AMERICANS DISAPPOINT IN CHICAGO

And said he could use more experience in the marathon, to figure the training out.He was hoping to run inside 2:03's.

Sciatica Road wrote:

Says he felt 50/50 today, with the windy conditions, and his body was fatigued and didn't respond when Kipchoge went. Said maybe jet lag and poor sleep contributed to the fatigue.

Or maybe Bekele just got his ass beat by a superior marathon runner. Kipchoge has run 12:46, 26:49 (obviously not getting close to his potential in that event) on the track and, importantly, a 59:25 half-marathon within the past two years. Jos Hermens needs to shut his cake-hole. He talks endless amounts of shit in advance and scrambles to make excuses afterward when Bekele, who has nothing to be ashamed of, doesn't run perfectly or win.

Would the people eager to swallow the excuses from Hermens or anyone in the Bekele camp entertain shit about the Americans like "He could run 2:08 if only he did more or less mileage/ran longer or shorter long runs/wore better racing flats/tucked in his singlet/went gluten-free/etc."?

I wonder how many East Africans grew up running barefoot? I don't mean training, I mean when they were like 5 years old and playing soccer with friends, or running to school, or going to the market, or playing tag.

My point is that I think the East Africans have developed very efficient strides. So then, when you hand a guy like that some shoes and put him in a training program, he outruns most Americans (who developed poor strides that shoes can only mitigate, not fix).

In addition to being high in altitude, I wonder if East Africa is the only place in the world where, year round, it's warm, mostly dry, not very rocky, and not full of insects and other animals that would destroy your feet (and you) -- conditions perfect for running barefoot. Just a thought.

wejo wrote:

boomtown rascals wrote:

Not sure if Bekele was completely open with his training or not. His initial comment soon after his Paris debut was that he needed to get longer (3hr) runs in.

Jos Hermens, Bekele's agent, is under the belief Bekele needs to do longer long runs.

He said Bekele did one 40km run and that was it.

More on Bekele post race here:

http://www.letsrun.com/news/2014/10/kenenisa-bekele-4th-place-finish-2014-bank-america-chicago-marathon/

I would like to hear what Renato Canova has to say about Bekele's training. I'm just not sure that more mileage is better for him right now. If anything I would want to see him do a few half marathons before he attempts a marathon again.

It is sad you are in a hateful state. I thought Bekele, one of the all-time greats, was being generous with his candor in trying to answer the questions, rather than putting up excuses.

Cooralation wrote:

I would like to hear what Renato Canova has to say about Bekele's training.

Sure, and while we're at it let's see if we can get Bill Maher and Rachel Maddow to discuss it. They will be just as on point given 15 or 20 minutes to read up on the topic or world-class marathon running.

Sciatica Road wrote:

It is sad you are in a hateful state. I thought Bekele, one of the all-time greats, was being generous with his candor in trying to answer the questions, rather than putting up excuses.

It's sad that you're functionally illiterate. I didn't say that Bekele himself was making excuses -- he seems like a classy guy. But it gets tiresome trying to follow this sport without having to listen to bullshit from self-important dimwits like Canova and Hermens, who at some level probably know better ut can't help but spout off at the mouth given a forum.

All in the stride? wrote:

I wonder how many East Africans grew up running barefoot? I don't mean training, I mean when they were like 5 years old and playing soccer with friends, or running to school, or going to the market, or playing tag.

My point is that I think the East Africans have developed very efficient strides. So then, when you hand a guy like that some shoes and put him in a training program, he outruns most Americans (who developed poor strides that shoes can only mitigate, not fix).

In addition to being high in altitude, I wonder if East Africa is the only place in the world where, year round, it's warm, mostly dry, not very rocky, and not full of insects and other animals that would destroy your feet (and you) -- conditions perfect for running barefoot. Just a thought.

No. East Africa has Tsetse flies that carry horrible diseases, Mosquitoes with Malaria, Guinea worms and various other parasites. It also has venomous snakes, cats that can kill you, Hyena, Elephants etc.

In fact East Africa is about the worst place on Earth for general good health and safety.

Try again.

I've been wondering this too, Cooralation. Didn't both Tergat and Gebrselassie get the half-marathon world-record before becoming dedicated marathon runners? Maybe a slow and steady progression up to the marathon distance is better for a former track athlete (as opposed to a marathon specialist from the beginning).

