he’s going back to his home course, so to speak, of Berlin. This is the behavior of a person who needs a confidence boost.
I think you mean the airport marathon in Holland (not Belgium) whose setup was because of pandemic restrictions, not his choice, and he chose the timing because it was well situated as Olympics prep.
1) If Kiptum is supposed to run his next marathon in Valencia, why he decided to decline Kenya's team offer for Budapest's World Championships? He could have ran both since there are more than 3 months of recovery between Budapest Marathon (27 Aug) and Valencia Marathon (4 Dec). His choice to skip Budapest does not make you think he is probabily going to run a fall marathon? (Probabily Chicago?)
2) Given that Valencia and Berlin are both flat marathons, are they equally good for attempting a WR in your opinion? Which one gives you more pacers?
Thanks to for answering the third question. I paste the other two for anyone who knows the answers or want to discuss them:
1) If Kiptum is supposed to run his next marathon in Valencia, why he decided to decline Kenya's team offer for Budapest's World Championships? He could have ran both since there are more than 3 months of recovery between Budapest Marathon (27 Aug) and Valencia Marathon (4 Dec). His choice to skip Budapest does not make you think he is probabily going to run a fall marathon? (Probabily Chicago?)
2) Given that Valencia and Berlin are both flat marathons, are they equally good for attempting a WR in your opinion? Which one gives you more pacers?
This post was edited 56 seconds after it was posted.
Help us build the best running shoe review site for a chance to win a LetsRun t-shirt.Help us build the best running shoe review site for a chance to win one of 10 LetsRun t-shirts.