Jefe in the CO wrote:
By this idiotic logic, Allen Webb was a better runner than Seb Coe
Who is Allen Webb? Never heard of him.
Jefe in the CO wrote:
By this idiotic logic, Allen Webb was a better runner than Seb Coe
Who is Allen Webb? Never heard of him.
You people are acting like Geb has no sense of racing whatsoever...if memory serves, this man had some of the best racing tactics in big races the world has ever seen...Not to mention he has the times to back it up..its not like just because wanjiru is in the race his fitness will suddenly drop and he wont be able to hang. Wanjiru certaintly could beat Geb, but to say he will "smash" him or Geb will "get his ass handed to him" is completely ubsurd
According to the flash news on the German Athletics Federation's website, Wanjiru has not decided yet whether to run WC or the fall marathon in Berlin.
I don't think Geb will race Wanjiru. Getting beat and losing his world record in the same day would be pretty embarassing. Also he probably does not want to be the guy pushing wanjiru past 20 miles so he can break his record by even more!
That said, I hope they do race, it would be awesome to see even though I think we all know the outcome.
Geb said a while ago that he wasn't interested in running for anything but time now, and it is easy to see that he is much more competetive when running for time with pacers than he is when racing against the worlds best, like in London.
As I recall, Geb publicly SUGGESTED Wanjiru show up in Berlin and race him. Geb isn't stupid, he has a plan. I think it will be a far more interesting race than most here do. If the pacers hold the proper pace, it will be interesting if Wanjiru surges: does Geb follow, or let him go and stick to the level pace? If he does the latter and the pacers run as well as last time, then I say he reels Wanjiru in and might very well beat him. If Geb follows, well I don't see the Old Lion beating the young one in that scenario.
If Wanjiru "sits in" on the pacers and only pushes late, then He PROBABLY wins that too. I'm betting Wanjiru doesn't show up, and chooses the WC instead: will Berlin Marathon fork over the big appearance fee to BOTH Geb and Wanjiru?
floto wrote:
According to the flash news on the German Athletics Federation's website, Wanjiru has not decided yet whether to run WC or the fall marathon in Berlin.
Yes, the article also says that he'll make his decision in June.
Hm... Wanjiru will probably make his decision based on the probability of him winning the race, not on beating any person in particular, if you ask me.
He is so damn close to winning half a million quid in the WMM, I wouldn't blame him for making damn sure he gets that well-earned money.
that said, I would of course hope to see a big day with the above mentioned 4-8 runners in on the race for the WR!
Younger than Kbk...perhaps by not training in Japan?
Everyone keeps suggesting that Geb will lose both the race and the world record.
Is there a way he can win the race and lose his world record? If so explain how this is done.
And if Geb wants to use pacers, he can, its that simple, use pacers in a race, oh the thought of it is just so distrubing I can't contain the notion. I think Wanjiru is avoiding a man that is older, better and smarter.
You Pre fanatics can stop jizzing your pants over the fact that a front runner is finally winning something that your going to suggest the man with nothing to lose suddenly have something to lose.
Oh yeah, I see your point because, like, Webb has a whole bunch of world records and gold medals from numerous World and Olympic Championships just like Geb. How could I have been so stupid not to anticipate your infallible logic?
Johnyquest wrote:
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
categorically wrote:
[quote]kenehaile bekeselassie wrote:
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.
I doubt Kibet and Kwambai can run almost a minute faster-they had nearly perfect pacing and weather conditions, competition/motivation till the final strides and it was certainly an all out effort for both of them (remember the quote about neither of them being able to even sleep that night due to the pain?).
Gharib split about 1:01:30/1:04:00, how is he going to run 2:03:30? NO WAY. Same for Kebede, except ~ 10 seconds faster for the 2nd half. Still NO WAY. Lel might be able to but asking him to drop 1:40 from his PR is a huge request-just because he can kick in a race at 2:05 doesn't mean he can do 2:03:30 even pace.
Wanjiru and Geb are the only ones who can do it, and I think Geb was almost tapped out with his 1:02:06/1:01:53 effort in perfect conditions.
O.o wrote:
Everyone keeps suggesting that Geb will lose both the race and the world record.
Is there a way he can win the race and lose his world record? If so explain how this is done.
No, but he could lose the race and not lose the world record. Losing one would be unfortunate. Losing both would be careless.
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.
There is no "maybe" about it. He won Fukuoka 2007 in 2:06:39 and then was second at London '08 in 2:05:xx and the Olympics in 2:06 and now London '09 in 2:05:10. If you look at his CV before he took up the marathon he won nearly everything he did even though he was allegedly 17 and 18 and 19. And it is no wonder that the 14:08/14:22 opening 5k splits allegedly felt easy to him ... even the opening 5k is 42:24 15k pace ... which is about 1:00 slower than what he could do for 15k all-out so even the first 5k was slower than LT.
Fukuoka is a race that you can measure yourself against generations of runners since they have used the same courses for about 20 years at a time. Most everyone agrees that London is the biggest marathon every year and the Olympics are a global championship even if some of the best duck out of running them.
And if a "world's best" title was in question it would carry an "asterisk".
While he may be the "world's Best" opposed to the fastest, its a question not of him racing Geb but mostly a question of him racing Geb's pacers.
I would not be impressed with Wanjiru's win if he did not beat Geb in the same race, while Geb was running a perfect time trial, having them race head to head removes the element of a fast marathon and turns it in to the possible mind game of a 2:08-2:12 marathon instead.
o.O wrote:
having them race head to head removes the element of a fast marathon and turns it in to the possible mind game of a 2:08-2:12 marathon instead.
am i on the right planet?
Just laughed out loud to that one.
Yeah on what planet would Wanjiru and Geb run a 2:12 marathon? A mind game for these guys would be a 2:06-2:07.
o.O wrote:
removes the element of a fast marathon and turns it in to the possible mind game of a 2:08-2:12 marathon instead.
What the hell bullshit is this
Looking only at the split from the half of London for Kebede and Gharib doesn't really tell the whole story. Sure they went through at 61:30 or so, but they also led off with a 14:10 or whatever. Slow down that first 10k in 28:30 to 29:15 and I think that's enough to see them going through the half around 62 and ending up under Geb's record. Of course I assume either Geb or Wanjiru would get the record first in this hypothetical dream race, but there definitely are at least 5-6 guys who have a shot at breaking it, although probably not "smashing" it.
Back in the day, Komen ducked Geb in the 5000. Tergat never ducked Geb in the 10, and earned my respect. Geb will lose my respect if he ducks Wanjiru.
flava fo yo ear wrote:
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!
His mamma call him Clay, imma call him Clay