Neither you or I know how much the wind affected the pace, because we weren't there. But we do know the pace went off quick, slowed dramatically, then pick up, then slowed again. More importantly, we know Geb barely ran the first half of what he was supposed to.
Sorry Haile didn't perform up the expectations of your ideal world where everyone always runs perfectly based on what they ran another day 5 months ago. But that's what they had 2 other pacers for, so it had ZERO outcome on the results.
You usually write more sensibly than this; Did Geb perform up to your expectations? He was expected to run 30km … and his job as pacemaker was based COMPLETELY on what he's run, not just 5 months ago, but on one of the greatest careers in distance running … that's why they hired him and paid him money. If he'd run dismally over the last 12 months, including the Bupa half last fall, he probably would NOT have had that gig. So yes, it's perfectly reasonable to expect Geb, of all people, to run the 30k he was hired to . or at the very least, damn near to it.
It's not about an ideal world at all .. he didn't run 25km. he ran 15. Out of 30. if you think that's somehow satisfactory, I'm surprised. I'd be Highly (pardon my pun) surprised if you'd find that a satisfactory performance from any other pacer.