Who wins if all the best US milers from the last 50 years could race each other in their prime?

Jim Ryun

Ryun. Hands down.

Lagat, hands down.

I actually agree with the OP for the most part. I was going to say move Webb even lower, but he was actually not as bad in US championship races as he was in world championship races.

Ryun

Steve Scott was way more consistent than Webb, he at minimum belongs in the conversation.

I thought Ryun at first but after thinking about it more, Lagat in 2005-2007 just seems too good. I know he didn't run as fast as in 2004, but hard to believe that he was that much worse, especially with his results in 2007. I don't see Ryun opening up a gap and I don't see Lagat losing over the last 100.

douglas burke wrote:

Steve Scott was way more consistent than Webb, he at minimum belongs in the conversation.

Agree. I think that he probably belongs at #5. If we were looking at quality of overall careers, I may put him higher due to consistency. However, I want to know who would when if everyone were at there best for 1 race, so consistency doesn't factor in.

more hands wrote: I was going to say move Webb even lower, but he was actually not as bad in US championship races as he was in world championship races.

Yeah, but this hypothetical match-up would be much more like a world championship final than any year ever of a USA nat. Webb did fine in USA championships because he was running against people like Gabe Jennings.

Webb would be 6th at best and I haven't even thought about who specifically would be in this race and would beat him, I just know he would screw it up and finish no better than that. That is at best, mind you. I'd probably wager Webb would actually finish 8th or 9th.

Steve Scott has to be mentioned. His 3:47.69 puts him in the same ball-park as Webb and Lagat.

If we're getting into descending order and specifically championship style race, don't leave out Manzano. Dude has World Level hardware.

Jim Ryun.

1. Ryun - close but he is the man (1500 WR on dirt)

2. probably Lagat, BUT...

more likely a pick-em with Lagat, Steve Scott, Sydney Maree

... Webb and Centro aren't in it.

Personally have a hatred towards NOP, but I can't deny how good Centro is currently. If he adds a 3:29 or faster to his resume and another medal over the next three years I'll be putting him at #1 on the list. Closing in 1:18.0 for his last 600 at USA's world class and would push Lagat and Ryun to their limits. If worlds comes around and he can close in the 51's and medal again he would/will be hard to beat.

Bro - Mama wrote:

1. Ryun - close but he is the man (1500 WR on dirt)

2. probably Lagat, BUT...

more likely a pick-em with Lagat, Steve Scott, Sydney Maree

... Webb and Centro aren't in it.

Are you guys crazy???

Looking at American born athletes, Ryun obviously is in the mix, but Cnetro isn't in the mix? Are you crazy? Seriously.

I think Centro is better right now than Steve Scott in his prime.

Centro was 4th in the Olympics when he barely trained that year as he was hurt (Scott was 5th). Centro's got 2 worlds medals (scott has 1 although worlds weren't held as often back then).

Yes Scott ran 3:47 but Centro's 1500 pb is better than Scott's. Centro's 3:31.09 converts to 347.98 in the mile.

And I think Centro this year is better than in the past.

Scott ran 347 at age 26. Centro will be 26 next year.

So the best of Centro will probably be 2015-16-17. To say he's not in the mix with Scott is absurd. We're talking about a real race not a time trial right?

Centro Nation wrote:

Personally have a hatred towards NOP, but I can't deny how good Centro is currently. If he adds a 3:29 or faster to his resume and another medal over the next three years I'll be putting him at #1 on the list. Closing in 1:18.0 for his last 600 at USA's world class and would push Lagat and Ryun to their limits. If worlds comes around and he can close in the 51's and medal again he would/will be hard to beat.

I agree he's good, that's why I put him at #3 against significantly faster runners. Would take a gold and probably low 3:29s/3:28 for me to consider moving him up, though. Lagat and Ryun were just too good. He needs to dominate the world, not just the US to be at their level.

Are we talking about Centro Jr or Sr?

In 2004, less than a year prior to competing for the US, Lagat ran 3:27.40. Faster than Kiplagat. Faster than Kiprop. Faster than every other human not named El Guerrouj or Morceli (only .03 behind Morceli). And he has a deadly kick. He's the favorite by a big margin.

Centro could probably run 3:29.xx in a perfect race this year. 3:28.xx would be absolutely stunning, but I give it a 1% chance.

Webb ran 3:30 at his prime in multiple good attempts. A very respectable, and maybe could have dipped under 3:30 in the perfect race.

Scott, as people have mentioned, was amazingly consistent at a very high level, but can't quite hang at the tippy top.

Maree ran 3:29. I don't know too much about him other than that. He'd be there, but you obviously give the big edge to the 3:27 guy.

That leaves Ryun, he's the wild card. I give it to Lagat because he's proven, but no one really knows what Ryun could do in today's type of races when he was at his peak (Vent will say 3:24).

k kkclvc wrote:

If we're getting into descending order and specifically championship style race, don't leave out Manzano. Dude has World Level hardware.

Probably would put Manzano in the top 10. Top 5, no way, and I am a big fan of Manzano. Too many great runners. It would have to be slow for him to have a chance. Can't see Manzano at his best beating Centro from last week, for example, not to mention Lagat or Ryun. Obviously, if they raced 10 times, he would beat Webb sometimes, but we're considering everyone at their best.

k kkclvc wrote:

If we're getting into descending order and specifically championship style race, don't leave out Manzano. Dude has World Level hardware.

Probably would put Manzano in the top 10. Top 5, no way, and I am a big fan of Manzano. Too many great runners. It would have to be slow for him to have a chance. Can't see Manzano at his best beating Centro from last week, for example, not to mention Lagat or Ryun. Obviously, if they raced 10 times, he would beat Webb sometimes, but we're considering everyone at their best.