Bekele open 400 time

What could he run the marathon in from blocks?

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he could run sub 50. Not necessary, but I bet he could. Much faster and I'd suspect he lacks that type of power.

Or better yet the 24 hour from the blocks.

adc wrote:

If Bekele can run the last 400 of the 10000 in 52 seconds, how fast could he run an open 400, from blocks?

Maybe under 50? You guys are so confused. There are 4:30 high school milers who can split sub-50 on the relay. He's more like 47:xx and probably has the genetic potential to go under 46 if he gave a damn about the 400.

Geb is overrated wrote:

Maybe under 50? You guys are so confused. There are 4:30 high school milers who can split sub-50 on the relay. He's more like 47:xx and probably has the genetic potential to go under 46 if he gave a damn about the 400.

So? Those kids just have awful endurance. Bekele has supreme endurance, the kick he has is much closer to the time he could pump out for an open 400. I would say barely under 50.

Geb is overrated wrote:

Maybe under 50? You guys are so confused. There are 4:30 high school milers who can split sub-50 on the relay. He's more like 47:xx and probably has the genetic potential to go under 46 if he gave a damn about the 400.

Explain the connection between the 400 and the 10k to me? I'm confused.

We have no clue what he could run for 400. To extrapolate from such a well-trained athlete's primary event -- and say that he's more like 47 point is purely conjecture on your part.

The question wasn't "how fast could he go if he trained for it" it was "what could he run out of blocks?"

I wouldn't be surprised by sub 50. I would be surprised by anything near 47 flat, personally -- or really anything in the 47s at all.

Not because I think those are phenomenal times. There are 4:30 milers, after all, who can run sub 48 :)

When I could only run 52 for 400, I could run 60/54 for 800. I can only imagine how close Bekele can get to his top end speed at the end of a 10k. To conclude, I wouldn't be THAT surprised if, balls-out, he ran 50 point out of blocks.

As a matter of fact, I bet the blocks would slow him down...to stay completely on the original topic :)

Yes, you guys nailed it. To have such amazing endurance, Bekele must be more of a slow twitch guy rather than fast twitch. That's going to limit his 400 open speed. 50 maybe, but not 47.

I'll bet 47-ish. Even Webb can pop a 47; I think Goucher can, too. That's about what it takes to be that good--and Bekele is definitely that good.

I said 47:xx right now, sub-46 if he trained for it so I believe I answered the question just fine. I did not say there was a connection between the 10k and the 400. I was simply implying that Bekele is almost certainly faster and more talented than a high school 4:30 miler, which you apparently disagree with. I realize that we don't know what Bekele can run in the 400. This whole thread is based on a hypothetical question and I am making my best guess.

I would think Webb is more of a sprinter than Bekele, I am not sure what Bekele could do but I am not sure if he could really go down much farther than 50, and as for the blocks I don't think they would help all that much.

I'd say 49 or so, maybe high 48s at best. He's a 10k runner. Sure Webb split 47 in HS but he was also much more speed oriented. Even now Webb would surely beat Bekele in a 400m. Webb has run 1:43 for crying out loud.

you guys are all morons

bekele ran the last mile of a 5k in under 4 minutes

if you think he can only run 50.xx then you dont know a thing about running.

yes he is tired after 11.5 laps of running hard but to be able to run the 3rd mile of a 5k under 4 mins with a "flying start" still requires considerable speed and strength

which makes him better than webb

and webb can run 46-47 sec 400m

which means bekele can AT LEAST run that fast, if not faster

agree49.x with a flying start.

dogscalder wrote:

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he could run sub 50. Not necessary, but I bet he could. Much faster and I'd suspect he lacks that type of power.

Gebrselassie's coach once estimated his flat 400 speed at 49.9, and I'd guess that Bekele's is similar. Maybe as fast as 49.0, but probably not much faster.

gunnerx wrote:

you guys are all morons

bekele ran the last mile of a 5k in under 4 minutes

if you think he can only run 50.xx then you dont know a thing about running.

i'd say you're the one who doesn't know running.

I'd put him at low 50 high 49 at best. Many distance runners can get close to their top end at the end of a race, that's why they're known as good kickers.

What you'll find more common than not is guys with blazing speed, who have no kick at all.

The blocks would probably slow him down unless he spent a bit of time working on his start. From a standing start, I'd give him low 49s. The guy is in such phenomenal shape that he can close a 10k in pretty close to his best 400m. If he really had 46 second speed, we would probably see him closing slow races in under 50. If he trained for it he might get into the 47s.

I'm going to guess a 47 based on his 3:32 PR for the 1500m

ultra wrote:

If he really had 46 second speed, we would probably see him closing slow races in under 50.

If he had that kind of speed he'd be running the 800/1500.

Geb is overrated wrote:

Maybe under 50? You guys are so confused. There are 4:30 high school milers who can split sub-50 on the relay. He's more like 47:xx and probably has the genetic potential to go under 46 if he gave a damn about the 400.

I seriously doubt there are any distance-oriented guys in high school who can run sub-50 but not sub-4:30. If there are then they're doing the wrong event.