I think Choge might be the best 3,000 prospect since Daniel Komen and El Guerrouj. He is a good 1500 runner, but he does not have the finish or the patience for world class 1500 finals. He will perenially be just outside of the medals. On the other hand, he already won the Commonwealth gold in the 5000(beating handily a fit in-his-prime Mottram). He has tremendous strength, and great speed for a 3k/5K runner.
The idiots are out.
Care to elaborate. Explain to me why a 7:28/12:53/ guy (he was 19 at the time) is dabbling in the 15000, when he can gets rolled the last 200 of every single race.
*1500, and actually he was 18 when he ran 7:28/12:53.
That's the American answer for everything! Move up in distance... Good at the 100m? Try 400m! Good at 1500m? Try the marathon! Good at the 1500m? Try the 10000m!
How about you move up in intelligence and let the guy race whatever distance he wants. I can't count how many times I read on these boards how many times people recommend someone move up in distance because their good at something else.
Hey so and so just set a state/national/american record in x event X. They should move up in distance!
How about you grow a brain and remember that the person races the distance that best suits them.
I disagree, though. I respect his decision and if I saw him face to face in real life I would not tell him what to do. It's his decision, after all. However, as an observer: If he wants to be talked amongst the G.O.A.T. and get numerous medals I think he should consider it. A guy this strong and talented- I would hate to see him end up without the sub 7:25/sub 12:45 marks I think he can attain and instead a bunch of 4'th place finishes and career of 3:30s in time trials to his name.
you loser wrote:
That's the American answer for everything! Move up in distance... Good at the 100m? Try 400m! Good at 1500m? Try the marathon! Good at the 1500m? Try the 10000m!
How about you move up in intelligence and let the guy race whatever distance he wants. I can't count how many times I read on these boards how many times people recommend someone move up in distance because their good at something else.
Hey so and so just set a state/national/american record in x event X. They should move up in distance!
How about you grow a brain and remember that the person races the distance that best suits them.
Why are you so angry about this?
Choge had a huge lead at 1200m and it seemed to me that he was dying down the stretch. In this case, it may just be that he was out a bit too fast and so had nothing left. Hard to say what he should run when he is at an equal level at each distance.
wow i just saw the video of the race
seeing that huge lead on the backstretch, i could not figure out how he could have lost that race! if he had kept that pace up, he would have run a 3:25
I don't QUITE believe he was 18 when he ran 7:28 and 12:53, but you make great points. I've been wondering for a few years why he persists in the 1500 without also running some longer races...at least a FEW more anyway.
jjjjjjjj wrote:
Choge had a huge lead at 1200m and it seemed to me that he was dying down the stretch. In this case, it may just be that he was out a bit too fast and so had nothing left. Hard to say what he should run when he is at an equal level at each distance.
Yes, the thing is he has never had a strong finish. Manzano would have beaten him in their last race had Leo not eased up, for example. If he'd held on a bit better I think a 3:29 and a match of his old PR would've occurred. Still, it means little when you consider his shortcoming in unpaced races. He's shown from 2006 with a 12:56 in a championship race that he can be a superior athlete there.
Voice of Reason wrote:
jjjjjjjj wrote:Choge had a huge lead at 1200m and it seemed to me that he was dying down the stretch. In this case, it may just be that he was out a bit too fast and so had nothing left. Hard to say what he should run when he is at an equal level at each distance.
Yes, the thing is he has never had a strong finish. Manzano would have beaten him in their last race had Leo not eased up, for example. If he'd held on a bit better I think a 3:29 and a match of his old PR would've occurred. Still, it means little when you consider his shortcoming in unpaced races. He's shown from 2006 with a 12:56 in a championship race that he can be a superior athlete there.
This post in now certifiable
gus hasn't been fully fit this year, so in retrospect a low-3'30 was a pleasant surprise !
yes, at his best, he wouda held on in the last lap with his 12'50 strength for somewhere around 3'29-flat, maybe just under, but 3'30 isn't too bad !
too difficult to speculate what he can do this year for 1500/3k/5k as i'm not sure about his current 3k/5k strength
all he can do is keep racing & see how things pan out
i do think a move to qatar/bahrain/saudi might be his best move, as currently, he is unlikely to make kenyan 1500 or even 5k team, & such a move will get him pre-selected for majors & he can concentrate on getting to full fitness without qualifying pressure
Choge is a much much better 1500m runner than he will ever be at longer distances. People don't realize this because they seem him front run instead of the "tactical" sit and kick mentality that "champions" have.
He finds that extra bit of gas at the end of a race and holds his 10-50m lead at 1200m in and nothing is stopping him from setting a new world record.
Everyone who PR'd in that 1500 can thank Choge for taking over from the rabbits.
One word:
Steeple.
Maybe he's doing shorter distances in the off years to develop this speed you claim he's lacking. I bet we see him move right back up to 5k in 2011 WC
Voice of Reason wrote:
Care to elaborate. Explain to me why a 7:28/12:53/ guy (he was 19 at the time) is dabbling in the 15000, when he can gets rolled the last 200 of every single race.
This is stupid. He's a much better 1500m runner than he is at 5000.
1500 m, 10 best results
3:29.47 1 Berlin 14 Jun 2009
3:30.22 3 Monaco 22 Jul 2010
3:30.88 1 Doha 8 May 2009
3:31.57 1 Berlin 1 Jun 2008
3:31.73 1 Doha 11 May 2007
3:32.20 1 Shanghai 23 May 2010
3:32.21 1 Roma 10 Jun 2010
3:32.40 1rA Saint-Denis 18 Jul 2008
3:32.48 1 Berlin 3 Sep 2006
3:32.72 1r2 Zürich 18 Aug 2006
12:53.66 4 Roma 8 Jul 2005
12:56.41 1 Melbourne 20 Mar 2006
12:57.01 1 Berlin 12 Sep 2004
12:59.70 10 Roma 14 Jul 2006
13:00.74 3 London 28 Jul 2006
13:00.79 2 Hengelo 1 Jun 2009
13:01.62 4 Berlin 4 Sep 2005
13:09.00 3 Monaco 19 Sep 2004
13:09.18 7 Stockholm 27 Jul 2004
13:09.75 9 Ostrava 12 Jun 2008
7:28.78 2 Doha 13 May 2005
7:29.74 2 Doha 12 May 2006
7:31.75i 1 Stockholm 10 Feb 2010
7:32.01 1 Doha 9 May 2008
7:33.09i 3 Birmingham 17 Feb 2007
7:34.47i 2 Valencia 14 Feb 2009
7:36.82 1 Rieti 5 Sep 2004
7:37.24 3 Stockholm 26 Jul 2005
7:39.62 13 Rieti 6 Sep 2009
7:39.99 3 Monaco 9 Sep 2005
The Stache wrote:
I don't QUITE believe he was 18 when he ran 7:28 and 12:53, but you make great points. I've been wondering for a few years why he persists in the 1500 without also running some longer races...at least a FEW more anyway.
He told me he's running 5000 in Stockholm
His 5k win in the Commonwealth games was one of the best races I've seen. Mottram really laid it down to him and Choge matched everything. I think the last 4 laps were under 4 mins during that race. Shame there's no video on youtube.
As for the 1500, well he's pretty damn good at that too. If he had held it together then he'd have run 3:28 or something crazy. The guy is a beast.