World XC Recap: A Truly Unbelievable Day

TergatFan wrote:

Isn't it amazing that the statistics are staggering? By the way, Bekele and Haile have been attempting to break Kenyan records. Did I say Kenyan records...

Hey Selassie...Do you how many nations are in the world? Kenya is the home to the blazing fire that seems never to extinguish!

TergatFan,

Attempting??? With all due respect, Haile and Kenenissa OWN Kenyans in 5K and 10K records. You can also add Cross Country to the Ethiopian domination until this past even where Kenyans had the home-field advantage and where Ethiopian athletes were affected by something.

So you really can brag about Kenyan records - blah, blah, blah. These two countries are the best in running and that's a fact. Neither country can snooze after accomplishments because the rivals will not sleep.

Home to the blazing fire? Had to laugh at that one. Yeah, half will go run for Qatar - laaw of attrition in Kenya goes deeper. In the meantime, go ahead and produce them like Yugos and Pintos - the question is can they beat the Bentleys?

Is all about quality not quantity , my friend.

Selassie wrote:

TergatFan wrote:

Let Haile attempt the Marathon record if he thinks he is greater than Tergat. Selassie, can he do it?

Then I will believe you...

TergatFan,

I think Tergat is one of the finest athletes Kenya has ever produced. And I have much respect for him and his accomplishments.

finest kenya has ever produced? buddy, hes the best the world has ever produced.

Tergat said that his World Record will stay for a time.

Robert Cheruiyot also said that the two hardest records to break are the men's marathon and the 3,000m.

I'd love to see Haile and Bekele break these records respectively. It is good for the sport.

Selassie wrote:

Haile, having run the Berlin Marathon literally alone for more than 10 miles, missed Tergat's record by less than a minute. Had he had a competition to the finishline, I am totally certain that he would have taken the WR that day.

"Totally certain," are you?

What an idiot.

Look at the mile splits. Wind and lack of pacing contributed of course, but HG lost it in the last 3. Badly.

What an unbelievable day, one that will stay in my memory forever.I was on the infield passing water to the British team members and witnessed all the amazing scenes in relative comfort.

The kenyan crowd made the day.

Bring it back home again !

Proves my point, moron!

Get off your ass and run insted of running your idiotic mouth. Bastard!

stupid letsrunners wrote:

Look at the mile splits. Wind and lack of pacing contributed of course, but HG lost it in the last 3. Badly.

The real reason Geb lost the record at Berlin was the weather. Geb's run was the fastest warm weather marathon ever.

[/quote]

Tergat said that his World Record will stay for a time.

Robert Cheruiyot also said that the two hardest records to break are the men's marathon and the 3,000m.

I'd love to see Haile and Bekele break these records respectively. It is good for the sport.[/quote]

NativeSon,

I agree wholeheartedly! These healthy competitions are fantastic to watch. I was happy when Haile's half-marathon record fall to the 20 year old Kenyan stud - which Haile said he'll claim it back. Would love to see not only Kenyan/Ethiopian compititions at these WRs but also the ages battle it out.

Wejo, thanks very much for the great coverage and photos...it is appreciated by at least some of us.

It is really too bad Americans don't support XC the way the Kenyans do.

appreciatorama wrote:

Wejo, thanks very much for the great coverage and photos...it is appreciated by at least some of us.

yes, wejo, it is appreciated.

i'd personally be interested in hearing more about your trip to kenya in general when you have some time.

malmo, I've noticed that we are in agreement on virtually every objective aspect of running performance. It must be the Biology backround.

And a few tens of thousands of miles.

Point of correction, the world leading marathon mark is 2.04.55 so Gabre was out by over one minute brother! not less.

I would like to ask selassie- Apart from 2000m,5000m,and 10000m men records which other records do Ethiopia own?

