Mo Farah is a better miler than Alan Webb and a better marathoner than Ryan Hall

The OP meant half marathoner, I think.

Still...

Before the EPO era was there, at any time, a single runner with a better mile PR and over 10k PR better than the ARs?? I think Nurmi, but I'm not sure. When in the world did Mo Farah become Paavo Nurmi??

Mo will not attempt the 5k or 10k WRs. The absolute probability that he gets them is very low even if he is really fit. Yes there is a big upside to him getting the record but there is a big downside for "going for it" and failing. First, it will hurt his image as a dominant distance runner. People will (rightly) say "oh he couldn't take Geb or Bekele in their prime). It also shows his competitors that maybe they can beat him with a fast pace. Say he tries to break the 5k WR and only runs 12:48. Well, some Kenyans might just decide to make the OGs a 12:45 race. Finally, it will require him to sacrifice some speed training to hone his specific endurance. Since Mo's ace in the hole is always a blistering last 150m, that takes away from his championship racing ability.

The WRs are SO good that you need to specifically tailor your training towards time-trialing a dead-even, incredibly fast pace. This is contrary to how you would train if you were preparing for surges and a fast finish in a championship race.

Mo will make no attempt at a premier distance WR (outdoor 3k, 5k, 10k) in the next year. And he will probably be too old by 2017. He's 32 already.

i think a couple months after bekele ran 26:17 he could have probably run 58:0x (if not faster)tadesse could never really beat him in the 10k and can't handle the marathon like bekele canalso, webb ran a 3:46 mile. farah has not. you should specify 1500m runner, not mileralso also, yes, farah is probably a much better marathoner than ryan hall. ryan hall ain't sh*t and was a 2:07-2:08 guy at best. his fastest time is the 2:06:17, probably more like a 2:07-08 guy at his primehe's wealthier than ritzenhein, but way less accomplished, in my opinionthanks for letting me share!

Chaim wrote:

Not at different points in his career. At the same time. And he specializes in neither distance.

3:28 and 59:22 within 2 months of each other. Neither Alan or Ryan could touch those times.

Could even Bekele in his prime have run either of those times??? If Mo is clean he is definitely the GOAT.

chaim-ber of farceworth wrote:

ryan hall ain't sh*t and was a 2:07-2:08 guy at best. his fastest time is the 2:06:17, probably more like a 2:07-08 guy at his prime

A 2:07-08 guy doesn't run 2:06. If he does, he becomes a 2:06 guy. Because in his 'prime' he did indeed run a 2:06.

But of course, Ryan will tell you he is a 2:04 guy. And he isn't totally wrong.

stovetop stuffing wrote:

Chaim wrote:

Point taken, buttcheecks. However given Mo's performances in the over/under distances I don't think it's implausible for him to challenge the 5000m/10000m records set by Bekele.

He's got the speed. He's got the strength. Why not GO FOR IT???

Because that's not the way Mo runs. When Bekele ran fast times he did it on his own. When was the last time Mo just ran away from the pack going after a time? Oh yeah, never.

This.

All this talk by the brits about Mo being one of the all time greats is nonsense until he goes after a fast time in the 5k & 10k. And I mean really goes after it, not makes a half-hearted attempt like at the PRE 10k.

He likely won't do that unless he needs to in order to beat someone because he is too scared.

As a miler/1500m runner mo farah is definitely better than Webb. Webb definitely had the potential to much better than he turned out to be, at least as good if not a little bit better than Farah, but his poor training regimen and VERY high mileage for a miler burned him. As for Farah being a better marathon runner than Hall. I just don't see that happening. Farah's current marathon fitness level is definitely better than Hall's current marathon fitness level, as much as a love Ryan and I think he is a great guy. He either really needs a rebound or he needs to retire from competitive racing. As for potential I just don't see mo farah having much when it comes to the marathon. He is obviously a great half marathon runner, but when you compare his mileage right now and when he ran the London Marathon (120 average per week) and compare it to the workload of Ryan Hall, Hall was actually putting LESS miles when he ran his best races (100-120 depending on the week) I just don't see moving up to the marathon without putting in so much miles that he is seriously risking injury. Plus farah would be going against an amazing field of Kenyans and Ethopians, as well as this new up incomer from Eritrea, the same country that Meb and Tadese are from. Plus Mo Farah's time at the London Marathon places him several HUNDRED down in the rankings in this year alone. The only way I can possibly see him being a factor in a marathon is if it extremely slow, because Mo is a racer.

You make a godo point

Go for the TRIPLE!!!!11111 wrote:

I think Farah could triple in 2016. 5k, 10k, Marathon! Go for it Mo!!!!11111

.

The guy who actually did that triple was not afraid to run fast early, middle, late, or all the way.

Alan Webb was so bad I think he might have been clean

consider this.

Mo is only 2 months younger than Webb. One is washed up..the other is running at the highest level.

Not suspicious at all

My conclusion from reading the message board today is that all male NOP distance athletes should triple 10k/5k/marathon at the Olympics. They've mostly proven they can do the 10k/5k and the marathon at the end is just hanging on for a hard long run as long as they can and deciding whether they have it left in them to fast finish for a medal.

As much as I love Webb, converted his mile doesn't equal Farah's time and Webb's 3:30 1500 PR is obviously slower.

Webbs 800 pr was sufficient speed needed for 3:26 1500. He had the physicality for 1500 WR And championship GOLD!

Shoebacca wrote:

My conclusion from reading the message board today is that all male NOP distance athletes should triple 10k/5k/marathon at the Olympics. They've mostly proven they can do the 10k/5k and the marathon at the end is just hanging on for a hard long run as long as they can and deciding whether they have it left in them to fast finish for a medal.

Marathon can't be that difficult for Mo, Galen, or Centro for that matter. I mean all of those guys can run a single mile in ~3:50 or better, so wouldn't 4:4X per mile feel like jogging to them?

That gets me thinking... Bolt could probably excel as a miler considering he has run 9.58 for 100m. 14.XX seconds per 100m should feel like a walk in the park to him, which would be like 50% slower than his top end speed.

I for example, have terrible speed. I run a 100m in around 14 flat which I know is pretty sad for a 22 year old male, but it is what it is. Despite this, I'm still able to hold 17s per 100m pace for a mile PR of 4:34. My 5k is a mediocre 15:25 but I'm a natural endurance guy so w/e. I still occasionally get depressed at not being able to crack a 28s 200m or a 60 second lap though.

Speaking of great talents. Where is Mary Cain? Does she still train or race?

Webb ran 3:46. He was as good or better than Farah. And he was not a VERY high-mileage runner. Ovett, Walker, Scott -- they were high-mileage milers. Who today runs as many miles as they did?

Mr.Bekele wrote:

The guy who holds the half marathon WR is the same guy that Bekele used to beat up on the track & cross country (except for DNF Mombasa). Had Kenenisa trained for a HM in his prime then the WR would have been in the 57 minute range.

Kenenisa is his prime would have been able to match or beat Mo from 3000m & up. Past prime Kenenisa actually beat PRIME Farah on the road & established a much better PR on his 1st marathon......It's not that hard to imagine that Kenenisa in his prime would have blown Mo's doors off.

Post of all time. The performances that Kenenisa has given are timeless.

buttcheeks98 wrote:

Trolling, but Bekele doesn't need to run either of those times, mainly because HE RAN 12:37.35 AND 26:17.53.

Or to put it another way, this ^^^^

ROFL