Mutai WR attempt?

You know it's football season when you read the title of this thread and think Geoffrey Mutai is making an attempt to be a WR in the NFL.

To answer your question, I haven't heard if he's going to try a WR attempt. Better question: why wouldn't he?

I think he has a chance. From what I've heard, he's healthy.

Stay up/get up for the race if you want to. I will most likely not be doing that.

By all accounts he's healthy and has had a good training cycle, but then the agents/promoters would say that, wouldn't they?

Still, he came out of the spring cycle without burning himself out, and (criminally) he wasn't selected for the Olympics, so he won't (shouldn't) be going into this race tired!

Plus he knows this course... which is an advantage.

At the moment, from what I've heard in Berlin and what has been said to the press, the plan is for the pacers to take it out at roughly 2:03 flat pace. On paper Mutai should have pacer company up to at least 33km.

At the moment weather conditions look perfect.

I reckon if Mutai shows the kind of form he had at Boston & NYC last year, the WR is going down!

Renato - have you heard anything on G Mutai's health or the possibility of a record attempt?

marathon fan wrote:

At the moment, from what I've heard in Berlin and what has been said to the press, the plan is for the pacers to take it out at roughly 2:03 flat pace.

He has clearly been the best Marathoner of 2011 and this years Boston was an absolute exception - or at least that's what I hope.

I can't wait to see how AK realizes they made a bad mistake when not nominating Mutai for London.

Football Season wrote:

why wouldn't he?

If he's healthy then the only reason I could think of is the WMM. If he races more tactically he may be slightly more likely not to crash and to get first and lock his marathon majors title (and a lot of money). But I think he still has the lock if he gets second so it may still be worth the try, idk.

Make no mistake - sunday's marathon won't be a race... it's a time trial set up for Mutai to get the record. He won't be racing tactically unless he's out of shape (next best runner in the field is a 2:04:56).

he will crush it

I'd keep an eye on Dennis Kipruto Kimetto in his debut. From what I've been told he could give Mutai a run for it.

marathon fan wrote:

Make no mistake - sunday's marathon won't be a race... it's a time trial set up for Mutai to get the record. He won't be racing tactically unless he's out of shape (next best runner in the field is a 2:04:56).

2:04:56 isn't exactly a schlub. I'm sure he'll have company from other runners, even if they blow up in the end.

Dennis Kimetto actually trains with G. Mutai and so it will be interesting how the race will develop. Is he in the race to help pace his friend, say to 38k, after the designated pacers drop out? My instinct goes with this notion! Will wait and see!

insiders know wrote:

I'd keep an eye on Dennis Kipruto Kimetto in his debut. From what I've been told he could give Mutai a run for it.

marathon fan wrote:

(criminally) he wasn't selected for the Olympics

Whatever. He showed precisely nothing worth selecting in the 12 months preceding the games. There was a process, and he tanked in his chosen race. Period.

I think he is one of the two greatest marathoners alive, but that doesn't mean a free pass following bad performances.

word on the street of Berlin is that he will go through half in 61:30 and aiming at going sub 2:03, i.e. negative splits.

rupp-certified saladbar wrote:

marathon fan wrote:

(criminally) he wasn't selected for the Olympics

Whatever. He showed precisely nothing worth selecting in the 12 months preceding the games.

Ummmm except for destroying the NYC course record and beating someone who was selected by nearly a minute and a half.

rupp-certified saladbar wrote:

Whatever. He showed precisely nothing worth selecting in the 12 months preceding the games. There was a process, and he tanked in his chosen race. Period.

Not that simple. AK were never 100% clear about what basis they were using for marathon selection -- 2011 performances or 2012 spring performances.

Makau, for example, was told that he would be selected, and therefore decided not to run hard in London to save his energy. I suspect (but I don't know for sure) that Mutai did the same.

The thing with the Kenyans is they are very deferential to AK, and never complain publicly, so we'll never know what went on behind the scenes.

Anyway AK got what they chose -- a team of runners worn out by spring races who were beaten by a Ugandan.

It's not just that AK were vague about selection.

But also that it's hard to assess those performances at Boston on a really windy day. Many of the fast times on that day are very out of line with what those people have managed on other occasions... so there's at least a reason to question what those performances are really worth when compared with other performances.

TrainingPartner wrote:

Dennis Kimetto actually trains with G. Mutai and so it will be interesting how the race will develop. Is he in the race to help pace his friend, say to 38k, after the designated pacers drop out? My instinct goes with this notion! Will wait and see!

insiders know wrote:

I'd keep an eye on Dennis Kipruto Kimetto in his debut. From what I've been told he could give Mutai a run for it.

I've never been able to figure this out. You train with a guy who can later turn around and beat you in a race.

TrainingPartner wrote:

Dennis Kimetto actually trains with G. Mutai and so it will be interesting how the race will develop. Is he in the race to help pace his friend, say to 38k, after the designated pacers drop out? My instinct goes with this notion! Will wait and see!

I was told by someone who has firsthand knowledge that he intends to go the whole way. Hope so.

you see, this is what i've been trying to tell you guys. what korben doesn't know, what marathon fan doesn't know, and what ear to the street doesn't know is that i'm going to break the world record

get real brO wrote:

I've never been able to figure this out. You train with a guy who can later turn around and beat you in a race.

So you're only supposed to train with people slower than you?