Deriba Merga - How Does He Do It? Who Else Has Had Done This?

JonDCH wrote:

Merga's results in the last four months, or so, are absolutely stunning. For those who haven't been following his races:

Houston Marathon, 01/18/2009: First Place, 2:07:52

Boston Marathon, 04/20/2009: First, Place, 2:08:42

MDS Nordion 10K (Ottawa), 05/23/2009: First Place, 27:24

Are other elites scratching their heads over this string of performances?

Can the historians among us identify other runners who have put together such a fantastic series of times and victories (and I don't mean a few 10Ks and 5Ks, but some marathons in the mix, as well)?

you forgot his 59:18 for the half marathon on february 20th 2009 at RAK where he was 3rd and came by 10k in 27:42 and 15k in a world record of 41:29, they took en route times in that race.

Thanks for adding that.

Again, it's a staggering set of races.

Excellent range. Not to sound like a jerk, but if Haile Geb did this, we'd almost question if it were subpar. But you are correct that it is an excellent few months and a special runner.

I like the record Carlos lopes had in '84 a touch better. WCC title, second fastest 10 km of all time, Olympic Gold Marathon, El Paso Juarez 15km, 2nd to WR in Chicago.

I think he also won the Sao Paulo New Years run to start that year or the following year.

Merga also set an 8K WR in that 10k. Guy is amazing

I've always wondered...does that actually count for anything? Setting a WR 8KM during a 10KM race, etc...?

Dick Beardsly had an unbelievable streak of marathon PRs leading up to the "Duel in the Sun"

A better question, "What drugs is this guy on?"

Shaggyrunner wrote:

A better question, "What drugs is this guy on?"

An even better question, what drugs are you on?

An even better answer:

http://www.biogenericspipeline.com/epo/epo-feature/

d) EPO biogenerics in non-regulated markets

As erythropoietin is a rather high price product, many countries with healthcare systems which cannot afford to pay Western prices, approved erythropoietin products originating from manufacturers which do not respect patent protection. Such biogeneric erythropoietin products primarily come from companies with a home base in South America, India, Korea and China. These products mainly serve to satisfy the EPO needs of emerging countries, but especially Indian companies are working to qualify the manufacturing of biogeneric EPO to meet European or FDA standards. As the local low price markets are rather small, these companies are aiming at Western markets in their long term business strategy.

e) Next generation Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agents (ESA)

The large EPO market is not only “attacked” by biogeneric EPO, but also by next generation erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESA), among them also molecules which can be orally administered. The most advanced development of an oral ESA are a group of compounds originating from Fibrogen, now in co-development with Astellas for certain territories, now including Europe .

Peronally i said it on another thread that Merga is going to challenge Wanjiru.I know pundits have been saying that Kabede and Wanjiru are the future in Marathon running ,but personally i think Merga is the real deal.I have no doubt that he could have broken the 10K record in on sunday if the pace setting had been good.To be able to run a sub 27.30 10K less than two months after running boston is extra-ordinary.I suspect he will run either in WCH or Chicago and he might just do the unthinkable.This guy is the reincarnated Abiba Bikila .

Why do some people mention EPO every time an athlete does well? How about hardwork,motivation,self discipline,God-given talent?

Bikila reincarnated? wrote:I have no doubt that he could have broken the 10K record in on sunday if the pace setting had been good.

The pacing was as good as could be hoped for. I was at the finish line, and the announcer said they were through 5k in 13:31, which is dead on WB pace. Merga then pulled away from the pacemaker (Boaz Cheboiywo), who ended up 2nd, nearly a minute behind.

That course is NOT a world record quality course. It has a couple of decent climbs, and a fair number of turns. I was very surprised he got as close as he did. Glad I was there to see it. It must be the fastest 10k ever run on Canadian soil. And I wouldn't be surprised if the 5k split was faster than any legit road 5k ever run on Canadian soil.

Pete wrote:

That course is NOT a world record quality course. It has a couple of decent climbs, and a fair number of turns.

We're talking about the 10km course in Ottawa, not the marathon course, right? The course that goes out beside the canal, climbs a 4 - 5m overpass and comes back beside the canal? If that makes for decent climbs and fair numbers of turns, what would be indecent climbs and unfair numbers of turns?

Yes, 10k in Ottawa, not the marathon. I've run them both, BTW.

The Nordion 10k isn't a SLOW course, but it's not what I would choose if I were aiming to run a PB or record of some sort. Not the best time trialing 10k road course.

When I wrote "decent climbs," I didn't mean to imply Pike's Peak or anything, but the course climbs in a few places. Out along Queen Elizabeth (outbound along the canal) there's a short climb, maybe 200m long, rising not a lot, but noticeable at race pace. When you turn off Queen Elizabeth and head up toward Bronson, there's another longer rise, and when you turn onto Bronson you continue to climb a little over the bridge. Total grade change from along the canal to the top of the bridge isn't enormous, but it's something like 30-35 feet, I would guess, over ~ 1 km.

The course then drops back to canal level in the next few hundred metres, but you negotiate a relatively tight on ramp, so you don't get the full benefit of the drop.

Back along Colonel By beside the canal, the course is winding, and you have to run the tangnts very closely to not add distance. You turn off Colonel By with a couple of 90 degree turns over the Pretoria Bridge, and then follow Queen Elizabeth along curvey roads to the finish.

Thr course has at least nine 90 degree turns, lots of winding sections, and a small number of minor rises. It's usually hot (it was warm Saturday but not too bad) and windy (wind wasn't bad Saturday), making for a very low likelihood of ever seeing a WR set.

It's not like the course is a huge handicap. You can run decent times, for a loop 10k road course. But it's not blazing fast, like you'd want for a WR attempt. Maybe Bekele could crack 27:02 on that course on a good day. But not on an off day, and not in most years.

Apparently, they went through the km in 2:37 and the 2km in 5:17. After that Merga wanted to go faster, but Cheboiywo didn't so Merga bolted from the back and ran the last 7+ km alone. Unreal.

he is skinny. Light on his feet. Aids recovery. He will

be flying...