Elite with best technique?

In Marathon? 5K? 1500m? 100m?! I don't see how you can make an argument without specifying the distance especially since form changes even in the same runner as they move up (Farah) in distance.

I like Rudisha in an 800, Lagat for 1500 and Bekele for 5000+.

Honorable mention to Nick Willis.

how about finishing kick form?

Let's assume jostling for position/ Merga-like pushing not a factor.

Who do you think has the best form over the last 400m/200m/100m of a 5K or 10K?

I want to say Farah, because as of the last few years he seems to get everything out of his body in those last meters. Imagine if Jeilan went through whatever Salazar-devised sprint programs responsible for Farah's kick. See 2011 WC's 10K if you don't know what I mean.

On the other hand, what may look somewhat inefficient is most likely the best natural form for these athletes given that they've been at it for so long. It's only a matter of time until an athlete falls into the most effective form, at least for distance, don't you think?

rupp

I love Farah, but I find it looks like he overstrides a bit. Just the way he runs I suppose.

Hard to beat Bekele or Haile.

webby wrote:

I like Rudisha in an 800, Lagat for 1500 and Bekele for 5000+.

Honorable mention to Nick Willis.

^^ Seconded.

Seb Coe gets historical mention.

I've always been a fan of Kiprop's form. He can wind up a mile with a 52 second last lap without visibly changing effort

Boston made me a big fan of Meb's form. Under serious duress, he looked like a miler out there for the final 10K. If he had weakened his form even slightly, he would have been caught, but he maintained his power and turnover to the tape.

Also Centro, with his spooky relaxed kick.

The fastest at each distance has the best technique.

In my estimation, for the men, the best pure running form I have seen over the course of many years of racing has to go to Eliud Kipchoge. Few runners have looked as if they were gliding on the track or street like Kipchoge did. I would even go as far as to say he has less lateral movement than even Rudisha. Yes, they race different distances, but technique is technique. For overall men in the modern era, I'd have to go with Nourredine Morceli. For the women, it would have to be a draw between Meseret Defar and her countrywoman Tirunesh Dibaba, although Vivian Cheruiyot has to win on solid fluidity of stride.

Rich Froning. Fittest athlete in the world.

Kipchoge is a good call. In the marathon, I can't think of anyone as fluid and relaxed as Wilson Kipsang.

SD Runner wrote:

In my estimation, for the men, the best pure running form I have seen over the course of many years of racing has to go to Eliud Kipchoge. Few runners have looked as if they were gliding on the track or street like Kipchoge did. I would even go as far as to say he has less lateral movement than even Rudisha. Yes, they race different distances, but technique is technique. For overall men in the modern era, I'd have to go with Nourredine Morceli. For the women, it would have to be a draw between Meseret Defar and her countrywoman Tirunesh Dibaba, although Vivian Cheruiyot has to win on solid fluidity of stride.

Completely agree!

Counting retired athletes, Seb Coe and Daniel Komen, Komen really made it look like he was out doing an easy run-beautiful.

Jordan McNamara, Galen Rupp, Bernard Lagat, Mo Farah, Kenenisa Bekele, Matt Centrowitz, Andy Wheating, Ben True, Evan Jager all have great form.

Komen. The guy would looked like he was gliding for lap after lap at 60-second 400 pace.

Rudisha is smoother in a flat-out 800 than anyone doing it today. Clearly Kipketer was up there. Coe, too.

Lagat and Kiprop are up there, especially Kiprop. It helps that he is somehow stone-faced at 54sec pace.

Former runners Steve Cram.

Currently, umm....ever heard of Jordan Hasay?

Okay, I will bite on this and address it. Jordan Hasay can run. But in the infatuation people have with Hasay, she is not the same Jordan that I remember in the 2008 trials before she went to Oregon. Formwise, she was fluid and careful in 2008. Now, I don't see it. Why?

1> while she is quick, she tends to get "armsy" near the end of races, which is not common for runners like Dibaba or Defar in the same distances.

2> She runs in a "more muscular fashion" which I attribute to "coached running" rather than the free-form that she came in with from San Luis Obispo. Had she been able to continue with her running style as a raw athlete and not an engineered project, she would be much quicker and probably more efficient.

3> I watched a road race about a month ago where Hasay took 7th, and the winner of that race was far ahead but her form was so much cleaner at the 5000m distance of the race.

So, yes I have heard of Jordan Hasay. Yes, I think she runs well. Yes, I wish Hasay wonderful success that she deserves. But as far as form is concerned, she's not in the top, in my opinion.

100-200: Bolt

400: Wariner, MJ

800: Rudisha

1500-10000: El G, Komen, Lagat, K Bekele, Yifter and honorable mention... Zatopek!

MAR: K Bekele, Kipsang

(Point-misser of the year.)