As great as Jim Ryun\'s achievements are, I just do not see him as the GOAT. Certainly he ran some fast times, and since they were on cinder tracks/solo efforts it\'s entirely possible that he could have run much faster. Extrapolating to high school, I also find it difficult to believe that anyone would suggest Ryun\'s time would be anywhere near a 3:47 (taking off the same minimum eight seconds for solo/cinder). The eight seconds which Guerrouj has on him is, I think, completely insurmountable. Keep in mind that Guerrouj had at least similar dominance over far greater competition, and the only reason why he didn\'t get gold on the first time around was that he was racing another 3:43 man (who would also set the 1000m world record, yet to be broken). Guerrouj has had some terrible tactical errors, as has Ryun, but considering his impeccable body of work it would be absurd to say that a 3:51 runner from forty-five years ago who was not invincible himself could take the king down.