1. Komen’s 3k. Seven sub-60 second 400’s in a row, plus another 200 for good measure. Back to back 3:40 1500’s. Basically back to back sub 4 miles. WTF
It's been said before, but Cram's funny commentary during the race:
"He just been churning some hard hard races, and you just wonder where he's getting the energy from."
Your lists are conspicuously incomplete at the top. I was referring to the guys who are closest to each record. Geb and Komen are only 2 seconds away from Bekele’s 12:37; nobody is within 2 seconds of 7:20. The closet is El G, who is 2.42 seconds away. The next closest is Wale, who is 4 seconds away.
Yeah sorry I forgot to mention that in response to your point I was only including times ran in recent years (2018-pres) as there had been comment about technological advances and the current crop of elites.
It doesn't matter how close Geb and Komen were to 12:37, that's not the WR. It's how close they are/aren't to 12:35. If we include athletes who competed pre-2018, then still there are more athletes closer to 7:20 then there are to 12:35
Got it. Curious Cat opined that Bekele’s 12:37 was more impressive than Cheptegei’s 12:35 given the differences in context, and I think most people here would agree with that take. So if picking one of those two records to go up against 7:20, I chose the one that is both more impressive and set in the same era, for a fair apples to apples comparison.
I don’t think it’s fair to compare Geb and Komen’s 5K bests to a WR that was set with advantages they didn’t have. I’m sure they could have gone faster with super shoes and pacing lights. Why not compare them to someone they actually ran against.
That said, if you want to go with the 12:35, that’s justified too because it’s the current WR. Let’s compare:
Time taken off previous WR: Komen 4.44 seconds, Cheptegei 1.99 seconds. Advantage Komen
Duration: Komen 26 years, Cheptegei 2 years. Advantage Komen
Context: Komen did not have super shoes nor pacing lights, and Cheptegei did. Advantage Komen
Next 3 closest times: After Komen, the 3 closest are 2.42, 4.31, and 4.35 seconds away. After Cheptegei, the 3 closest are 1.99, 4.0, and 4.38 seconds away. Advantage Komen
If you include field events, one that's often overlooked is the mens high jump record of 2:45m set way back in 1993 set by Javier Sotomayor. Nobody has even come close since!
Yesterday a did research about El G. attempt on Komen 3000m WR, to get his impression on the subject. What I found was book comparing the principles used by John Walker and H. El G.
For me its the world record in marathon. Its mind boggling how the speed is so close to the world class times of the half marathon, 15km, 10km etc. If I am not wrong it equates to a 67s 400 which would be a struggle for most, even with some training.
This reminds me of a post with over 200 upvotes on reddit "advanced running" claiming to be a "pretty strong runner" yet also only able to hold Kipchoge's pace for 200m. In what world does a pretty strong runner have a 33s 200m PB?
When Mary Mora actually hits her prime and learns the event, then it's game on with Athing Mu. Both of these athletes need better coaching. It's actually scary to have the the two premier almost once in a generation type athletes being poorly coached. Sad actually!
Really? I don't. That's no slight on him at all but I don't think he's capable of 12.40-42 right now at all. If that was the case he's an immediate candidate to run low 7.20's in the very least but I don't see that either. And I don't care if that's unpopular opinion.
The 400 hurdle world records, especially Sydney. Running those times over barriers that world class athletes run over the 400 flat event early or late in their season, is pretty mind boggling. Only six US women ran faster for 400 this season than Sydney ran over the 400 hurdles. The great Allysin Felix did not run faster over 400 this season than Sydney ran over the 400 hurdles. 50.68 for Sydney. 50 71 was Felix best this season.
1. Komen’s 3k. Seven sub-60 second 400’s in a row, plus another 200 for good measure. Back to back 3:40 1500’s. Basically back to back sub 4 miles. WTF
It's been said before, but Cram's funny commentary during the race:
"He just been churning some hard hard races, and you just wonder where he's getting the energy from."
Because these guys calling the races know what's going on they aren't stupid. Komen was radiating for that record run let's be completely honest here.
it's honestly tough to say. looking at OP's list, there are certainly some WR that are standouts compare to the next fastest runner, but you need to realize that many of the WR holder's competition can also cheat and they don't come close either way. the question i often ask is if PEDs never existed, would the world record holder still hold the world record? even if it is a proven fact that usain bolt is a cheater, so are his opponents. if you take away everyone's PEDs, usain bolt and his competition would all be slower which would possibly result in usain bolt still holding the WR, just maybe a slightly slower WR. this same logic basically applies to everyone else including radcliffe, kipchoge, komen, etc.
as for the actual question, imma just say the china 10000m WR holder simply because there is no evidence that that WR ever happened which could very well mean that it was rigged
The esteem to which the 3K WR has been held is a reoccurring trend on LR so idk if anyone can explain this to me in a non-condescending way
7:20.67 = 58.75/lap 12:35.36 = 60.42/lap
theres only 1.5s/lap between it but the latter is held for 5 more laps. For me the 5000m WR is more impressive, no? (not saying it's the most impressive WR, just saying surely it's more impressive than the 3000 WR)
the 5000 is more impressive. the event is ran so much more often. Don't let them convince you otherwise.
the 5000 is more impressive. the event is ran so much more often. Don't let them convince you otherwise.
