The best distance runner of all time is debuting in the marathon this Sunday at Paris

illegitimate wrote:

wtfunny wrote:

"BK"? Benenisa Kekele?

Lol my bad... yeah KB/Kenenisa Bekele, not KB

*not BK, but KB..

keoll wrote:

...Geb is the greatest 5K/10K runner of all-time with Bekele. Just saw KB lose too much in his prime over 5000m (El G, Kipchoge, etc.).

Geb would have lost to El and Kipchoge too. Didn't Geb lose to Komen once or twice? Maybe Tergat too?

idder fidder wrote:

Geb would have lost to El and Kipchoge too. Didn't Geb lose to Komen once or twice? Maybe Tergat too?

I don't believe Geb would've lost to El G or Kipchoge. Geb lost to Komen once that I'm aware of; beaten by a guy who was at least his equal, and likely better, over 5000m.

Bekele lost to 2 guys who he should've beaten; and lost to Hicham twice in major championship races … he never should've lost in 04; particularly given he KNEW both those guys could outkick him. I don't think Geb would've run that race as stupidly as KB did. He ran 12:37 earlier that year. Neither Hicham or Eliud should've been anywhere near him come the finish.

illegitimate wrote:

Even Jos Hermens recently said that King Kenny > Geb

Why do you rank the opinion of someone else above your own one? You just have to be an close observer of distance running (as well as knowing the history well) to make your own well-founded opinion.

And I'm also pretty sure that if Haile would have been the runner to run a very important race on sunday, Hermens would have spoken differently. But it's just another opinion. Arguments are what is important.

It's really not a question at all that both Haile and Kenenisa are among the top four distance runners in history and Haile the Nr. 1. And Bekele could be Nr. 2 (or you might argue for Nurmi and Zatopek).

It's really funny that always when people argue for Bekele they just list his strong points and Gebrselassies weaker points.

For sure there isn't something like a mathematical proof for Gebrselassie Nr. 1, but at least the arguments for him are so strong. I don't want to list them again. And even in his weakest point, XC, he has constantly finished in the top and has beaten Tergat several times and has won a medal in the world champs. And his sequence of PBs over all the distances is the best in the history of distance running (OK, historically Nurmi might be ahead of him or equal).

"Your move"? Are we playing chess or something? I thought people were posting predictions.Since I last posted, the press releases I was surprised not to have seen have come out, and people are enthusiastically talking up KB's debut. Sounds like he has indeed put in the miles. And he's at least talking up the motivation, even if it's only talk. Of course, it might be legit and my approach actually would always be to take it at face value unless you have reason not to. Lacking that evidence, I'd say my three points have to be revised:1. He's past his prime, but2. He HAS done the background work necessary and3. He SAYS he's strongly motivated for the race.So, I'll say...2:08 or so. By the way, I'm telling you now and you heard it here first: if he runs 2:08 something, I will NOT come here and say, "I'll told you so." I'll come here and say, "Huh. Go figure." Had I been posting before Geb's debut I'm pretty certain I would have been making the same, middling-result predictions for his marathon career, so my advice it worth what y'all pay for it. Just like everyone else's here.

Tyrannosaurus Rexing wrote:

Predictor of things wrote:

Among people in the know, expectations are pretty muted.

Excellent made-up support for your conviction that KB won't run particularly well in his debut. Are you, perchance, one of those "people in the know" ?? Doesn't sound like it. So, tell us, who are these "people in the know"?? ( I have a hunch you would have listed them in the first place if you actually had some people in mind)

I am going to counter with:

People with inside knowledge of KB's training are excited and think he is going to run 2:05 something.

Your move.

The reason he is doing Paris as his debut, rather than a bigger and faster marathon, is due to the management team he is under. Having spoken to someone else under his management team, they much prefer someone doing their debut to place well in a smaller marathon. Think about it. When he is trying to get big appearance fees, what is going to sound better; "Kenenisa Bekele, winner of the Paris marathon 2014" or "Kenenisa Bekele, 6th placer in the London marathon 2014". I tend to agree that a win in a marathon with a sub-super elite field is a much better start to a marathon career than scraping a top-ten place in the biggest race of the year, regardless of the time he runs.

'Keninisa Bekele - undefeated at either the half marathon or marathon distance - is headlining a strong field at the 2015 Berlin Marathon which includes...'

I get it.

If you read the pre-race press there are certainly at least two positions going up against themselves. On the one hand, you have the "I'm aiming for the world record" boasting, with a concession that Paris might not be the best course for a WR attempt anyway.

Then separately you have Jos saying, Sure London was interested, but Paris offered to build the race around KB. We think KB could be "competitive" in London. In other words, even Hermans thinks KB would be an also ran in London but will win Paris in a slower time.

Predictor of things wrote:

In other words, even Hermans thinks KB would be an also ran in London but will win Paris in a slower time.

Paris may be run faster than London. Even with the best marathoners, you can get a slow race. Like last year.

About the official aim being `only' to win in a fast time: maybe they are really confident and aiming for the WR. That would be a little ambitious, but well, Kenenisa is the best distance runner there ever was (at least if you consider things got competitive only in the last two or three decades).

