Bekele, Kipchoge, Kipsang. Is everyone ruling Komon out of the WR chase this fall?

I didn't even realize Komon was running a marathon. It will be interesting to see how he runs. He is incredibly aggressive.

I didn't know that either, nor about his fast HM debut. What's the HM debut record? Surely can't be sub-59?

Blitzplay wrote:

I actually think Komon has a good shot at the WR if he adapts to the distance. He is a machine, 26:44 10k on the roads and 59:14 in his HM debut. He set out at 57:36 pace for the first 5k in that HM and was still on WR pace at 10k only for a strong wind to affect him in the last 10k.

He is a monster on the road and I give him a big Chance of eventually breaking the WR. It might not happen in Eindhoven this year but he definitely has a shot in my book.

What do you think?

I think that he will not run a WR in a debut and so, yes, I am okay with everyone ruling him out for this go round.

GoldenMiles wrote:

I didn't know that either, nor about his fast HM debut. What's the HM debut record? Surely can't be sub-59?

The HM debut record is Komon's. 6 seconds faster than Mosops previous record.

george oscar bluth wrote:

Blitzplay wrote:

I actually think Komon has a good shot at the WR if he adapts to the distance. He is a machine, 26:44 10k on the roads and 59:14 in his HM debut. He set out at 57:36 pace for the first 5k in that HM and was still on WR pace at 10k only for a strong wind to affect him in the last 10k.

He is a monster on the road and I give him a big Chance of eventually breaking the WR. It might not happen in Eindhoven this year but he definitely has a shot in my book.

What do you think?

I think that he will not run a WR in a debut and so, yes, I am okay with everyone ruling him out for this go round.

Exactly

For this fall at least, rule out Kipsang as well. There's no way that he can get the World Record in New York.

What's the Eindhoven course like?

Komon is definitely a future challenger and a quick debut is possible for a guy like him. Remember Moses debut at the marathon?

Why has his move to the marathon been so quiet?

I think very difficult for athletes having many years on track to think of 2:03 at the first attempt. Also with a right training for Marathon, they need time for changing their way of fuelling, reducing the consumption of glycogen at Marathon pace. If Bekele (who is in any case faster than Leonard Komon in every distance) was able running 2:05 in his first Marathon, honestly I don't think Komon can run under 2:04, may be a little under 2:05 (but I more think between 2:05 and 2:06) in Eindhoven, which as course is faster than Berlin and Amsterdam.

The situation of Komon is similar the situation of Sammy Kitwara : of sure great talents, great technique, great aggressiveness, but never with the right autonomy for 42 kms, such as athletes NEVER developing long part of career on track, using a lot of lactic tests.

Athletes directly starting with modern Marathon training (Kimetto, Wilson Kipsang, Geoffrey Mutai, Emmanuel Mutai) built an engine able to work at Marathon pace with little glycogen, Optimizing the process of fatty acids. Athletes coming from long career on trck have difficults to do this (tho only ecception is Eliud Kipchoge).

Interesting stuff Renato. Tergat and Haile made a good transition into the marathon but it took a few attempts. Ok, they were not as fast as these new aerobic machines that we see now but they ran really fast. Haile was a little too old when he got used to the marathon but he still ran the WR and Tergat ran the WR too. Do you think we will never see a track runner beat the WR again in the marathon?

I do not think Bekele would be faster over the half marathon than Komon. Komon ran his first half marathon with a first 5k split of 13:39 and beat the 15km world record in that race. There was strong winds in the last 10km and he still ran 59:14 for it. I do not think Bekele could run that fast now or in the last 3-4 years. Bekele lost a lot of his speed before he started running the marathon.

Are you also ruling Bekele out of being a very fast marathon runner?

Blitzplay wrote:

Komon ran his first half marathon with a first 5k split of 13:39 and beat the 15km world record in that race.

\

Leonard never broke the 15Km WR in that race; they crossed 15K in 41:44 with Abraham. WR is 41:13 by Leonard.

Komon was born in January 1988. He is only 26 years old. His focus has been on the roads for the past 3 years. I would not exactly say he is an athlete with "many years on the track" It will take him time to adjust to the marathon, but he will be a threat to the WR afterwards. At least he is not making the jump to the marathon after the age of 30...

Blitzplay wrote:

Bekele lost a lot of his speed before he started running the marathon.

Based on what? From what I've seen, Bekele lost his endurance because of time off due to injury. There has been no evidence that his speed is gone.

His performance in the Great North Run and against Kipsang in the Great Manchester Run were not convincing. As well, his performance at the Scotland Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country was underwhelming.

odk wrote:

Blitzplay wrote:

Bekele lost a lot of his speed before he started running the marathon.

Based on what? From what I've seen, Bekele lost his endurance because of time off due to injury. There has been no evidence that his speed is gone.

He doesn't have it anymore wrote:

His performance in the Great North Run and against Kipsang in the Great Manchester Run were not convincing. As well, his performance at the Scotland Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country was underwhelming.

You mean the same Great North Run where he played with Farah's kick and easily pulled away?

How are any of those others even relevant to his speed anyway? Were they sprint finishes?

Yeah Bekele's performance in the Great North Run definitely showed he's lost his speed. He only out kicked Mo Farah who had recently won 2 WC gold medals with a finishing kick and run 3:28 for 1500.

Dingler wrote:

Yeah Bekele's performance in the Great North Run definitely showed he's lost his speed. He only out kicked Mo Farah who had recently won 2 WC gold medals with a finishing kick and run 3:28 for 1500.

It was an incredible last mile. Mo lost 15m to Bekele on the downhill before the finishing straight and gained it back by the finish. Bekele didn't really outsprint Mo, he outsmarted him.

Blitzplay wrote:

It was an incredible last mile. Mo lost 15m to Bekele on the downhill before the finishing straight and gained it back by the finish. Bekele didn't really outsprint Mo, he outsmarted him.

No, he actually did really out sprint him. Go watch the race again.

Bekele def outsmart Mo in that race but as sure as hell he didn't out kick him

Tony the tiger wrote:

Bekele def outsmart Mo in that race but as sure as hell he didn't out kick him

You are an idiot.

Farah closed down Bekele with well over still to go and despite throwing everything he had at him (aka "speed") Bekele matched him and stayed 1-2m ahead.

Bekele's speed is just fine