K. Bekele 800m?

Rodie wrote:

Then, how does it sound when it is announced that Kenny will be running 800m in olympics? it doesn't go down well, why? simply because many people know as matter of fact that he will hardly make it to finals...or in other words not medal! 800m is different ballgame guys..don't cheat yourself. It is argued the most difficult race on track, why because it does not only need speed, but it is also tactical which calls for a lot of experience. KB would find himself in unfamiliar territory. And that is why it can't happen.

VERY rare is the 800 race which is as tactical as what you saw at worlds. i would NOT call the 800 a tactical event, particularly when you are comparing it to Bekele's event, the 10k, or any other distance race.

here are the facts: bekele is the fastest distance runner in the history of the human gene pool. he runs 3:33 while training for 5k/10k, I agree with whoever said that if webb can run 143, bekele can AT LEAST run 145, if not 144, should he ever decide to concentrate on the shorter distances, which he would never have any reason to do.

more facts: yes, perhaps bekele would not medal in the worlds 800. but he would at least COMPETE. you take almost any of those 800 guys who are supposedly so experienced and stick them into almost any race of a longer distance, and bekele totally dominates. there pretty much would be no question. i would bet that bekele could best the entire 800 field in a 1500 meters, if that was what he so desired. but 3k? 5k? 10k? running for 25 laps at what is it, 65, 66 seconds a lap? dropping a 152 800 meter after five and half miles of relentless pounding? i find it very strange of you to say that someone who has run 13:09 back to back can be to taken to 'unfamiliar territory' by ANYONE.

So, why doesn't he go for 800m as you guys are making it sound so easy for him? simply because he has run 13.09 back to back doesn't prove it....Then why can't he break 3000m WR? 3.40 back to back!!!!!!!!!! you're not serious.

I know, I mean geeze, he can only be the best in the entire world EVER in a few events, he must really be terrible, not half as good as they say.

13:09 back to back is like 4:13 miles 6x. His 5k, is like 4:03 mile pace. if he can run almost 3x faster then banister, he can run as fast as a weak 800 field of chickens at worlds. If they had half the guts that even the women displayed, then they might beat him, or probably beat him, but going out at a 55, thats sad. I mean they ran slower than allan webb ran in an all HS meet. They displayed no where near the fitness of bekele. To them worlds was a rediculous fight to the finish. While bekele played them all, then schooled them.

dropout wrote:

That whole race was pretty weak, actually. They jogged 400m before going 27, 25. Not very scintillating stuff for "the best event of the WC's". The combination of Osaka's pollution, heat, and humidity mixed with the toll of the rounds are not getting their due. Hold this thing in northern Europe next time.

Agree completely. I honestly can't remember a lower-quality "championship" race in decades. And we really can't blame the conditions. The men's 10,000 was a fantastically high-quality race, the women's 800 and 1500 were extremely good, etc. So, while clearly difficult, it was possible to run fast in those horrible conditions. The 800 guys were simply useless.

I love peeps wrote:

I've never seen him move faster than 13 seconds for 100 in anything, even his 2nd WR 10k. Completely fresh he's maybe good for 12.2-11.9.

Bekele has been under 13 flat for the 100 before:

2005 WC 10000m - (12.9, 25.8, 54.0)

So his two final 100's were 12.9 each.

2004 OG 5000m - (12.9, 25.3, 52.9)

So his last 100 was 12.9, and his second to last was 12.4.

Also keep in mind that at the end of some of these races he eases up before the finish since he has the race well run. He has had other championship races right around 13flat where he eased up so it stands to reason he would have been under those as well.

One reason he might not win the 800m field is that everyone in the field closed between 12.0 and 12.5 seconds for the last 100m. 5 of the 8 closed in 12.0 or 12.1, which may be really pushing Bekele's top end speed. I don't doubt he can run that fast (or faster)fresh, but at the end of a windup race like that, with jostling and avoiding traffic, it might be a little out of his ability.

My God, he runs 12.9 at the end of a 5k and you don't think he can run faster than 12.0 fresh?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't he closed in 24 before? Why is it so ridiculous to think he could run a 48? I mean Jesus, if Matt Debole can run a 48, can't Bekele?

I said that I don't doubt that he can run 12.0 or faster fresh. Read my post again. However, I do have some doubts of him doing it at the end of that 800.

El G and Lagat could easily run 26:40 for 10k? No chance in hell. And you really think that Lagat would kill Bekele in a 3k cause I don't think so at all, 7:26 solo is blazing. Didn't he also just run the 2k world record indoors?

you guys are idiots. you are the same guys claiming warriner can break 1:40 in an 800. Bekele would have been tooled by that entire 800 field even if he HAD made it to the finals. keep in mind it took 1:44-1:45 to make finals. Bekele run a 48 easily??? That is a joke. I remember reading somewhere about some 5k runner that closed in a 53 or something, and his coach entered him in an open 400 and he ran 52.8 or something like that. Bekele is an ENDURANCE machine, he is almost at top speed in the last lap of his 10k etc. Ill bet you bekele wouldnt be much faster than 50 point from scratch. Bear in mind most of those guys are 1:42-1:43 guys. Bekele can't touch them in an 800.

asdfasdfasdfasdff wrote:

you guys are idiots. you are the same guys claiming warriner can break 1:40 in an 800. Bekele would have been tooled by that entire 800 field even if he HAD made it to the finals. keep in mind it took 1:44-1:45 to make finals. Bekele can't touch them in an 800.

Finally some common sense. Many are assuming that Bekele *could* go out in 52.5 and hold it and that the field would let him go and they'd still run 55. THey would be all over him if he took it out. He likely never would have made the final.

How about the men's 5000?

