Farah challenges Bolt to race - what distance is ideal for them?

While I agree that it is odd that there are others who would be better at the most likely distance of 600m (Rudisha, et. al) I'd point out to your assertions that it isn't intriguing and that Farah isn't on strong enough footing to challenge Bolt that there are 60,000 people that would show up at the London Olympic Stadium to watch this race and this race alone! Given that UK athletics just made $14 million on the races, you can bet that they and others would be chomping at the bit to put this on.

Agreed. Stunt or not, I'd watch the hell out of this.

would be great exposure for track and field. Next year no world championships. Sponsors would have to come up with a ton of dough. Would be interesting

categorically wrote:

Let me get this straight, Farah won't run Zurich or Brussels but he would do a stupid prop race against Bolt?

Is it too much to ask for the best distance runner in the world to do at least one fast 10k and at least one fast 5k? He has only run a fast 1500 and the 5k in Eugene when he was not at full health and ran only 13:05.

Let me get this straight, you are too stupid to understand that he is trying to provide water, food, medicine for struggling people in the land of his birth.

Got it.

I like the idea of doing this for charity. I also think that mathematically we know where they will likely end up, but one has to somehow want the win more than the other. Could swing either way on any day. Would be great if the final 50 got competitive.

But I would go to this. Speaking of charity I think I should get a free ticket since I started this nonsense in 09 with Bolt v Bekele.

UK Athletics coach should too as he really bumped it up.

categorically wrote:

Let me get this straight, Farah won't run Zurich or Brussels but he would do a stupid prop race against Bolt?

Is it too much to ask for the best distance runner in the world to do at least one fast 10k and at least one fast 5k? He has only run a fast 1500 and the 5k in Eugene when he was not at full health and ran only 13:05.

Call him and tell him that if he runs a fast 5000m or 10000m in Zurich or Brussels that you'll pay him 50% more than he's getting at the Great North Run. I assure you he'll accept.

Otherwise, it's smarter for him to focus on the big money later in September and not risk his world number one ranking.

500 meters, bolt wins, 600 meters mo wins...it's a random distance, but 550 seems to me the sweet spot - who wants it moreish

I just fear that it will be a joke like that Michael Johnson/Canadian sprinter guy. Johnson was losing and pulled up the whole thing turned out to be a joke.

Track needs some kind of gimmick but I think maybe a small track meet (like those PV competitions) on a city street.

A race down the block, HJ, PV, Shot Put and a race around the block- all this right after a 5K community race (with paid elite runners).

LetsRun.com wrote:

What distance is best between there? I bet John Kellogg could figure it out within 10 meters.

Bolt agreed to the 600 because he knows he will win.

Mo has no idea how fast Bolt can run 600.

Bolt has a very good idea what Mo will run for 600.

Bolt can make a good guess based upon Farah's 3:28.

Bolt said he has run 600 in practice so he knows what he can do. End of Story I am putting my money on Bolt

Yes, but made up by someone who actually knows something.

Not sure you've heard, but the race hasn't been held yet, so this

is actually all conjecture.

Notice too the modifier "about".

If the distance selected is too long, Bolt refuses to lead. If the distance is

too short,Farah refuses to start. Bolt will not start 700 or longer and Farah will not start 500 or less, though I have little doubt he can run something close to 1' for 500m which isn't shabby.

Farah is faster on the speed-side than the old school wants to

admit and has relatively mediocre stamina. Radcliffe ran a 10000m

roughly 7.5 x her 1500 best; Farah runs a 10000m 7.9 x his 1500m.

Bolt is actually surprisingly fit on the stamina-side. I think he can run a respectable 500m. We used to have sprinters who weren't sure they could even run 200m let alone finish the final 100m faster than the

the first.

The best distances for a match up is the longest distance Bolt will willingly lead or the shortest distance he will not. The longest distance

Bolt will surely want to lead is 450m.

Has Bolt ever raced a 400, I'm not so sure Farah couldn't win in a 400 over Bolt.

No thought is being put into this. You guys act like Farah has no speed at all. He just ran a 3:28! With that time, it easily equates to a sub 1:45. Most proffesionals are able to run an 800 with their 400 plus 5 multiplied by 2. Therefore even if he ran a 48 that would still only come out to a 1:46. You guys act like when he closed in a 50.89 he just did a 1200 warm up. His finish time was 14:10, don't get me wrong it's well off his PR, but he still put some amount of effort in the first 4600 meters. I say he can run around 1:44 for the 800m and if he can close in 50.89 for a 5k he could very well run a 47 for the 5k. As for Bolt, he seems to maintain 45 shape in his build up season phase and then low 44 for peak season. Him being from a 100, 200 background this means he utilizing all his anaerobic ability in that 400m as a opposed to how a distance runner would run a 400. Having this said he was considerably make a huge curve every 20 meters after 400m. My conclusion? Farah would definitely win a 600, Bolt would def win a 450, so what's the majic distance? I say a 525... As odd as the event seems it might just have to happen for scientific fairness!

Who the freak cares.

I want to see wejo vs rojo, in a 200, 400, 800, 3200, 5K, 10K and for the grand finale, a Beer Mile. I'd even pledge to a charity.

How 'bout it boys?

Bolt wins a 600. If he trained even a little bit aerobically, he'd win 800.

the 600m distance is perfect. both are totally unknown quantities. farah sports at least a 50 second 400 but what's he going to do after going thru say in 51?

and what's bolt going to do when he goes thru in 47 or so?

i take farah simple because he's on fire. if bolt was coming off a world record in the 200m i'd take him.

intriguing.