It reminds me of Haile Gebreselassie being a pace maker in London. I guess he really wants a last chance. If he feels good at 30 km, he carries on; otherwise, he drops out and it was supposed to be the plan. You can't lose.

grox wrote:

Predictor of things wrote:

In other words, even Hermans thinks KB would be an also ran in London but will win Paris in a slower time.

Paris may be run faster than London. Even with the best marathoners, you can get a slow race. Like last year.

About the official aim being `only' to win in a fast time: maybe they are really confident and aiming for the WR. That would be a little ambitious, but well, Kenenisa is the best distance runner there ever was (at least if you consider things got competitive only in the last two or three decades).

It reminds me of Haile Gebreselassie being a pace maker in London. I guess he really wants a last chance. If he feels good at 30 km, he carries on; otherwise, he drops out and it was supposed to be the plan. You can't lose.

Agreed

according to a. stretti's twitter, bk has requested 61:40 at half

illegitimate wrote:

I'm surprised to see so little discussion in regard to Bekele's debut this weekend

There is certainly debate to be had as to whether or not he is indeed the GOAT but I'd say yes (Jos Hermens just said that in an interview as well - he also manages Haile)

That said, what do people think will happen?

My prediction - 2:04 opener, becomes undisputed GOAT in Rio 2016 and runs 2:05 to win the Oly Marathon, eventually runs 2:03:10

boom boom

Where are all those a**holes saying he's done. Don't hear you now? Cat got ya tongue? Must be a sad day for haters.

Not such a student of the sport are you.

student of the sport wrote:

I don't think he will run fast by today's standards, i.e., 2:05:xx or faster.

I think he will either do one of two things

1) Good, but not earth shattering debut time, i.e., 2:08:00-2:10:00

2) DNF

I don't think he will ever run under 2:04:00. The top marathon guys right now could run 26:30 for 10k on the track or faster. Bekele struggled to run under 27 minutes last year (he didn't).

Bekele was basically a 13 min 5k / 27 min 10k guy last year. Give or take a few seconds but that was about his level. That is just not good enough to run with the Mutais / Kipsangs / Kimettos of the world.

I admit that I thought KB was done before today. Very happy to watch him prove me wrong. Excellent performance in a beautiful city and I am excited to see what he does next

kenny b owns your life wrote:

Where are all those a**holes saying he's done. Don't hear you now? Cat got ya tongue? Must be a sad day for haters.

What a stupid comment.

Nobody did know before today what will happen. What has it to do with "hating" when someone is sceptical about someones performance in a marathon in his debut? After a four year perioud with big problems? You are calling people which you don't know at all by bad names, just because they were sceptical about something which NOBODY did know exactly what to expect from. What a person you are!

All the respect for Kenenisa Bekele for a wonderful performance in his first Marathon on definitely not the easiest course. Now he should be capable to improve this time in Berlin, Dubai or somewhere else. Still some way to the WR, but now it seams this isn't out of the question. Now I can understand when people say Bekele is the greatest distance runner of all time, also I still would put Gebrselassie ahead of him.

Predictor of things wrote:

Among people in the know, expectations are pretty muted.

Tyrannosaurus Rexing wrote:Excellent made-up support for your conviction that KB won't run particularly well in his debut. Are you, perchance, one of those "people in the know" ?? Doesn't sound like it. So, tell us, who are these "people in the know"?? ( I have a hunch you would have listed them in the first place if you actually had some people in mind)

I am going to counter with:

People with inside knowledge of KB's training are excited and think he is going to run 2:05 something.

.

Looks my "people" knew more than your "people."

Very glad to see Bekele prove me wrong. I was predicting 30k in 1:30 + 12,195 in 38 = 2:08; he actualy did [approx] 1:28:30 + 36:30 = 2:05. Scary to think what he might have done in a marathon debut in, say, 2006.

Anyway, here's hoping his training continues to go well and he makes a strong [and quite possibly successful] WR attempt in the fall.

kenny b owns your life wrote:

student of the sport wrote:

I don't think he will run fast by today's standards, i.e., 2:05:xx or faster.

I think he will either do one of two things

1) Good, but not earth shattering debut time, i.e., 2:08:00-2:10:00

2) DNF

I don't think he will ever run under 2:04:00. The top marathon guys right now could run 26:30 for 10k on the track or faster. Bekele struggled to run under 27 minutes last year (he didn't).

Bekele was basically a 13 min 5k / 27 min 10k guy last year. Give or take a few seconds but that was about his level. That is just not good enough to run with the Mutais / Kipsangs / Kimettos of the world.

Not such a student of the sport are you.

Incorrect.

I am very much a student of the sport.

I am also glad to see Bekele run well. You on the other hand seem like one of those people who thinks anytime someone isn't licking an athlete's balls then they are "haters".

It was a perfectly reasonable assumption to predict the times I did based on Bekele's performances as of late, which is why you saw so many here saying similar things.

It appears however that he has gotten over any nagging injuries that have hampered his training over the past few years. Good for him. I'm glad he will be back in the game.