Is it just me or does anyone also feel that he just wanna grab the last chance to cash in?
Is it just me or does anyone also feel that he just wanna grab the last chance to cash in?
Tron wrote:
Hopefully this doesn’t mean he’s not in shape for Berlin and just going for New York
+1
If it is too good to be true, it probably is.
Curious_Cat wrote:
Is it just me or does anyone also feel that he just wanna grab the last chance to cash in?
Maybe, but to be honest, I don’t give a shoot.
I wish more people raced more often, don’t care about their motive.
It’s a back up for when kipchoge announces he his running Berlin Bekele can drop out and run NYC
Most likely the field in NYC will be weak and if the race is won in 2:09-10 like it normally is he has a great chance to win. I think he can run strong on a course like NYC he's always been a great hill runner both up and down.
Interestingly enough Ben True is also racing and may even be able to podium if the field is weak. If anyone on here is in the NYC area one of my friends will likely be hosting a watch party not very far from the finish.
Screw it, if the field is that weak I might as well join. I probably have a chance too.
OozmaKappa wrote:
Screw it, if the field is that weak I might as well join. I probably have a chance too.
Lol he just ran 27:14 a couple months ago Ben True ain't a bum.
Curious_Cat wrote:
Tron wrote:
Hopefully this doesn’t mean he’s not in shape for Berlin and just going for New York
+1
If it is too good to be true, it probably is.
Does he get is full appearance fee for just showing up at the start line, or what about being there for pre race activities and then DNS? This is all about getting paid, and who can blame him? Forget world records or even a course record in NY, if he actually shows up and truly competes all the way through in both races I will be amazed. I am very doubtful this will happen. You know why Kipchoge does not try to pull a stunt like this? Is it because he is scared or not tough enough? No, it is because he is still serious about running fast and winning. Bekele I think, not so much.
Curious_Cat wrote:
Is it just me or does anyone also feel that he just wanna grab the last chance to cash in?
Kind of like Des and Abdi. But you can't blame them since they don't have regular jobs, if they can still get paid to show up at some marathons they better be trying. The people who get paid the most are recent winners of these races and the most recent set of olympians. I imagine Jared Ward's pay to show up at New York is less now than it was a couple of years ago.
Bekele still has a year or two he can get some big money, but if he doesn't do anything good in this next year then that'll be the end of it. His 2:01 in 2019 Berlin brought him back on the map and will keep people paying big money for another year or two.
ShilohDoesntCare wrote:
Most likely the field in NYC will be weak and if the race is won in 2:09-10 like it normally is he has a great chance to win. I think he can run strong on a course like NYC he's always been a great hill runner both up and down.
Interestingly enough Ben True is also racing and may even be able to podium if the field is weak. If anyone on here is in the NYC area one of my friends will likely be hosting a watch party not very far from the finish.
What do you mean the field will be weak? The entries literally came out today. There are 8 guys sub 2:09 and Kandie, the world record holder of half marathon 57:32 is making his debut. I don't know why more people aren't talking about THAT. So how in the world is a 2:09-2:10 going to win this thing? Only way that happens is if it's absolutely terrible weather. Ben True will not podium, but I could see 5th place if a few of the international guys dropout which they usually do. I could also see Ben True dropping out after he goes in over his head. He'll either run really great, like a sub 2:10 on this challenging course for top American and easily top 10, or he'll be way back/DNF. I don't see a world where he runs a steady 2:11:45 for 10th place and 3rd American unless it's because he is in the lead pack going for the win until 22 miles and blows up terribly the last 5k.
Bekele is a businessman in Ethiopia, he has several hotels and properties.
You are wrong saying that "he does not have a regular job". Actually, it's business interest are sometimes polluting his focus on the sport. That's why for Berlin 2019 he went to Netherland to focus only on running.
He is doing it 100% for the love of the sport and to prove a point for himself.
I'm excited that he's trying this. The guy would win both races at World XC year after year after year, so if he wants to run both of these races 6 weeks apart, power to him. He's only 39 as well, which seems pretty young still (at least to me).
I bet the farm he DNF's.
Huge upfront appearance fee.
Wouldn't have him training in Netherlands for Berlin, perhaps the south, but realistically if he is in shape to take the WR in Berlin this year ( he certainly was capable in 2019) then NYC is a really second tier major, first 17-20 are just a workout there, for appearance money and sets up world marathon money
Retirement Tour. He'll jog it in so everyone can high five him.
Can we just take a couple pieces of Jon Gault’s article and play the “say it out loud” game…..
1 - He HAS a nagging ankle injury.
2 - He’s analogous to an antique car (his agent’s words) or more eloquently spoken by one Forrest Gump, a box a chocolates… Who know’s what we’re gonna get.
This sounds like a Berlin DNF that leads to advertised “recovery” enough to start NYC to only DNS last minute.
He has a nagging ankle injury — among issues — that is always liable to flare up. Hermens says it is difficult to know what to expect from Bekele this fall.
“With that man, with that quality, anything is possible,” Hermens says. “…The engine is still fantastic. The lungs and the heart are still Ferrari. The outside, it’s difficult to keep that up at the same level.”
Seems like this is more of an insurance policy in case Berlin is cancelled due to COVID, or he goes for the WR and blows up at 30k and calls it a workout.
Wow, a chance for 2 DNFs.
AbdiJackmahn Dorsey-Ali wrote:
Retirement Tour. He'll jog it in so everyone can high five him.
He wants to be able to fist bump during a marathon like Kipchoge. Remember how Kipchoge told his pacers where to go then Bekele tried the same.
Curious_Cat wrote:
Is it just me or does anyone also feel that he just wanna grab the last chance to cash in?
You are exactly right. I believe there is an American Road whore doing the same thing.
2 pay days with zero criticism. Built in excuse for failure. Announcers will be raving about the double. Easy story.