4 guys I've never heard of go sub 2:05 in Dubai

Today's Huck Finn wrote:

In other words, faster than Paul Tergat, 5x World XC champion and 12:49 5,000/26:29 10,000/59ish 13.1 runner, ever ran, and that in his first try?

Nope, nothing fishy about that.

And Webb is way more than a guy with some speed who trained like a middle distance runner. If not for Ritzenhein, who was good enough to either beat or give a fight to every junior in the world that year, except the one who became the greatest cross-country runner the world has ever seen, everyone would have said he was unbeatable in XC his senior year too.

You really think Tergat was capable of running 26:40 when he ran 2:04:55? He never broke 27 after 1998! He was well past his prime by the time he got the marathon down. Geb was too, but he's just better. The winner from Dubai could definitely run in in that range for 10000m if he were to focus on it. But given the choice of trying your hand in the one or two 10000m races left an hoping to maybe get a medal in London, or taking a swing at $250,000 in Dubai (or $100,000 for second place) the choice is obvious.

How many other guys with middle and long distance potential like Webb are running the 100m, 200m and 400m and the relays because that's where the glory and points are? You may have never heard of Abshero before today, but that doesn't mean he just came from nowhere.

Abshero is Ethiopia's German Fernandez folks: Arguably the most talented youth they've seenn in this generation. If and/or when Fernandez get it all together, don't be surprised he pop some ridiculous times in the 3k up to marathon. (fingers and toes crossed)

endurance is talent wrote:

I wonder how all these 21 year olds squeezed in all the long slow distance that takes up to a decade to develop the aerobic system fully, while chasing skirts and working on the farm.

Cause they weren't sitting at home during their childhood being pandered to by their moms and dads till they are 21. Their culture and lifestyle forced them to be fit.

I thought the whole point of the lsd and extended aerobic training was to get you at a point where you were fit enough to start training harder. Kenyans/Ethiopians are ready to jump into harder training quicker, and naturally are faster because they are already at a fitness level far beyond that of your regular American teenager. It takes us much more work to get to their fitness level because we weren't forced to do the physical activities they had too as children, such as running six miles back and forth to school for example. East Africans have their fair share of aerobic training, it just might not be directly from training to get faster.

I'm not saying talent doesn't play a role; it definitely does and that should be somewhat obvious.

The difference beteen a 2:06 marathon and a 2:04:40 is three seconds per mile. Not huge. The difference between 2:04:55 and 2:04:30 is one second per mile.To go sub 2:04 is again just over one additional second per mile. These are very slight differences in pace. The reason for the sudden surge in low times has a lot to do with Sammy Wanjiru. He attacked the marathon distance. Had Tergat run the marathon in his prime repeatedly and had the company of 25 or 30 other runners equally committed to attacking the distance, he probably would have bettered his on marathon PR easily.

Two points:

Geneti / Abshero: If Geneti is who I think it is, he has been around for a while. I am pretty sure he has run in the U.S. a few times with Bekana Daba. If so, then Rupp beat him twice indoors. Maybe this is encouraging for Rupp down the road. Abshero is not an unknown - he won World XC Juniors when GF finished 11th. He is as talented as Jelian.

Courses: This course is set up like a track time trial. The times are impressive but, like Rotterdam and Berlin, I add about a minute when comparing it to London/Chicago and 2-3 minutes when comparing to NY/Boston (no wind).

Just A Fan wrote:

Two points:

Geneti / Abshero: If Geneti is who I think it is, he has been around for a while. I am pretty sure he has run in the U.S. a few times with Bekana Daba. If so, then Rupp beat him twice indoors. Maybe this is encouraging for Rupp down the road. Abshero is not an unknown - he won World XC Juniors when GF finished 11th. He is as talented as Jelian.

Courses: This course is set up like a track time trial. The times are impressive but, like Rotterdam and Berlin, I add about a minute when comparing it to London/Chicago and 2-3 minutes when comparing to NY/Boston (no wind).

Geneti and El Guerrouj are the only two people to have beaten both Bekele and Gebrselassie in a track race.

Did not know that. Impressive

Just A Fan wrote:

I add about a minute when comparing it to London/Chicago and 2-3 minutes when comparing to NY/Boston (no wind).

Apparently you find downhill wind aided courses to be difficult.

Did I not write (no wind)? Yes, Boston is fast once a decade.

Ever watch Rotterdam? Does a wall of pacemakers and guys handing drinks from motorcycles not help with time?

Bumping this.Relevant to Dubai's history of surprise performances. This race is must-watch TV in the last 5 years.

2:10 guys from a country with no drug testing going to 2:05 at Dubai.

What's surprising?

2016 WADA wish list: test the 2016 Dubai marathon elite entrants 3 to 6 weeks out from race day. Thanks in advance.

fred wrote:

2:10 guys from a country with no drug testing going to 2:05 at Dubai.

What's surprising?