HAILE GEBRESELASSIE TO RUN AS PACEMAKER 2014 LONDONMARATHON...WITH EXCLUISVE DECLARATION!

His comments regarding Farah are interesting.

That's sad Geb is reduced to a pacemaker. This reminds of Komen doing pace duties years after his decline.

Just hang up 'em up - why degrade your legacy?

If WR pace is set to 30km, everyone but Kipsang and Mutai will die and run 2:05+

Kebede and Kiprotich show no evidence the can hold that pace.

Farah will die before 30km.

Defense wins championships wrote:

That's sad Geb is reduced to a pacemaker. This reminds of Komen doing pace duties years after his decline.

Just hang up 'em up - why degrade your legacy?

Because he's going for a world record in another marathon a few weeks later and this will be both a perfect tempo run and a perfect payday?

Defense wins championships wrote:

That's sad Geb is reduced to a pacemaker. This reminds of Komen doing pace duties years after his decline.

Just hang up 'em up - why degrade your legacy?

I think this is kind of cool and honourable thing for GEB to do. He clearly loves running and is still good.

Plus how many runners can pace a world record for 30k? Not many and the majority of those that could will be racing themselves. This isn't like running a 600m pacer for a 800m Diamond league.

I question whether he can even do this at WR pace at this point

geb will probably only pace to the half marathon, as he runs the hamburg marathon 21 days later on may 4th.

30k at 2:05 pace or faster 3 weeks before a marathon would be too hard, especially at his age.

I hope he finishes and beats Farah

the articles says he will do the pacing to 30k, and there will be pacers to 30k, i will be surprised to see him go beyond half marathon 3 weeks before a marathon.

Good for him,!!! It's great that he is pacing for such an event, bringing up the young guys like Farah. His legacy is not over yet... That's all I can say.

Defense wins championships wrote:

That's sad Geb is reduced to a pacemaker. This reminds of Komen doing pace duties years after his decline.

Just hang up 'em up - why degrade your legacy?

Not sad at all. He is giving back to the sport.

Seems like an inspiring example to me. If the GOAT isn't too proud to contribute to the next generation isn't the sport richer for it?

Sydney Maree did some pacemaking years after he set teh 1500m world record.

David Krummenacker became a pacemaker.

Geb has no chance of his legacy being degraded.

It's actually quite honorable.

How is this degrading Geb's legacy? He can likely still beat most of the elites in the race.

Obviously Geb is past his prime, but I never understood the degrading himself part. Surely people slow down. You never see a 90 year old run sub 10 for 100 meters, no matter how fast he was when he was 25 y.o.

Seeing a 41 y.o. Running sub 28 at 10k is quite impressive... Not degrading...

Btw, seeing a 39 y.o. Run 4:54 for 2000m is quite impressive too..

geb is actually still very good.

if an american age 25 had the same ability as geb does now, the boards at letsrun would be lighting up about this super talented 25 year old.

lets see how geb does in his pacing at london and then how he does at hamburg 3 weeks later, if he runs under 2:07 still realistic for him, how many runners do we have that can do that now besides rupp????

The difference between this year and last year's record attempt is that with Geb's experience it will likely be even pace up to 30k, whereas last year the main pacer Kimetto dropped out very early so it was like a fartlek up to 30k at record pace

ALL CAPS!!! YOU MUST BE VERY EXCITED!!!

He is a humble man that wants to give back to the sport that he has gained so much from and loves so much. Not degrading at all. In fact, other athletes could and should take notes from him as an example.

If you aren't humble to begin with, time and age will eventually do it to you, like it or not. The true greats recognize this and find a way to make the most of what they have to contribute. Joan Benoit Samuelson has written books, opened a running clinic, coached, commentated, race directed, etc...and still runs extremely well, even though her times are much much slower than in her prime. Degrading? I think not. She just gets it...and so does Haile.

CrossFan wrote:

He is a humble man that wants to give back to the sport that he has gained so much from and loves so much. Not degrading at all. In fact, other athletes could and should take notes from him as an example.

If you aren't humble to begin with, time and age will eventually do it to you, like it or not. The true greats recognize this and find a way to make the most of what they have to contribute. Joan Benoit Samuelson has written books, opened a running clinic, coached, commentated, race directed, etc...and still runs extremely well, even though her times are much much slower than in her prime. Degrading? I think not. She just gets it...and so does Haile.

Really well said. Besides, it's not as though he's just throwing out the first pitch. More like Nolan Ryan 'only' pitching 3 innings in Game 1 in next year's World Series.