Are You Surprised That Geb Will Race Fukuoka, 10 Weeks After Berlin, And 4 Months Before London? Is He Overdoing It?

why not just read his book? have a job done right.

David, I think "The weather there?" was asking about the weather at Fukuoka. Not Berlin. Everyone knows how the weather was at Berlin.

Now to the question. Fukuoka last year was Cloudy, with a 6.2m/s wind from the West-Northwest. The temp was 8.9 or about 48 deg F, and 48% humidity. It also rained off and on during the race. In 2001, it was partlky cloudy, 58 deg F, 72% humidity, and a northwest wind at .1 meters. In 2003, I think the weather was near perfect (the year Kunichika won, Suwa was 2nd and Takaoka 3rd). As mentioned earlier, in 2004 the weather was a bit chilly (around 45 F) with a westerly wind at about 12m/s with gusts and cloudy. I used to have a program with the weather for all of the years. There has been snow there at that time also.

MarathonMind wrote:

After Sunday I am convinced Geb can easily get the WR. But it does take luck with the conditions and peaking etc...

he seems to have conquered all obstacles except the luck of race day conditions. Sunday's effort was worth something close to 2:04 in ideal weather.

I'd say Geb has been geting better with each race, and has a good 2 year window ahead in which to nail 2:04.

Agreed. He's worked hard to truly come to understand the demands of the distance. His sheer ability aside, I honestly think the world hasn't seen anyone with his combination of racing smarts and sheer determination. He knows how to win and he knows how to peak. Now, it seems, he knows how to last 42.2k. I think he has a very good shot at the WR.

The guy has been putting in 200k weeks for the better part of 15 years and is extremely light and efficient, I think he will be fine.

It surely didn't seem to hurt Bill Rodgers:

Bill Rodgers' major marathons from 1976 through 1979:

1976:

May 22 - US Olympic Trials: 2:11:56 (2nd)

Jul 31 - Olympics 2:25:14 (40th) foot injury

Oct 24 - New York City 2:10:10 (1st)

Nov 7 - Sado Island Japan 2:08:23(course 200m short) (1st)

Dec 5 - Baltimore 2:14:22 (1st)

1977:

Feb 13 - Kyoto - Japan 2:14:26 (1st)

Apr 18 - Boston - DNF (famous 90 degree day)

May 21 - Amsterdam Holland - 2:12:47 (1st)

Oct 8 - New York City 2:11:28 (1st)

Dec 4 - Fukuoka Japan - 2:10:55 (1st)

1978:

Apr 17 - Boston - 2:10:13 (1st)

Oct 23 - New Yourk City - 2:12:12 (1st)

Dec 3 - Fukuoka Japan - 2:12:51 (6th)

1979:

Apr 16 - Boston - 2:09:27 (1st)

Aug 26 - Montreal - 2:22:12 (15th)

oct 21 - New York City - 2:11:42 (1st)

The 14 months from October of 1976 through December of 1977 was incredible: 7 wins between 2:09 and 2:14.

He is stepping up to the plate unlike most Americans!

including you

"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure . . . than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a grey twilight that knows not victory nor defeat."Theodore Roosevelt

Skuj, I am surprised, and I don't think it is an ideal schedule him to set a WR (which besides 2008 gold, is his last major goal). Compare London to Berlin: before London, he was running record attempt after record attempt (10 mile, 1/2 marathon, 20k and more), and seemed to be racing too much, and sure enough, he had a bad london. Probably peaked too soon and overraced. Then for Berlin, he didn't race at all, took a little downtime (had a slight injury that stopped him from trying an hour run record), and then focused fully on Berlin and he set a PR all by himself in less than ideal conditions. It was practically a WR effort.

If the WR is his major goal, I don't think he should do Fukuoka so soon. Just because he can(as in: can run it well, can win, and can still recover 99% as well for London if he did not do it), doesn't mean he ideally should.

On the other hand, those results posted above with Bill Rodgers running so many great marathons shows it can be done. Twice he ran 2 top marathon performances TWO WEEKS OR LESS apart ??? Wow, is all I can say. Geb's 10 weeks seems like a lifetime compared to what Boston Billy undertook a few times

FINALLY, Lancy! :) Where the fvck have you been? :)

But, didn't the wet roads in London screw Geb up?

That makes two of us!

No, I'm running it a$$hole.

Huffman,

Would you say that Geb has an optimal running technique ? Is it close to pose ? If so, how do we explain that Geb has had numerous operations on his achilles tendons ? This kind of injury would prematurely end the career of most runners but Geb has the money to sort out this problem with a good surgeon.

It would be nice if there was a perfect "injury free" running technique but I imagine that this is not the case interesting though your posts have been.

You folks do not at all understand the industry. Just because he has signed a contract with these races does not mean that he is going to run them. It is an old trick to sign a major name to a race to increase television contracts and coverage and lure other sponsors. Then the athlete pulls out a week or so before the event. The athlete walks away with a check for nothing and the event is richer in TV and sponsorship monies. Can you say TERGAT IN NEW YORK?

I step up to the plate pretty much every weekend. Don't be so bitter.

Not bitter, but if you want to step up in the same race, I will get in the box and use your neck for the tee....

>>Not bitter, but if you want to step up in the same race, I will get in the box and use your neck for the tee....<<

My gawd I laughed so hard I peed.

Coleslaw in Victoria wrote:

>>Not bitter, but if you want to step up in the same race, I will get in the box and use your neck for the tee....<<

My gawd I laughed so hard I peed.

Were you laughing at his "comeback/wit" or at HIM for trying to act like such a tough guy?? I was laughing at him. Because it's always amusing when emaciated distance runners talk tough and arrogant.

You can be on deck after him and see how "emaciated" I am.

Beikoku Tamashi wrote:

You can be on deck after him and see how "emaciated" I am.

whoaaa......I'm shakin' in my minimalist flats. What did you say, you have around a 2:20 pr? There are just tons of massive marathoners with pretty fast times like that. I am sure you are just a giant. You sumo wresteld in your spare time while in Japan, right?

Stop your tough guy posturing and don't ruin Skuj's thread. This is about Geb, not about you, you ass-kickin'-hard-core-marathoning-ultimate-fighting-tough-guy.