Ndiku (Mwangaangi) in loaded Zurich 1500!

Oops ... should be *Mwangangi in the title. I'm still not sure if he is going by that these days, or still by Ndiku.

Really hope Caleb runs 3:28, so the BBC can start taking him seriously/quit boasting about Farah's "superior" 1,500m speed in 5,000m races.

His PB is 3:29.50 from Monaco 2013, so I wouldn't rule it out.

His Footprints are still wet.

Centro takes his childish antics back to Oregon where people can worship him.

Well seeing how Mo absolutely destroyed Ndiku by over 1 second in the last 100m at Worlds, I'd say his 1500m speed in 5000m races is PRETTY superior haha. Farah also outkicked Ndiku in the last 100 when they respectively ran 3:28 and 3:29. Ndiku's speed is good, but not at Farah's level yet.

I agree, Farah does have superior top-end speed, and no one can live with him in the last 100. But if Caleb can match Farah's 1,500m PB, he might have confidence to try to make a longer run for home than 800m in a championship race. He's the only one who can take Farah down in Rio.

His Footprints are still wet.

Also, keep in mind his season has been marred by injury so he's obviously still not at his best and probably does have his 3:29 speed back yet.

Oh, and his full name is Caleb Mwangangi Ndiku, AKA "The Buffalo". Which is why he does that pose at the end of races which I think westerners just don't get.

3minutemile wrote:

I agree, Farah does have superior top-end speed, and no one can live with him in the last 100.

BS. Even Rupp is faster than Farah over 100m.

ijenns318 wrote:

Well seeing how Mo absolutely destroyed Ndiku by over 1 second in the last 100m at Worlds, I'd say his 1500m speed in 5000m races is PRETTY superior haha.

ummmm did they race the 1500m at worlds? NO!!! How can you say that because Ndiku got outkicked at worlds in a 5000m that Farah's 1500m speed is better?

I've outkicked guys in a 5k who could run 10 seconds faster than me in an 800m, and 15 seconds faster than me in a 1500. That doesn't mean my "1500 speed" is better.

for all intents and purposes, Ndiku and Farah are about equal over 1500m in a time trial race. The difference between 3:28.8 and 3:29.5 is negligible, and that difference could be caused by positioning/luck more than fitness.

Caleb was out of training for a long period (more than 7 months), didn't train during winter and started training again from the beginning of May only.

For these reasons, it was not possible to develop a full training program, and this was the main difference with the training of the previous season.

In our original plan, for example, we had the participation in some cross country (including WCCCh) in winter, and in one 10000m (the first project was in Stanford) at the end of April. Instead, the reality was that he was not able to resume training during all this period.

This said, I can quantify the percentage of his shape, comparing with the shape of last year (for example, before Eugene), in no more than 80-85%.

It was not possible to carry out any technical training, in order to improve the running technique and to reduce the cost of running (which is the main technical quality of Mo), and to have very hard sessions with progressive speed, like for example before winning the World Indoor Championships last year.

In this conditions, I personally was very happy about his race : closing the last km, leading, in 2'20" (with the first 200m slow) is something almost unbelievable with this type of training, and this fact gave us the clear convinction he can look for finishing next year (of course, with full and proper training) in 2'18" in case of tactical race, or in 2'22" in case of a race on the pace of 13'15" (and in this case there are chance to beat Mo tired after 10000m).

About Zurich, I see the current shape of Caleb around 3'30" if there is a fast pace. I don't look at his 3'29"50 as real value : this time was in a perfect paced race in 2013, and probably if Caleb had last year the opportunity to run the same race when in his best shape, his final result could be around 3'28", since he was objectively stronger.

I think Beijing clearly showed that the only athlete able to attack Mo in 5000m is Caleb : no other Kenyans, and no Ethiopians, for a very evident reason : athletes not able running under 3'35", such as all Kenyan and Ethiopian runners qualified for their Country, can't run this time in the last 1500m of a tactical 5000m, and, on the other hand, don't have the character for trying to have a fast pace from the start.

Therefore, is clear 5000m in Rio can be a duel Mo - Caleb only, without any other interference.

I think both Kamworor and Ndiku are talented and fearless young runners but at the moment they are just not good enough to dethrone Mo Farah , its as simple as that . Basically, Mo Farah has to lose for them to win it, or something out of ordinary has to happen for Mo to lose ..You can slice it and dice it anyway you guys like but at the end of the day we have to face facts ..Mo Farah is in an unbelievable shape rite now , period

ijenns318 wrote:

3minutemile wrote:

Really hope Caleb runs 3:28, so the BBC can start taking him seriously/quit boasting about Farah's "superior" 1,500m speed in 5,000m races.

His PB is 3:29.50 from Monaco 2013, so I wouldn't rule it out.

His Footprints are still wet.

Well seeing how Mo absolutely destroyed Ndiku by over 1 second in the last 100m at Worlds, I'd say his 1500m speed in 5000m races is PRETTY superior haha. Farah also outkicked Ndiku in the last 100 when they respectively ran 3:28 and 3:29. Ndiku's speed is good, but not at Farah's level yet.

Dunno if you follow running or not but Ndiku is not 100% and is coming back from surgery.

Why did Centro go home so soon?

Thanks Renato!

Caleb ran a fine race in Beijing and ought to contend in Rio. Mo can't keep improving forever — he'll be 33 next summer. Especially if it's hot weather, and the Kenyans keep the 10k fast, why couldn't Caleb win? I'm wondering if any Kenyans ever train like Benji Durden did, in several layers of sweats to simulate the heat of southern summer competition?

Always good to hear these updates