Berlin Hype Thread: Can Kenenisa Bekele beat Mutai and Kipsang?

Mutai done.

This is in 4 days, exciting.

Some questions regarding the big names - Bekele, Kipsang, and E. Mutai are 34, 34, & 31 respectively. Bekele has actually run the best marathon of these 3 in the past year with his 2:06:36 3rd place in London. The others have had some subpar races.

If Wilson Kipsang can run under 2:05:00 he'll continue his unprecedented streak of 6 years sub-2:05. I'm not sure he can do it.

I guess I see this race going out in 61-high but slowing soon after because these guys can't quite run 2:03 anymore. Bekele holds on best to win in 2:05-low with a couple lower profile guys also 2:05:xx and Kipsang/Mutai at 2:06-2:08 again.

RUMAN wrote:

This is in 4 days, exciting.

Some questions regarding the big names - Bekele, Kipsang, and E. Mutai are 34, 34, & 31 respectively. Bekele has actually run the best marathon of these 3 in the past year with his 2:06:36 3rd place in London. The others have had some subpar races.

If Wilson Kipsang can run under 2:05:00 he'll continue his unprecedented streak of 6 years sub-2:05. I'm not sure he can do it.

I guess I see this race going out in 61-high but slowing soon after because these guys can't quite run 2:03 anymore. Bekele holds on best to win in 2:05-low with a couple lower profile guys also 2:05:xx and Kipsang/Mutai at 2:06-2:08 again.

London was great for Bekele, but considering how little training he got uninterrupted from injury I'm expecting something better from him at Berlin. Maybe with a bit of fire inside of him after being left off the olympic team.

I'm hoping that Kipsang really is in the kind of shape he says he is and the two of them duel it out the last few miles.

I think so. I think Bekele will win with Kipsang second (assuming that he's in the shape that he claims he's in).

Kipsang = DNFworld record shape, yeah right

vzxczxf wrote:

With Kipsang saying he's in world record shape and Bekele apparently uninjured, it looks like it's going to be a great race.

Anyone know Mutai's status?

After seeing Bekele's training before London, it's safe to say he is still the biggest aerobic powerhouse we've ever seen. We don't know how his buildup for Berlin has gone, but to me, no news is good news with regards to Bekele. If he is in shape, I can expect him to try for the WR.

RUMAN wrote:

This is in 4 days, exciting.

Some questions regarding the big names - Bekele, Kipsang, and E. Mutai are 34, 34, & 31 respectively. Bekele has actually run the best marathon of these 3 in the past year with his 2:06:36 3rd place in London. The others have had some subpar races.

If Wilson Kipsang can run under 2:05:00 he'll continue his unprecedented streak of 6 years sub-2:05. I'm not sure he can do it.

I guess I see this race going out in 61-high but slowing soon after because these guys can't quite run 2:03 anymore. Bekele holds on best to win in 2:05-low with a couple lower profile guys also 2:05:xx and Kipsang/Mutai at 2:06-2:08 again.

Kipsang is one level-headed guy and would not hype being in great shape if he really wasn't. I believe him at his word. Kipsang's time and position in London this year is very misleading and does not account for the fall he took at the water station and the damage(injurywise) as a result of that fall. Their times (both Bekele and Kipsang) are also not a reflection of their value that day due to the nature of aggressive pace straight from the gun. In a milder pace, their time could have been 2:04 and 2:05 at the worst.

My prediction for Sunday is a win for Kipsang with a time of 2:03:45.

2nd. Evans Chebet @ 2:04:28 (outkicks Bekele)

3rd. Kenenisa @ PB 2:04:30

4th. Eliud Kiptanui/ Tsegaye Mekonnen(more likely Kiptanui)

Emmanuel Mutai is hard to predict. Since his 2:03:13 in 2014 his shape has not been that great. Seemed to run well when racing Dennis Kimetto(2013 Chicago and 2014 Berlin). With 2015 as an off year for him, he could be ready to bounce back. If that is the case, he will finish second(2:03:57) .

Does anyone know how fast the pacers are supposed to hit the halfway mark?

vzxczxf wrote:

With Kipsang saying he's in world record shape and Bekele apparently uninjured, it looks like it's going to be a great race.

Anyone know Mutai's status?

While I am skeptical about Kipsang's WR form claim, to be fair he would know what WR form is.

Spanish Inquisition wrote:

vzxczxf wrote:

With Kipsang saying he's in world record shape and Bekele apparently uninjured, it looks like it's going to be a great race.

Anyone know Mutai's status?

While I am skeptical about Kipsang's WR form claim, to be fair he would know what WR form is.

I wouldn't take it as gospel truth though unless there is a video capturing Kipsang mention he going for the world record. Often it is the media's (mostly Kenyan) exaggeration. Besides that, Kipsang has been hungry to reclaim his record since that day Kimetto snatched it from him in 2014. So hopefully his hunger and physical ability match up on Sunday and he gets that record before Kipchoge puts too far for anyone.

Not a video but a quote:

“My training has been good and I have finalised the hard training. I’m ready to face the other competitors and my focus will be to run my personal best and even break the world record,” Kipsang told Daily Nation Sport in his final pre-travel interview."

http://www.nation.co.ke/sports/athletics/Wilson-Kipsang-eyes-world-record-in-Berlin-Marathon/1100-3388798-u6p7gnz/

Tjfjfjfjdj wrote:

After seeing Bekele's training before London, it's safe to say he is still the biggest aerobic powerhouse we've ever seen.

The 1950's called and want their ex-phys back

High maximum oxygen consumption has nothing to do with running marathon pace, it's about fuel efficiency

How can they always smile and wave to the crowd at the start line?

Your're about to run 42k!! And you're racing others! What's there to smile? It's a war! So much pressure!

How come they're not thinking "what tha F do I need this for? I wish I was home with a big bag of potato chips....mmmm...potato chips..."

TV coverage? Universal Sports? BEIN?

kmaclam wrote:

TV coverage? Universal Sports? BEIN?

Live on Eurosport, so you'll be able to find it on pirate streams like stream2watch or circfree.

9:15a start time I believe, 3:15a on the East Coast, 12:15a on the West.

T V guide indicates BEIN Sports will not show Berlin '16.

Clerk wrote:

kmaclam wrote:

TV coverage? Universal Sports? BEIN?

Live on Eurosport, so you'll be able to find it on pirate streams like stream2watch or circfree.

9:15a start time I believe, 3:15a on the East Coast, 12:15a on the West.

Their website lists

as a free livestream. Not georestricted, but will be in German.

Clerk wrote:

kmaclam wrote:

TV coverage? Universal Sports? BEIN?

Live on Eurosport, so you'll be able to find it on pirate streams like stream2watch or circfree.

9:15a start time I believe, 3:15a on the East Coast, 12:15a on the West.

Thanks Clerk 🙏🏽

How do we watch this race? Is there a live stream or tv coverage?