THey went out in 8:37 for the first 3000. That's an ok time; for high school. I'm surprised guys aren't saying that 50 differnet high school kids could have won the 5000.

GUYS GET REAL. JESUS CHRIST. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO BELIEVE THAT LAGAT CAN BEAT BEKELE. IN 10K WAKE UP. THE GUY RAN 26:17 WORLD RECORD. BEKELE JUST DOESN'T HAVE THE INTEREST TO RUN THE 800. PERIOD. HE CAN'T BE THE BEST IN IT BECAUSE THATS NOT WHAT HE TRAINS FOR. BUT THE QUESTION CAN HE RUN A 1:45. NOT MUCH LOGIC IS NEEDED TO ANSWER IT. HE CAN SLEEP AND DO IT. HAILE RAN 1:46 EASILY. BEKELE IF HE WANTED RIGHT NOW I PROMISE YOU CAN RUN IT IN 1:44. AND ONE OF YOU SAID I HARDLY EVER SAW HIM RUN LESS 13 SECONDS FOR A 100 M IN ANYTHING. GET REAL YOU ARE ASLEEP BIG TIME. i EVEN ME THAT IS NOT A SERIOUS RUNNER HAVE GONE AND DONE 20 100S AS A WORKOUT UNDER 13 SECONDS ALL. TOO MUCH TOO SAY JUST FORGET IT. LAGAT IS SH***T COMPARED TO BEKELE IN 10k LAGAT RAN 13:45 TO WIN. IF BEKELE RAN THE 5K IN WORLDS, HE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE CLOCKED IN 13:05 EASILY HE WAS JUST ALLOWING HIS BROTHER TO MEDAL. AM ETHIOPIAN AND I CAN TELL YOU BOLDLY LAGAT DID NOT WIN THE 5K. HE GOT THE MEDAL BUT HE DOESN'T DESERVE IT HE WAS SECOND. WHAT HE DID, WAS WRONG, BUT KENYA LET IT BY BECAUSE THEY KNOW HE IS KENYAN TOO. SORRY.

KB can run at least 1:44.55. I saw him do this

once in a training session time trial. *I spent

two weeks jogging around there pretending to be

an elite two years ago!* After his 1:44 and change, according to my watch, he jogged a mile in 5 minutes and did 4 x 400 in 51-53 with a slow 100 meter recovery. Don't you think he could go sub 1:44 if he trained for it? C'mon! Seems like a lot a you think he can't go faster than 15 seconds for 100 meters. Get cerebral already! He is the fastest in the world at 1500 meters and up; you just haven't seen it all yet; and likely never will. Listen closely! He can run the 2 Mile at

59.5 pace. Don't you think he can run 1 x 400 in 49? Sheeit

man; all I can run is 1:56 for the 800; AND I CAN RUN 1 X 400

IN 51 without speed training for it. I'm sure BK can run a 45 to 46. If you cannot visualize this in light of his dominance

over all men from one mile up; maybe you should take up golf.

Rodie wrote:

So, why doesn't he go for 800m as you guys are making it sound so easy for him? simply because he has run 13.09 back to back doesn't prove it....Then why can't he break 3000m WR? 3.40 back to back!!!!!!!!!! you're not serious.

13:08 back to back with rabbits is much different than an olympic final with El G. Even Lagat, trained for a 10k, would put the whoppin on Kenny B.

Kenny is maybe good for a 27 flat in a final. Without the rabbits, its a different race. You have to take it down to 26:40 land to remove the sting of an EL G or a Lagat, or god forbid another Daniel Komen. And taking it that fast without a rabbit is akin to suicide at that level. Even a mediocre 26:50 Kenyan would stick around and give you trouble if you weren't up to it. A 26:40 Kenyan would beat you. Kenny B isn't as dominate as you think. He's lucky the 15 guys will never try a 10 on the track.

Talk about dememtia.

KB can go sub 24 to finish

a slow 5k, 10k, 20k, or marathon.

Don't you know that he can run 13:00 pace

and finish at the exact same speed that

he would run 1 x 200 meters in a time

trial? Get cerebral already.

And you think all he can run is 27! Ha,

I sure hope the rest of the readers/runners/

walabies reading this don't think like you;

or we're in beeeeg trouble!

Just when we thought we were at the

Tipping point.

agreed. didn't canova talk about this in one of his threads? Sure they can finish that hard, but that's literally their top gear.

qucassidy wrote:

KB can run at least 1:44.55. I saw him do this

once in a training session time trial. *I spent

two weeks jogging around there pretending to be

an elite two years ago!* He is the fastest in the world at 1500 meters and up; you just haven't seen it all yet; and likely never will. Listen closely! He can run the 2 Mile at

59.5 pace. Don't you think he can run 1 x 400 in 49? Sheeit

man; all I can run is 1:56 for the 800; AND I CAN RUN 1 X 400

With that type of range I'm surprised he can't get the 3000 WR, break 8 for two miles, or outkick ElG in the 5000 in Athens. Read the posts of the guys who know this stuff; he can sprint at close to his top end. His 1500's have not been spectac so far. His 800's would be even more underwelming. He does have the WR in the 5000 and 10000 so I'm not saying he's not good!

Comparison King wrote:

1980 Olympic 800m -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrYY5pLhZrM

They were just under 55 at 400m, but still managed 1:45 low for the final time. More exciting to watch, if you ask me.

That was amazing!

The leaders went through the bell in 54.55, meaning Ovett was somewhere around 55 and Coe maybe a half-second back of that. Ovett won in 1:45.40, meaning he covered the second 400 in 50-low!

From Wikipedia:

"...in Lausanne, Switzerland on July 1, 2003, Bekele recorded a 200 m segment during the last lap in 24 seconds and a 100 m section in 11.xx seconds to run a 52.63 final lap."