Is the money far more lucrative to focus on the 10K or marathon OR can elites focus on the half and make as good a living?
I could be wrong, but it seems like once an elite doesn't have enough speed anymore for the 10K on the track, they go to the marathon, rather than half. If so, is that because of the money?
Yes
Yes yes wrote:
Yes
Can you please name one?
as a half marathon focus year round? no theres really not. Wouldnt be lucrative enough.
Seems to be kiplimo's niche. Zersenay Tadese was like this - tried to move up and compete with kipchoge for his first sub 2hr attempt but didn't like drinking enough water or something like that
RunningFromTime wrote:
Seems to be kiplimo's niche. Zersenay Tadese was like this - tried to move up and compete with kipchoge for his first sub 2hr attempt but didn't like drinking enough water or something like that
Thanks for the names. Kiplimi was one that's caught my attention. Didn't know that about Tadese. Curious if they stay under the marathon because of their body types / natural ability at the different distances.
RunningFromTime wrote:
Seems to be kiplimo's niche. Zersenay Tadese was like this - tried to move up and compete with kipchoge for his first sub 2hr attempt but didn't like drinking enough water or something like that
Lol this is an exceptional way of describing Tadese's repeated difficulties with the marathon distance.
Do you see 800m runners moving up and focusing on the 1000?
Every year there’s a number of 58-59:xx East Africans whose focus is running 2-4 high profile halfs. Typically they do this for a couple-three years before either slowing and switching to running 2:09-2:13 ‘B’ level marathons for prize money, or run so well that the marathon majors draw them in. Dennis Kimetto was one of these guys. Kibiwott Kandie was one in 2019-20.
Kandie’s 2020 results (ALL his listed results):
2/21 RAK 58:58 1st
9/5 Prague 58:38 1st
10/17 World 1/2 Champs 58:54 2nd
12/6 Valencia 57:32 1st
And there are guys doing it this year too, just no multiple-sub-59 guys yet. Keneth Renju, Alexander Mutiso, Benard Kimeli, and many more.
Kamworor
Half marathon specialist are just 10000 guys that do the roads cause 10000 track races don't have any money in them. Also outside of the world's and Olympics, there's only a few high profile track 10000 races. Besides if you're a elite who can regularly win sub 60 half's. It'll be in your wheelhouse to do XC races, 10k road races and a occasional marathon. The training for XC, 10k and half's aren't that different.
John Wesley Harding wrote:
Every year there’s a number of 58-59:xx East Africans whose focus is running 2-4 high profile halfs. Typically they do this for a couple-three years before either slowing and switching to running 2:09-2:13 ‘B’ level marathons for prize money, or run so well that the marathon majors draw them in. Dennis Kimetto was one of these guys. Kibiwott Kandie was one in 2019-20.
Kandie’s 2020 results (ALL his listed results):
2/21 RAK 58:58 1st
9/5 Prague 58:38 1st
10/17 World 1/2 Champs 58:54 2nd
12/6 Valencia 57:32 1st
And there are guys doing it this year too, just no multiple-sub-59 guys yet. Keneth Renju, Alexander Mutiso, Benard Kimeli, and many more.
Thanks, this is very interesting. If they don't slow after 2-3 years, do they get drawn into the marathon majors because there's more money? Why do they often slow after 2-3 years - is the peak age for half marathons not very long, unlike the marathon, which can go well into the 30's?
Kamwo won 3 world halfa but has 6 marathon major medals. So not exactly specialist in the half.