Akenyan born wilson owns 800m,indoor 800m record 1.42. Noah Ngeny owns 1000m, kenyan has second best time in 1500m, second best time after ELG in 1 mile- time 3.43.17, Daniel Komen 2 miles 7min 57 secs, Daniel Komen 3000m outdoor time 7.20,3000m indoor record Komen 7.24, 3000m steeplechase record 7.53. Then we move out to the roads, see the world rankings not asingle time Kenya has less than 30 in the top 50 best ranked. 10 km road record by Kipchoge Eliud 26.51, Felix Limo 15 km world record. Wanjiru broke 20 km record in the process of breaking his own record which is yet to be approved 58.35! Then Tergat's 2.04.55 with Sammy Korir on his heels.

Mark you when Wanjiru improved Geb time by 2 secs, Geb called immediately from Addisababa and said he would reclaim it. But when Wanjiru further improved the record by 18 secs Geb never said he would reclaim. Infact it is 20 secs faster than Geb and also note that Wanjiru was paced only 3 km and to add an insult to an injury he is 20 years which is the undoing og Geb....time is catching up with Geb real fast and is his undoing. Any comments? Then to say Ethiopia is at the par with Kenyans is understatement. Without Geb who is now aging,minus Bekele= ?.

Remember last year on world xc, Kenya took home almost all titles with exception of 8k senior women which they won by mre one point against Kenyans. So the issue of home ground is nonsense.

I totally agree with you. I always wonder how Ethiopia would fair without Bekele and aging Geb, Kenyans have depth of talent ranging from 800m to marathon. Acountry of 29 million people while Ethiopia population 75 million people!

See the difference!

It should also be added that while it was hotter than normal for the Berlin marathon, two other factors also conspired against Geb - 1) no company after 30k (where Tergat had Korir the whole way). In fact, Geb won by over 5min. And 2) there were bad headwinds in the final stages of the race which ate into the surplus over Tergat's record Geb had built in the first two thirds.

What happened to the rest attempts? He has tried several times and I realised he is now coming to the terms of not getting the marathon record. Geb was quoted shifting the duty of breaking the marathon record to Bekele. I saw not surprised at all. Now as aging Geb is trying to get full marathon record, anew kid on the block is causing real damage to his half marathon record ambition. Talking of pacing as main factors to Geb disadvantage is no big deal; Look at Samuel wanjiru, with sole efforts and wind nothing would come btwn him and his record ambition. He did 58.35 alone with pacers not able to keep up with his hellish pace at the very early phase of 3km!!!!!!!!!! He faced wind but no excuses!! he ran alone but no excuses! Geb, thinks because he beat Tergat on track speed he thinks he can dictate the mighty Tergat on roads. Roads are very different from tracks. You face reality with roads. Samuel wanjiru can't handle cross country but try him on roads. He runs 5km at 13.40 then 10 km at 27.27!!!!

Alot of excuses has been made on Geb despite numerous times he has tried it. If he had balls he would have done it like Wanjiru. I remember the time he had 10 WR on road race...it became a controversy simply because he ran behind the vehicle blocking him from the wind.So, my advice to Geb is the roads are open, let the legs do the talking not dozens of excuses. As Felix Limo says " Let the Road decide"

Guys, keep expectations on check, I symphatise Geb with all this expectations demanded from him!

Thank you, Joel. At least someone reads into facts. Rody - I just you get a little more acquainted with Tirunesh Dibaba and Meseret Defar. You do the research to find out which records they hold.

And don't come with arguments like 'without Bekele...'. Well, before Bekele there was a kenya tormentor by the name of Haile who SINGLEHANDEDLY harassed Kenyans (fantastic runners such as Tergat) for more than a decade. And now, you have Bekele and co. Who's next, is anyones's guess.

Like I said before, Kenya can mass produce the Yugos and Pintos (kidding not that cheap) nd Ethiopia the Bentleys of running.

Joel Tetreault wrote:

It should also be added that while it was hotter than normal for the Berlin marathon, two other factors also conspired against Geb - 1) no company after 30k (where Tergat had Korir the whole way). In fact, Geb won by over 5min. And 2) there were bad headwinds in the final stages of the race which ate into the surplus over Tergat's record Geb had built in the first two thirds.

Actually they were cross winds, not headwinds for the last 8 miles of Berlin. Running through city streets pretty much takes out the effects of winds anyway.