What is the toughest REALISTIC double at the elite level?

In today's environment I would hardly consider 400/800 realistic

10,000 & Marathon was the first thing that came to my mind

800/javelin

it is also the double that demonstrates the supreme athlete. Running and throwing spears are the two basic human sports, since the caveman. And 800 is the most real-life distance. A chase lasts about 800 meters, after which the pursuer gives up if they haven't caught them.

Skunkbuster MAXX wrote:

Here are my guesses:

1) 400 Meters/800 Meters

2) 10,000 Meters/Marathon

3) Long Jump/400 Meters (Perhaps Bolt in 2020?)

1) is unrealistic because we're not living in 1926 anymore

2) is unrealistic because you don't have enough time to recover

3) is unrealistic because Bolt will never run the 400 again

50km racewalk and sumo wrestling

I am not fond of the question. As you get "tougher" you get less realistic. But carry on.

Bad Wigins wrote:

800/javelin

it is also the double that demonstrates the supreme athlete. Running and throwing spears are the two basic human sports, since the caveman. And 800 is the most real-life distance. A chase lasts about 800 meters, after which the pursuer gives up if they haven't caught them.

It can't be that tough if thousands of prehistoric men could do it.

Decathlon / Beer mile

10,000m 100m

Nutella1 wrote:

Skunkbuster MAXX wrote:

1) 400 Meters/800 Meters

1) is unrealistic because we're not living in 1926 anymore

You mean 1976?

400/800

In realistic doubles, 400/800 hasn't been even attempted that I can recall since Juantereno's double in Montreal. Today it would be 8 races in less than a week. I would think the marathon has developed now where the training takes too much to compete well in the 10,000 but you are still only talking about two races with a big break.

The only realistic doubles left after the short sprints are 800/1500, 400/800, 5000/10000, and 10,000 and Marathon. Its out of those four. Or if you are near World Record class in the 1500, 800/5000.

400/800 is not really realistic anymore. Think about it. If even someone like Radisha could not even medal at 400m, there's no way anyone could pull off the double, even in a weak year.

800/1500 Can still be done but very rarely is. Ramzi did it in 2005 but was doped and won the 800 with only a 1:44.0.

1500/5000 Obviously can be done as Lagat did it in 2007 and has been close to doing it a time or two since (my memory fails me here)

5000/10000 is relatively easy

10000/marathon could conceivably be done but would be exceedingly difficult. I'm not really sure how realistic it is really...

How about 400/400 hurdles? I think that could potentially be done if the heats were spaced appropriately. Nobody ever seems to try it though.

Steeple/5000 could be done again if the races were spaced appropriately.

...

I would say the 800/1500 is hardest realistic double nowadays as I'm not sure I will ever see the other tougher doubles (in my lifetime) I listed.

The 1500m/5000 double. That is 5 races in 1 week. The 1500m and the 5000 are not very close in terms of what it takes to win. The 1500 took 1:43 speed to win in 2012 and the 5000 took a guy who has run 26:46 to win. To complete it you need great speed to outkick some very fast milers and you need the endurance to run a very fast 5k with 4 races already in your legs. Not an easy task.

I do not consider the 400/800 double or the 10k/marathon double realistic as no one really ever does either.

110HH/400IH

400/200

Angelo Taylor did try to make the 2008 team in both the 400H and the flat 400. He did not have enough rest between the hurdles (I think the final) and the 400 flat heat. He started the heat but dropped out.

Anthuan Maybank is the only guy to go under 45 in the 400 and over 27 feet in the long jump. He anchored the 4 x 4 to the gold in Atlanta.

1500/5000 double easily the hardest realistic double.

10k steeple 5k