KENENISA MF BEKELE: 2:01:41

Manipulated into a ‘Shorter course’ + ‘New Drug’ masked by one’s own blood, equals = “fast times”!

Armstronglivs wrote:

2.01 at 37 years old and on 3 months training. Fans will believe everything about their heroes. Some of us don't buy it.

Always...nothing new there. ?

Wow, I have to admit that I did not see this coming. Bekele had dropped out of so many marathons that it looked like he was just running for the appearance fee. Clearly not. Many congratulations to Bekele (and his loyal fans), amazing run, sorry he didn't get the WR.

Presumably Kipchoge will run at Tokyo 2020. Do you think Bekele will? Or will he spend the next 12 months preparing for another assault on the WR at Berlin next year?

I would be surprised if he wasn't selected for the team in 2020. Today he showed us that he could compete with the best in the world. He just needs to stay healthy.

Colby wrote:

I would be surprised if he wasn't selected for the team in 2020. Today he showed us that he could compete with the best in the world. He just needs to stay healthy.

"Healthy" is an interesting word.

REAL. wrote:

I am starting to believe there are no drugs, no magic pills, no magic workouts.

There are mental barriers that runners allow themselves to be controlled by.

Once those barriers are shattered, in the case of Bannister's 3:59.9, Kipchoge's 2:00:25, Geb's 12:39, then the floodgates of human potential open and we see something like today.

These runners solely race to the bar, to the limits that are known.

Aim for the unknown.

You just wished a billion dollar black market out of existence. The only "mental barrier" to understanding may be in your head, and those who think like you.

I’m sorry but I have my doubts on this one. No way was this achieved clean. KB has a past history. After the 09 season that “calf injury “ that plagued him for years... well one of his drug tests came back positive. It was covered up by the IAAF. KB was given a choice by them, you can sit out the 10 season or we’ll have to suspend you. This should be an exciting day for our sports, instead it is very very very sad.

Where are all the “cheaterfly” folks? Without the shoes, Bek runs two min slower...actually I think the shoes are almost irrelevant.

However, I’m concerned about PED. Bek’s 5k and 10k have been big outliers for a long time in an era where there was much cheating.

Will Bek keep racing now, or cash his big check and go home?

A 2:01 at 37 off of 3 months of training after years of DNFs? DOPING, obviously. Like some next level doping. Don’t forget that he ran two untouchable WRs back in the day and that girlfriend allegedly died of an EPO overdose during the same period. Just saying.

JohnnyS wrote:

GOAT for sure

He's pretty good.

JUST NO wrote:

he should not waste one of his few remaining marathons to run in 100 degree weather.

Agree. I really hope he blows off Tokyo.

That would make Eliud's victory a bit hollow and maybe, just maybe, help Jacques and Seb understand that you don't deliberately cripple the world's best athletes if you want the sport to survive.

Yesterday's Doha Death March showed pretty clearly why that's the case. You can't have many 41% dropout rates and expect people to want to participate, or even watch. Watching people being administered IVs and carried away in meat wagons is not exciting. Nor is watching a 2:17 woman jog 42 kilos at her warmup pace.

Wake up, IOC and IAAF! It makes no sense to sucker for the quick buck if it means the death of your sport.

Welcome back king!!!! Greatest all time talent!! Nobody in this world can have a marathon career like Bekele,

fighting injuries for years, drop out in many races, then come back and after 2:03 in Berlin years ago , now 2:01:40!!!

Only Bekele can do this. Fantastic I m so happy for him!!!

I’m so proud of him.

Wake Up wrote:

. . . that girlfriend allegedly died of an EPO overdose during the same period. Just saying.

Give us some links for that allegation. Better yet, just drop dead yourself. Just sayin' . . .

Pharmacist wrote:

I’m so proud of him.

What's he paying you?

Not to forget that... wrote:

Not to forget that the weather conditions today were not bad but in comparison to 2018?

The pacing for Bekele was also not perfect. The performance today puts the Ineos party rather in the shade, even if Kipchoge creates the sub 2 in the wind shadow of his runner phalanx and the electric car.

Kipchoge had nobody to run with and no specific time goal to beat to get even more out of himself. Bekele had pacers and then competitors to run with and to chase later on, and always the world record time to beat. And still came up short. Also the weather was warmer last year, so I would not say it was better.

Great performance nonetheless. Reminds me a lot of the 2016 race, no Kipchoge, first drops off and then returns to nearly get the record. Maybe it really is mental, he can chase the record because he knows it's possible, but not go for the unkown like Kipchoge did. Or maybe the shoes just are worth 1:20 and nothing else has changed.

Bekele won the gold at the junior race at the 2001 World Cross. Also won the silver that year in the short course.

So basically, Bekele has been among the best in world for longer than 18 years. There have been plenty of very good distance runners who said they basically had about 5-7 years in top form, only so many races and miles in the legs.

Amazing.

Countless East Africans busted for doping?

"I'm sure the ones still competing are clean though!"

Corrupt coaches and agents explicitly linked to doping?

"That's no guarantee that all their athletes dope!"

Men with 5 o'clock shadow and receding hairlines winning junior races?

"Life is just harder over there, they age faster!"

Proof that EPO is available over the counter and drug testing is nonexistent?

"Still doesn't mean they're cheating! They ran 20 miles to school every day!"

Cheater shoes with literal springs in them?

"Hey they only improve efficiency by 4%, they don't make you 4% faster!"

HONK HONK.

And to who want compare Bekele to Kipchoge thats not even possible. With Kipchoge you have somebody that " never" had an injury in his marathon career. While Bekele always had injuries and rehabilitation period. Even today he said he had problem at the hamstring in a part of the race , and that is in a good shape but not 100% cos he cames from a rehabilitaton period