Gerry Lindgren's 16:08 four miler

Tony Soprano wrote:

http://www.runnervision.com/mtsys/mt-search.cgi?search=Lindgren&IncludeBlogs=1&IncludeBlogs=3&IncludeBlogs=5

That's an interview I did with Gerry a few years ago. Some fun stuff in there.

I did "Letsrun research" on this topic and found the thread where Jack Daniels verified Lindgren's 350-mile week.

Isn't that just as unbelievable as a 16:08 4-mile race?

The majority of Gerry Lindgren claims are total bs. Does anyone really think he has closed a 5k in 52 seconds? That he ran 30 consecutive races at world record pace for the first half at one point in his career? That he sustained 200+ mile weeks as standard training? Without Lindgren there could be no Jason Rexing.

it wasn't commonly known then, but is now....the mt sac course is short. not a full 4 miles.

Hghed wrote:

Ok I will name one time that suggests it was possible - the time he ran 26 miles(in practice) at sub 2 hour (marathon) pace and crashed right before the finish.

Damn...you beat me to it!

siggghhhh wrote:

Does anyone really think he has closed a 5k in 52 seconds?

What's so unbelievable about that one?

yeah seriously, closing a 5000 in 52 is probably the most believable claim of them all....

Terminator X wrote:

siggghhhh wrote:

Does anyone really think he has closed a 5k in 52 seconds?

What's so unbelievable about that one?

It's possible, but not that believable. That would be like closing in 51 flat on today's tracks, and even the likes of Bekele, Geb, or El G would have trouble pulling that off even in a super slow race.

And Lindgren couldn't touch their speed. And Lindgren supposedly always took it out fast to boot. And Lindgren occasionally exaggerates or believes things told to him that are not likely true (see this thread), and....

So file that one in the " very likely didn't happen" pile also.

Not to mention, even though Mt. SAC is short, the 3-mile course that high schoolers do is still ~2.95. I'm not familiar with the 4-mile course, but being generous (to Gerry), let's say 3.9 miles in 16:08. That's 4:08 pace, over hills. Or 12:50 5k pace. The WR at the time was 13:35.

In other words, one of the most absurd claims ever. Why is anyone even entertaining the idea that this is possible?

I don't have a problem with the characterization of Gerry as a "notorious kook." Some of my closest friends are kooks. They are not as notoriously kooky as Gerry, but only because they haven't accomplished the remarkable things that he has and haven't received the level of attention that he has.

I enjoy Gerry's writing, I admire what he's accomplished in this sport, and I've always had considerable empathy for him. But I wouldn't trust everything he says about his running times . . . .

Take 2 lengths of AstroTurf and make a circle but before fastening them make twist then apply cement. Now 2+2 does equal 4, 1, 7.5. See the power of the Möbius strip which Gerry must have teleported upon in parallel universe.

sensational reply...

I remember an interview with Lindgren a few years ago where he also claimed he nearly ran a marathon in under 2 hours. 16:08 for 4 miles equates to around 1:58 for the marathon, so at least he is consistantly out of his mind.

Bekele in his world record (12:37) would have been having the best races of his life to come through 3 miles in ~12:09 and the OP is trying to convince us that lindgren would have not only been with him, but then kept going for another mile on a XC COURSE??? Thats the most outrageous thing ive ever heard.

And you sir, for constantly pointing out other peoples faults, are certainly no better than he is. Why does this irritate you so? To cite Larry Rawson, do you go to your local high school track and mock the special olympians as well?

Vataanien and Tony Benson used to close 5,000s in 52-53. That doesn't mean that Lindgren did but it means it's possible. I recall seeing him race Jurgen May at 5,000 and he won with a very fast last lap though I don't know the time.

Really great thread. I would like Gerry to get on here and speak

his mind. See how he feels about these humorous claims.

As has already been mentioned. How is this a great thread? It is typical letsrun.com .....let me make fun of somebody else because I am certainly inadequate and feel bad about myself.

Gerry is like that mythical runner in Paul Christman's "The Purple Runner" who does ridiculous training and quite possibly faster training than the fastest guys in the world, but who also runs and lives in the ether and the sublime. Inspirational, if not exaggerated. I see no reason to pile on the guy. He certainly broke new ground in the sport and trained on "another level." Perhaps he believed himself capable of those times in perfect conditions. Belief is 90% of the battle, and that's the message.

These are gems:

Jim Ryun: I lapped him in a two mile race in San Francisco indoors. He told me then that his goal was to break four minutes as a high school boy. I thought he was crazy. I inspired him. He knew that if such a skinny kid as me could run so well he could do anything.

Billy Mills:Another runner I was able to inspire. When I got injured at the Olympics Billy was my roommate. Gerry! he yelled as I lay on my back with ice on my ankle, "I can win the gold medal!" He said he knew he could not beat me but he thought he could beat everybody else in the race. Two days before the final and already Billy Mills had the gold medal.

Steve Prefontaine: Another runner I inspired. I knocked on his door when he was in junior high school and his eyes got so big. He looked me over closely and said "You're a wimp! I could beat you!" That was when he started running.

ray wrote:

And you sir, for constantly pointing out other peoples faults, are certainly no better than he is. Why does this irritate you so? To cite Larry Rawson, do you go to your local high school track and mock the special olympians as well?

You know very well that anybody who exaggerates his PR, even if it´s just a few seconds, gets his throat slit here (read the Josh Cox thread), so it´s no surprise that someone who makes such ridiculous claims as Lindgren is ridiculed.