If what I wrote above in Post #82 wasn’t convincing enough, perhaps this information will open your eyes and mind:
Let’s take a closer look at the years in which Geb, El G, and Bekele ran their 3K personal bests, to get an idea of their form, in chronological order:
Geb, 1998: He was 25 that year and in his absolute prime. With no Olympics or world championships to peak for, he focused on running fast times and breaking world records that year. Sure enough, that was the year he ran most of his personal bests. He ran a PB 3:31.76 in February, showing he had his best speed. Then in June, he ran his WR 26:22 10K and 12:39 WR 5K. With his top speed and top strength, he was in the form of his life! His first race just a few weeks after breaking the 5K WR was a 3K in Oslo: 7:27. Ouch. Would that be his only attempt? Nope! He ran a total of *four* 3K races that summer. Add that total to his two indoor 3K races that year, and he wound up racing the 3K more than any other distance during that peak record-breaking year. He ran the 3K at Oslo, Monaco, Bruxelles, and Moskva. The best that he could do on those fast tracks while in the form of his life? 7:25, which he ran twice.
El G, 1999: Like Geb the year before, El G turned 25 in 1999 and was in his prime. He ran his still-standing 3:26 1500 WR the year before. Just like he did in 1997 and 1998, El G went undefeated in 1999, dominating all comers in the 1500 and mile. Notably, he ran his still-standing 3:43 mile WR that summer. Then, at the world championships, El G won gold in a season-best 3:27. Ten days after that, while still in his top season-best form, he takes a crack at the 3K, running 7:23. Very fast (still the second-fastest all time) but not nearly fast enough.
That takes us to 2007 Bekele. That year is when Bekele turned…wait for it…25! Like Geb before him, Bekele ran his fastest 1500 that year: 3:32. What event would fastest-ever Bekele focus on that year? The 3K! After running the two-mile in Hengelo in May, Bekele ran the 3K three times that summer, which is the same amount of times he ran the 5K and 10K combined. He raced the 3K in Sheffield, Monaco, and Stockholm, running 7:26, 7:29, and 7:25. Fantastic times for sure, but like fellow greats Geb and El G, nowhere close to Komen’s 7:20.
So, during the years they turned 25 and ran personal bests in other events, the legends Geb, El G, and Bekele ran the 3K a combined total of 8 times outdoors and none of them could come close to breaking Komen’s WR. I rest my case.
For me, as far as distance records, I got to go with Gidey’s half marathon. Her pace per 10k was 29:48. Only 7 women ever have run that fast for a 10k. You take any other distance record, and see how many people have run that pace for half the distance and its usually hundreds, even thousands!!! For example for the men 464 men have run the half marathon faster than Kipchoge's marathon pace. For Kimplimo's half marathon world record, his 10k pace was 27:16, and 114 men have run that fast for a 10k on the track.
If Athing Mu stays healthy the 800 record will be hers in 4 years. She's still very young and Kratochvilova ran her PB in her early thirties (although...). The heptathlon record seems a little vulnerable. Thiam or a healthy KJT might get it, if not one of those two then Anna Hall may come close, she is very talented in multiple events. The others are completely out of reach for this generation of professional athletes.
There is absolutely no chance that Athing Mu breaks this record, ever. Ever. Unless she cheats and becomes a 48 flat (out of the blocks) 400m performer - then she might have a shot.
I went 1:49 without ever breaking 50 in an open 400. So why does she need to run 48 flat to run 1:53? You can run 1:53 with 52 speed. I doubt there is much of a male vs. female difference in this argument.
There is absolutely no chance that Athing Mu breaks this record, ever. Ever. Unless she cheats and becomes a 48 flat (out of the blocks) 400m performer - then she might have a shot.
I went 1:49 without ever breaking 50 in an open 400. So why does she need to run 48 flat to run 1:53? You can run 1:53 with 52 speed. I doubt there is much of a male vs. female difference in this argument.
What could you run for a 1500m? If you ran 1.49 without breaking 50 I'm going to guess you were a low 3.50 1500m runner at worst.
For a female to be a sub 1.54 runner with 52 second speed, she would need to be a 3.55 runner minimum. The best comparison we have is the WR prior to Kratochvilova - Olizarenko who was a 51.0 second performer (50.96) but also ran under 4 in the 1500m (3.59.48). If there's no difference between men and women how is it possible there have been no female 52 second 400m runners that stepped up and easily ran 1.53? In fact there have been exactly none. Because 52 second speed and 3.55 endurance for a female is not common at all like it is with males.
Mu is a 49.5 performer but a 4.16 1500m performer. And again it's not so simple as saying, "well if she just trained for the 1500m she would get down to the 4.05/06 range while holding that 400m ability". So she is going to need to rely on pure speed exactly like JK did (47.99).
Help us build the best running shoe review site for a chance to win a LetsRun t-shirt.Help us build the best running shoe review site for a chance to win one of 10 LetsRun t-shirts.