Meanwhile, Gebrselassie clocks 17:31 for 4 miles in race vs Alamirew

Lost Soul wrote:

It's tough to say who's longevity is more impressive, Lagat's or Geb's.

Um...is it? Geb reached the top at a WAY younger age (wasn't Lagat around 26?) and has stayed there longer, not to mention at a much wider variety of events, with far more championship victories.

Don't get me wrong, because i'm a huge Geb fan. The way how I was reasoning it as such: I don't see how Geb's longevity is impacted by championship victories, because he hasn't won a Championship on the Track or Road in over 10 years (correct me if i'm wrong). If you're calling major marathon wins (such as his WR in 2008) championship victories, that's another story. While Geb has a FAR more impressive Championship resume than Lagat, Lagat has a more impressive one as he has gotten older (Double Gold 07, Silver & Bronze 09, Silver in 11, 4th in 12, 6th in 13, & 2 World Indoor 3k Golds)...so that argument would favor Lagat.

Geb's is more impressive than Lagat's only because Geb is three years older. Lagat has some pretty impressive records to chase when he turns turns forty.

Lost Soul wrote:

Don't get me wrong, because i'm a huge Geb fan. The way how I was reasoning it as such: I don't see how Geb's longevity is impacted by championship victories, because he hasn't won a Championship on the Track or Road in over 10 years (correct me if i'm wrong). If you're calling major marathon wins (such as his WR in 2008) championship victories, that's another story. While Geb has a FAR more impressive Championship resume than Lagat, Lagat has a more impressive one as he has gotten older (Double Gold 07, Silver & Bronze 09, Silver in 11, 4th in 12, 6th in 13, & 2 World Indoor 3k Golds)...so that argument would favor Lagat.

That's all fine, but Geb set a world record in 2008...(34/35 years old). That's got to count for something. That was FIFTEEN YEARS after his first senior world championship.

Lagat's the second fastest ever at 1500, sure (so is Geb, indoors), but his career window running that sort of time, or that level of performance at ANY distance, was much, MUCH shorter than Geb's window at the top.

I only mentioned the championship record as one part of the puzzle. If you combine championships results with record performances and generally fast times getting older, Geb is clearly superior.

And again, you can't just look at age...sure, Lagat might have some impressive 40+ times in a couple years, but he didn't hit the scene in full until he was well into his twenties. 26, I believe.

Geb was JR world champ and THE NEXT YEAR was SR. world champ. Twenty years ago.

Lagat's time near the top is at 12 years. And it's a less impressive twelve years than the best twelve of Geb's career.

Lagat has had a phenomenal career, and his longevity is astounding...but, Geb has been at the top of International Athletics for 20 years! He's won world and olympic titles, he's set a slew of world records from every distance from the 3K up to the marathon, and he's still a better distance runner at 40 than any US distance runner that we have currently--Galen included!

In the movie Endurance, about Geb's life, which came out in 1999(!) Geb was called the best distance runner in the history of the sport. Think about that for a moment. In a movie about Geb's life, completed 14 to 15 years ago, he was called the best distance runner in history. So, 15 years after he was called the best distance runner in history he is still throwing down with the top talent around the world. Simply incredible.

No disrespect to Lagat, but he's not Geb!

If the 17:31 seems slow on the equivalence metrics that's because we're looking at road times, not the track. What was the layout of this 4 mile course? Was it tactical?

dvbbb wrote:

If the 17:31 seems slow on the equivalence metrics that's because we're looking at road times, not the track. What was the layout of this 4 mile course? Was it tactical?

Extremely flat, nice road surface, maybe some turns though. There's a reason so many road world records are set in the Netherlands, and why they attract world-class fields to otherwise local events.

I would guess the "slow" times are because of tactics. Yenew only beat Geb by 2 seconds so it must have been a sit-and-kick job.

Geb has been doing great since he quit trying to be a top marathoner. I hope he doesn't ever go back running marathons.

Lamento Boliviano wrote:

Geb has been doing great since he quit trying to be a top marathoner. I hope he doesn't ever go back running marathons.

Geb has been doing great since he quit trying to be a top marathoner. I hope he doesn't ever go back (to) running marathons.

The Single Voice of Reason wrote:Lagat's the second fastest ever at 1500, sure (so is Geb, indoors)

a 3'31.7i is not in the same solar system as a 3'26.3

ventolin^3 wrote:

The Single Voice of Reason wrote:Lagat's the second fastest ever at 1500, sure (so is Geb, indoors)

a 3'31.7i is not in the same solar system as a 3'26.3

Didn't say it was.

And how many times did Haile even run the 1500i, oh thats right 6 times total with slowest being 3:41.22 getting thru the heat in Maebashi. And how many times has Lagat run an outdoor 1500m? 150 times maybe more. I would guess that with a few more indoor attempts Haile could have been close to 330i low which is not only in the same solar system, its on the same racetrack.

Create some value you stupid a$$hat.

Back on topic, both careers are the stuff that dreams are made of, though Haile is a class above everyone else. He is sitting at legendary status.

It wasn't as close as the results imply. Alamirew was messing around most of the race, constantly changing pace, removing his necklace and running over to a motorcycle to hand it over during the race. Alamirew accellerated the final 400m and Geb was done.

Joran wrote:

It wasn't as close as the results imply. Alamirew was messing around most of the race, constantly changing pace, removing his necklace and running over to a motorcycle to hand it over during the race. Alamirew accellerated the final 400m and Geb was done.

Make that the last 200m rather than 400m.

ventolin^3 wrote:

The Single Voice of Reason wrote:Lagat's the second fastest ever at 1500, sure (so is Geb, indoors)

a 3'31.7i is not in the same solar system as a 3'26.3

Obviously Lagat was better at 1500m but when Geb said his PB at his distances didn't finish 2nd. Or fail any A tests

hello idiot wrote:

And how many times did Haile even run the 1500i, oh thats right 6 times total with slowest being 3:41.22 getting thru the heat in Maebashi. And how many times has Lagat run an outdoor 1500m? 150 times maybe more. I would guess that with a few more indoor attempts Haile could have been close to 330i low which is not only in the same solar system, its on the same racetrack.

Create some value you stupid a$$hat

no

moron

i saw that 3'31.7i

it was a near perfect tt & pushed to the limit by laban who ran 3'29.9 that year

it was geb's best ever season

there was never any low-3'30i in him

ukathleticscoach wrote:Obviously Lagat was better at 1500m but when Geb said his PB at his distances didn't finish 2nd

clueless as usual

of course you never saw his 3'27.4 win whipping hicham - a clocking geb coud only dream of

Or fail any A tests

stoopid thinking as usual

A tests are never supposed to be revealed unless B is +ve

as far as we know geb may have had a dozen +ve A tests with all -ve B tests but lucky for him no 2-bit lab rat squealed on him

That 3'31.7 was his 2nd race ever over 1500m indoors or out as a professional. I was also at this race. Who cares that you or I was there. That doesnt matter to the race itself yet you say it as if it does. You are not expert just a dope.

If you really think that he couldnt have run 1.5 seconds faster with a whole career worth(10+ years) of racing the 1500m then you need to retire from posting on this board. Which, given your recklessness and mental state, is something I think you should consider.

As i said before, add some value you a$$hat.

Geb is, what, 3 years older than Lagat? Come back in 3 years and then we'll see where Lagat is at. A lot can happen to a man's fitness in 3 years. Is he 37? 38? I forget.