"Tsetse flies that carry horrible diseases, Mosquitoes with Malaria, Guinea worms...venomous snakes, cats that can kill you, Hyena, Elephants etc." are all things that can get you while running in shoes. So YOU, try again.

I think LRC providing Hermen's comments, some probably offered in answer to their questions, are additional insight into the sport. Hermens was probably repeating what Bekele told him about the jet-lag and fatigue. e.g., I found it interesting Kipchoge came a day earlier, and even took a sleeping pill. Kipchoge has multiple experiences racing in this hemisphere.

otaat wrote:

Maybe a slow and steady progression up to the marathon distance is better for a former track athlete (as opposed to a marathon specialist from the beginning).

In his post-race interview, Kipchoge said it was the mustering of "the will" to transform into a marathoner from the track, that was of significant importance to him.

Sciatica Road wrote:

I think LRC providing Hermen's comments, some probably offered in answer to their questions, are additional insight into the sport. Hermens was probably repeating what Bekele told him about the jet-lag and fatigue. e.g., I found it interesting Kipchoge came a day earlier, and even took a sleeping pill. Kipchoge has multiple experiences racing in this hemisphere.

Sure, it's nice that LRC offers as much commentary from as many sources as they can. But this necessarily means repeating a lot of silly shit. It would be one thing if Bekele caught a bug, or tripped over a rock or discarded diaper, or otherwise encountered an unanticipated impediment. But jet lag? At this time last week, did Jos Hermens know the difference between U.S. Central Time and the time in whatever time zone Bekele flew there from, or did he not investigate this until after the fact? If he really hadn't heard of the concept of planning an itinerary to account for this, then he sucks as an agent and cares only about getting his chunk of the check and not inherently about making Bekele a better runner.

All in the stride? wrote:

"Tsetse flies that carry horrible diseases, Mosquitoes with Malaria, Guinea worms...venomous snakes, cats that can kill you, Hyena, Elephants etc." are all things that can get you while running in shoes. So YOU, try again.

Why did you mention these things then? You even speculated that they weren't in Africa.

VAcoach wrote:

The real issue in US competitiveness is the structure of the system. Financial considerations aside, most of the top Kenyan talent now begins with the marathon from age 17+. This would never happen in the US, we are not set up for that approach. The days of runners graduating from the track or even small time road races to the marathon are fading. It is getting to th point that unless one specializes in the marathon from a younger age, ones ability to compete with those that do will fade.

Umm... ever heard of Eliud Kipchoge?

But they don't live at high altitude, where all the runners come from. It is YOU who should try again, or give up and save face.

know-it-all joe wrote:

Le Chapeau wrote:

No. East Africa has Tsetse flies that carry horrible diseases, Mosquitoes with Malaria, Guinea worms and various other parasites. It also has venomous snakes, cats that can kill you, Hyena, Elephants etc.

In fact East Africa is about the worst place on Earth for general good health and safety.

Try again.

But they don't live at high altitude, where all the runners come from. It is YOU who should try again, or give up and save face.

How did Kimetto and Kipketer get Malaria then?

dated marathon man wrote:

Guys like Llano, Proctor, Riley, Morgan, put it all out on the line on a day like this. Some execute their race strategies, others don't. They have limited support, mostly self-built training groups, limited but loyal sponsors, and self-promotion via Twitter and social media. Cut them slack. There is no reason or benefit in taking shots at this runners. We're their core constituency and ought to feel an obligation to back these guys (and up-and-coming women) up when they need it, which is a day like today. Like the race itself it is a long road to success.

Thank you.....well said!

MI Man wrote:

dated marathon man wrote:

Guys like Llano, Proctor, Riley, Morgan, put it all out on the line on a day like this. Some execute their race strategies, others don't. They have limited support, mostly self-built training groups, limited but loyal sponsors, and self-promotion via Twitter and social media. Cut them slack. There is no reason or benefit in taking shots at this runners. We're their core constituency and ought to feel an obligation to back these guys (and up-and-coming women) up when they need it, which is a day like today. Like the race itself it is a long road to success.

Thank you.....well said!

Yes, I agree.

Le Chapeau wrote:

know-it-all joe wrote:

But they don't live at high altitude, where all the runners come from. It is YOU who should try again, or give up and save face.

How did Kimetto and Kipketer get Malaria then?

Obviously not in Iten because there is not a single mosquito there.

What "All in the stride?" said is completely correct, at least if applied to Iten. That is not even up for debate.