Alberto Says He Was the GREATEST Distance Runner of his Era

You can dispute it but he held the marathon world record. I've heard people say that the way he ran the race it was still 26.2 on the short course

But it is of course, debatable. I used to be a big fan of him but with the sexual assault allegations he's not respectable if that's true

As great as Alberto was, I would also place Carlos Lopes above him.

Salazar had a fat, out of shape Rono on his home track and still couldn't beat him. Many of you guys have NO idea how good Rono was. And no hint of PED's. In fact, he took PDD's - Performance Detracting Drugs (alcohol).

Salazar was very good. But when it counted, Olympics and WC he was not. That what truly makes a great runner.

Rono sadly never had the chance at Olympics due to his country’s boycott of the 76 and 8O Olympic Games. He was basically done running when the WC’s started in 1983.

I agree with the post above, Rono was in a different level at that time.

1980, when Salazar won NYC, you had to be there. It's literally like Hocker showing up, and winning Western States.

The 24 months that followed, he was the greatest distance runner in the world, easy.

Lopes was coming on, clearly, and bluffing from NYC 82 on, but few realized it. Only after Salazar started losing overseas, and Lopes took World XC, did things seem clear. Oddly, in mid-82, the only question was the order you'd see in LA - Salazar, Decastella, or Seko?

He still has His High Schools 2 Mile and other records from 1976, That is beyond amazing.

Your use, of commas, almost, gave me, a stroke. Western states, is not, relevant, like Boston, Marathon, is, duh.

Salazar definitely got the most publicity, in the U.S., back then but Lopes was definitely the most accomplished. Salazar best times 5k 13:11, 10k 27:25, Marathon (short course) 2:08:13. Lopes is 1500 3:41 (age 35), 5k 13:16, 10k 27:17, Marathon 2:07:12. Lopes won the WCC 3 times in 76, 84, and 85. 10K Olympic silver medal in 76 behind Viren and gold medal in Marathon 1984. The comparison isn't close.

I can't believe that. He was very, very good, but so where Deek & Seko and I'd argue that overall they were better when it mattered. That said, his first 2 NY wins in 2:09 & 2:08 blew my mind at the time.

ok, so what rank is he if it's not #1?

I disagree too. Did he mention there that he doped himself with testo?

In his prime, Salazar had a good resume and was always a contender, but Rono was in a different class. I am aware of only one time when Salazar beat him - at the '78 XC NCAA champs when Rono had a really bad day. Perhaps there were other instances, though. Maybe some of our resident historians can help with that.

Interesting fact about Salazar - in 1982, he came within 10 seconds of the 10K track WR on 3 separate occasions. And he lost in all 3 of those races. One of them was the race in Eugene against Rono that was mentioned earlier in this thread.

That was my era.

Rono streeted him.

Beat him once at Oregon, only running the straights.

And when partying, that I saw, he drunk most of everything that was available. Rono was an athletic treasure.

I was a big fan of his. He boldly predicted that he would win the NYC marathon. That obviously ruffled many feathers. After the race he said he had run 10Ks that felt harder. (If I recall, he was a 5th-year senior but had no XC eligibility left.) He set the marathon debut record. Then he predicted he would break the world record.

At a time that running 2:09 was a rarity, he thought he could do it and went for it. I think it caused a paradigm shift with many of the marathoners at the time.

Lopes wasn't lighting the world on fire when Salazar was. Lopes was "around" forever, but only had a resurgence after Salazar was on the downward slide.

Salazar was pushing everyone like mad 80-82, and Lopes was getting outkicked by Mamede.

Jim Kiler, your post ignores reality.

I'm sure that Al Sal thinks that. We all know that's not the case. Sorry to rain on the Al Sal parade.

Salazar was not at his best long enough to be rated against any "era". He was a top marathoner for two years, from the the New York Marathon in 1980 to that race's 1982 edition. During that time he had three NY wins and one Boston win. Those were gutsy races, laying down the fastest times up to that point on those challenging courses. But two years does not make "an era". He also laid down some good time trials on the track at 5 and 10k during that period, and was a top placer at a few World XC races, but his lack of finishing speed would never have got him on the podium at the World Champs or Olympics on the track. It would be fair to say he was the top American marathon runner of the 1980s, and one of the world's best in the 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983 seasons. After that he was not much of a factor.

If I could choose having Salazar's career or that of Lopes, I'm choosing Lopes in a NY second.

Olympic Gold medal trumps all.