Bekele only closes in 53", Tegenkamp and OTC will Dominate

Vermonster wrote:

ventolin wrote:

in a 13-flat race, anything slower than 51 is poor

Is it? How many people finished 13min 5000s in 51sec? I can't imagine there are that many. It might just be Morceli. Also, keep in mind that Bekele is coming off an injury and he is just starting his season. Given that context, 53sec beating guys who are race sharp is pretty good.

Most 13-flat 5,000-meter runners couldn't break 50 in an open 400. How is anything slower than 51 poor? Bekele may "only" close in 53, but as someone already posted, he can make the last 2,000 meters so miserable for everyone else that no one will pass him on the last lap. Bekele isn't in his early 20s like he was in 2003-04 when El Guerrouj outkicked him and Kipchoge beat both of them in the WC. While Bekele was by no means inexperienced then, he was not the veteran El Guerrouj was. I think Bekele has learned since that when the best 1,500 runner in the world is behind him in a championship 5,000, he can't run 63s with less than 1,200 to go and expect to win.

Tree Frog wrote:

Seriously, Teg & Solinsky have proven they have the wheels to close in 53", but can they do it off a 13-flat pace?

Yeah bekele looked bad for him and only kicked a 53 to win but 13:08 or what ever he ran was a tactical/ relatively slow race for him, that is all out for teg and out side the limits of most other Americans in a one race situation. Dont forget they have to run some where from 13:35ish to 13:45 just to get the chance to run a "tactical" 13:08 I hope they can but it seems unlikely. If Lagat is healthy he has the best shot at taking down bekele.

I have a feeling Teg is in better shape than we think. Keep in mind he hasnt raced much this year. yet he still had the extra gear to win the 5k. Beating Solinsky who has run pretty fast this year. Im not saying Teg will medal, but unless the race is like Beijing was, He has a great shot.

The only prediction I will make is this- If Bernard Lagat is healthy, the only way he will lose is if the race goes faster than 1255.

Off the Grid wrote:

Teg's 3k pr 7:34.98

Bekele ran the last 3k in Beijing in 7:35, finishing in 54

So, unless Teg has had some incredible improvement that he has kept a secret, he will be hard pressed to make the final, let alone be in the hunt.

the OP's name "La La Land" implies a troll score of 3/10.

I guess we need to say it again: THERE ARE NO QUALIFYING ROUNDS FOR THE MEN'S OR WOMENS'S 10K.

The men's 10k final is Saturday, August 15th at 7:25 pm Berlin time.

Mark_in_Oly wrote:

I guess we need to say it again: THERE ARE NO QUALIFYING ROUNDS FOR THE MEN'S OR WOMENS'S 10K.

The men's 10k final is Saturday, August 15th at 7:25 pm Berlin time.

Too bad we're talking about the 5k here.

I just assumed the OP was joking.and ventolin do you have a period key on your keyboard? give it a try sometime.

ventolin wrote:

apologies

i missed that race

how quick was it ?

my point is that an established 1500/5k guy with <3'30 shoud be able to go ~52 in a ~13'00 & guys like choge/songok shoud match kennster in these tactical 5ks

X Runner wrote:

What does it mean to close in 53 inches?

Hey retard the quotations symbol(") is used to denote a lot of things one of them is seconds ever here of the lat long system ie degrees, minutes, seconds and what was after the seconds oh yeah (").

your retarded wrote:

X Runner wrote:

What does it mean to close in 53 inches?

Hey retard the quotations symbol(") is used to denote a lot of things one of them is seconds ever here of the lat long system ie degrees, minutes, seconds and what was after the seconds oh yeah (").

"You´re"

Try to use proper punctuation and capital letters at the beginning of every sentence.

"hear", not "here"

Bekele at Beijing

http://www.ethiotube.net/video/455/Beijing-2008--5K-Men

Man, just watched Bekele in 2004 Athens Olympics.. 52-second pace from 500 meters out... just out of this world... Geb could not do that.

X Runner wrote:

What does it mean to close in 53 inches?

its the size of bekele's penia

Why is it that the limit for Bekele is not his lungs? Its his legs? Its unbelievable... he never is breathing hard. After seeing that finish in 2004, I have to assume he is on drugs. No one can run that fast without breathing. Look at Kipchoge... huffing and puffing. Bekele... the only limit is how fast his tired legs can turnover... nothing having to do with his lungs.

Does that mean the lungs are the usual limit to performance.

unrated wrote:The only prediction I will make is this- If Bernard Lagat is healthy, the only way he will lose is if the race goes faster than 1255.

Tree Frog wrote:

Man, just watched Bekele in 2004 Athens Olympics.. 52-second pace from 500 meters out... just out of this world... Geb could not do that.

geb coud & probably beat him - remember 3'31i speed

geb didn't run a championship 5k after '93 ( in fact his only ever champs 5k ) so there was no opportunity to demonstrate a 52s in a tactical race & when he ran 5ks on the circuit he was after WRs & you don't run 52s in those if you've managed to get to the bell in 11'40 - 11'45

ventolin wrote:

Tree Frog wrote:

Man, just watched Bekele in 2004 Athens Olympics.. 52-second pace from 500 meters out... just out of this world... Geb could not do that.

geb coud & probably beat him - remember 3'31i speed

geb didn't run a championship 5k after '93 ( in fact his only ever champs 5k ) so there was no opportunity to demonstrate a 52s in a tactical race & when he ran 5ks on the circuit he was after WRs & you don't run 52s in those if you've managed to get to the bell in 11'40 - 11'45

I wonder why Geb never wan any more 5k champ waces?

ming ding xiong wrote:

unrated wrote:The only prediction I will make is this- If Bernard Lagat is healthy, the only way he will lose is if the race goes faster than 1255.

Based on what? The 5k where he finished second in 13:03? The dozen guys who have run faster this year?

No, based on the 51 he dropped to beat Bekele in 1259 in 2006. Based on the speed he showed in the Pre classic 3k this year. Based on the fact that the 1303 was the first 5k he ran all year, and Im sure Kogo was a bit more sharp for the longer stuff than Lagat at the time. If Lagat is not injured, hes the man to beat.

is there a video of Lagat beating Bekele?

unrated wrote:No, based on the 51 he dropped to beat Bekele in 1259 in 2006. Based on the speed he showed in the Pre classic 3k this year. Based on the fact that the 1303 was the first 5k he ran all year, and Im sure Kogo was a bit more sharp for the longer stuff than Lagat at the time. If Lagat is not injured, hes the man to beat.