BEST LONG DISTANCE RUNNER OF ALL TIME

you don't know shit!!!!

You're right. We've never met.

wanttorun2 wrote:

Geb is the best long distance runner because of his range, world class at every distance from the 1500 to the marathon. No one includes Lopez,Tergat,Coe,Bekele,Nurmi,and Zatopek has had quite that range at that level. I mean think about it Geb could race with anyone from the 1500 to marathon at his peak. Can you say that about anyone else in history?

Steve Ovett was competitive at the world level at everything from the half mile to the half-marathon, and was even a great quarter miler as a junior.

Pre is the best, he was not only one of the best runners out there but he brough attention to the sport of distance running to the US. Had he not died I believe that he could have recieved multiple olympic gold metals. He still owns the olympic trials record in the 5k.

Every time this argument comes up, it comes down to what your definition of "best" is.

If it's total domination of the competition at several distances over a long period of time, then it's either Zatopek or Nurmi. Nice career summaries are at

http://trackfield.brinkster.net/Profile.asp?ID=4886&Gender=M

and

http://trackfield.brinkster.net/Profile.asp?ID=7433&Gender=M

If it's the best single year ever, then it's the '78 Henry Rono or the '02 Paula Radcliffe.

If it's domination as well as influence on later generations, it's either Kip Keino, Abebe Bikila, or Hannes Kolehmainen.

Olympic golds? Nurmi with 9. In events still held it's Nurmi, Zatopek or Viren, 4 each. But Zatopek and Nurmi actually won a few other races too.

Olympic medals? Nurmi, 11 (6 in events still held).

Most World Records? Nurmi, 22 (plus 29 unofficial indoor records).

Fastest times ever? Bekele.

Greatest breadth of fast times? Gebrselassie.

Longest winning streak? Zatopek. Note: Nurmi was never beaten at 6 miles/10 km. Geb had a good streak, too.

Most T&FN World Ranking points? Gebrselassie.

Most T&FN Athlete of the Year points? Kip Keino.

j squire wrote:

If it's the best single year ever, then it's the '78 Henry Rono or the '02 Paula Radcliffe.

While I'd agree with Rono having the best season, I'd have to rank Coe right below him with his 800/1500/mile world records over a 41 day period in 1979. I don't think he got the 1000 meter world record until 1980, though.

I stand corrected. The thread is "best long distance runner", so I was thinking 3k & up.

j squire wrote:

I stand corrected. The thread is "best long distance runner", so I was thinking 3k & up.

True...*I* still find it hard sometimes to fathom what Rono did in that single season. Geb and Bekele may have more accolades (records and championships) over their entire careers, but I doubt anyone will have the record breaking season that Rono had in '78.

Didn't Ron Clarke have a good period of breaking records too (if you were looking for distance...)

drunkenhyena wrote:

[quote]j squire wrote:

While I'd agree with Rono having the best season, I'd have to rank Coe right below him with his 800/1500/mile world records over a 41 day period in 1979. I don't think he got the 1000 meter world record until 1980, though.

Half mile to the half marathon is not as broad as 1500 to marathon. Plus Ovett may have been competitive at a world class level in the 800 and 1500 but not even close at the half as far as others at that time. Geb could go toe to toe with anyone 1500 with ElG to Khannouchi at the marathon. Ovett wasn't that good at the half marathon as others of that time.

In the year 3000...

The great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great,great, great grandson of

Tim Montgomery, Marion Jones, Hicham El Gerrouj, Haile Gebrelasse, Emil Zatopek, Deena Kastor, Paula Radcliffe, Kenessia Bekele, Bill Rodgers, Carlos Lopes, Michael Johnson, Carl Lewis, Justin Gatlin, Carrie Tollefson, Shalane Flanagan, Alan Webb, Dathan Ritznehein, Bob Kennedy, Tim Broe, Meb Keflezghi, Sammy Kipketer, Paul Tergat, Bernard Lagat, Noah Ngeny, Kip Keino, Frank Shorter, Wang Junxia, Weldon Johnson, Robert Johnson, Bruce Hyde, Tom McArdle, Kip Kangogo, Boaz Chewoboiyo, Dusty Lieb, Shane Stroup, Ryan Hall, Sara Bei, Michael Stember, Julia Stamps, Katelyn Kaltenbach, Kelly Holmes, Dave Bedford, Stefano Baldini, Vanderlei Lima, Nguchi, Jenny Adams, Michael Phelps, Lance Armstrong, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, George Malley, Ed Moran, Adrian Blincoe, Tiffany McWilliams, Suzy Favor Hamilton, Missy Butry, Josh Moen, Tom Haxby, Michael Aish, Emily Kroshus, Gabe Jennings, Linus Maiyo, Leonard Mucheru, Said-Saif Shaheen, Derarta Tulu, Gail Devers, Allen Johnson, Ramsey Kavan, Dan Wilson, Jason Mayeroff, Katy Trotter, Tyler Hamilton, Kari Walsh, Nick Willis, Nate Brannen, Kevin Sullivan, Alejandro Barrientos, Alicia Craig, Lauren Fleshman, Brian McGovern, Travis Laird, Dan Mazocco, Kate O'Neil, Lornah Kiplagat.

Will hold world records of

1500- 2:59.77

3000- 6:47.34

5000- 11:57.48

10K- 24:39.84

Half-Marathon - 55:34.59

Marathon - 1:59:27.88

These records will stand for the eternity of time, until in the year 14,000,000,000 the sun expands and swallows the Earth.

That half time of 55 minutes is pretty weak for a sub 2hr marathoner.

snatch

I don't see how Lasse Viren is even in the same sentence as Geb. He had two more golds than Geb, that's it. Geb was easily the best 5000m runner in 1996 (and don't say "well so was Bekele this year and look what happened" because anyone who knows their shit didn't think Bekele would easily win). Geb would've pulled off one double, and in 2000 he could barely jog and yet he won the 10000m again even though the double was out of the question. Viren had one fairly insignificant record in each distance... Geb SHATTERED record after record after record and then lowered his own more and more. Geb's records have spanned like 11 years and I wouldn't be surprised if he weren't done yet. He didn't lose for 8 years in the 10000m during an era FAR MORE COMPETITIVE than Viren's, while Viren sucked between Olympics. I just don't see how the two are even comparable.

[quote]WangJFan wrote:

He had two more golds than Geb, that's it. quote]

Like they grow on trees.

You could have said: He has twice as many gold medals as Geb. That would be a more accurate depiction.

You guys are ignorant of the meaning of the term "long distance". The greatest ever was Yannis Kotouris.

mackenzie wrote:

I agree. It is Geb hands down. Viren and Zatopek don't compare. The numbers point to Geb...

1500m: 3:31i

3k: 7:25

5k: 12:39

10k: 26:22

Half-Marathon: 59:40

Marathon: 2:06:35.

Unfortunately, cross country seems to eb the missing element.

At present, if we are judging an athlete on all 3 disciplines then Paul Tergat stands supreme.

5 x Cross Champion

World Record Holder on the track

Numerous 21K Championship titles

Present WR holder in the marathon.

Is this a discussion on the most complete athlete or best long distance runner or do you have to be complete at all events to show your ability?

Personally, I am a Geb fan and if he takes the WR in the marathon then he will surpass Tergat.

Without a doubt Haile Gebreselasie, he took the distance to the next level and made it very exciting.

Chamoody