Who Wore Bib 148 in Tokyo?--What a Display of Toughness and Courage

Chris Dorner wrote:

punnerate wrote:

Obviously your definition of "looks like an athlete" is flawed.

You put number 148 next to Chepchirchirchir and ask 10 people who they would consider a pro athlete and 11 would point to the gentleman.

Probably half of the surveyed would take up a collection for a sandwich for the human matchstick to eat.

Is 148 the guy who had terrible form and looked like he was about to fall down/pass out the whole race? If so, he did not look like an athlete.

The 49 year old is back, baby!

macdaddy wrote:

Chris Dorner wrote:

You put number 148 next to Chepchirchirchir and ask 10 people who they would consider a pro athlete and 11 would point to the gentleman.

Probably half of the surveyed would take up a collection for a sandwich for the human matchstick to eat.

Is 148 the guy who had terrible form and looked like he was about to fall down/pass out the whole race? If so, he did not look like an athlete.

He was athlete enough to finish before the walking stick did.....

macdaddy wrote:

Chris Dorner wrote:

You put number 148 next to Chepchirchirchir and ask 10 people who they would consider a pro athlete and 11 would point to the gentleman.

Probably half of the surveyed would take up a collection for a sandwich for the human matchstick to eat.

Is 148 the guy who had terrible form and looked like he was about to fall down/pass out the whole race? If so, he did not look like an athlete.

Good question. I watched nearly the whole race (stepped away briefly just a couple of times), and the only time I remember seeing 148 on the screen was toward the end of the race, as I have decrobed it above.

To me, he looked like a runner that was done, that was ready to be passed, and not be able to answer. I actually felt sorry for him, as I do not like watching human suffering. I thought his form was lacking, but I have seen worse at the end of marathons. His torso was forward, and his hands were low, without much arm swing. The look on his face was clearly one of suffering, but as I continued to watch, I noticed that it was also one of determination.

I saw that stat page, too. Loads of sub-2:30 marathons. In fact, his consistentcy over the past seven years is really quite impressive.

Awesome run. I will think of Koji here soon, in my run this morning.

outsiderunner wrote:

Watching that guy battle the women's winner, who ran race a great race, was truly inspiring. His torso pitched forward, and his arms hanging low, he hung on in the last few miles and beat one of the best women runners in the world, and some other good runners, too...going 2:19:xx. I could see the pain in that guy's face. That race really meant something to him. He drew from the depths of his being, and would not be denied. Truly inspiring...

He was just out of the top 50, and I could not find his name or results. No seachable results up when I checked. Anyone know who he is?

Wow, so many Japanese under 2:20. Great job, guys. I hate to say it, but Americans are looking wimpier and wimpier.

True.

I enjoyed that little duel between him and Sarah Chepchirchir. I expected Sarah to pass him but the guy refused and in the process, I also think he helped her go sub 2:20. Without him, it's possible that she wasn't going ot do it.

Finally, I excpected this guy to collapse any time from his running form but he did hold on strongly.

I was telling my wife that Chepchirchir needed to stay away from that guy. I don't think being chicked was on his mind but he looked a bit erratic and it would have been bad if Chepchirchir was tripped accidentally. Dude hung tough, the announcers had to give him props after initially dogging him a bit.

It did look like he almost clipped her heels once, which would have been awful, given that she now has a 2:19, Japanese All-Comer's record. I fail to see how insulting her body type is of any use, she is what she is through very hard training, and is now a Tokyo champion.

I looked at his ARRS results, and saw that he's finished at least two 100 km races, imagine what his form looks like then!

I just was about to start a thread about the same guy, but my thoughts were different.

I couldn't believe the size of the guys legs.

Guess he was hanging on the last few miles, but his form and the size of his legs shocked me that he could be running a sub 2:20. His legs looked way too big for a distance runner but then anyone next to Chepchirchir would look big.

seoexpert wrote:

Video please?

Here is a short sighting of him.

This is better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtPFey5kyW8

NativeSon wrote:

This is better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtPFey5kyW8

Thanks for the videos, guys. I wish there were more coverage of this type of runner. They are not the best of the best, but in many ways, I find them more interesting. The guy ran a marathon just three weeks prior, a 2:19:53, and then runs another 2:19:xx at Tokyo. I can understand his form being poor at the end of the race. This guy deserves some significant respect.

Big, hefty thighs for a distance runner. I have been thinking I should get in the gym, and work on my legs. Perhaps that is why my quads and hams cramped up so badly toward the end of NYC--I am rather stick-ish myself. I need Koji legs!

What ballz this guys has! Such a triumph of human will and spirit! I can't be the only one reminded of Wanjiru at Chicago 2010 right?

To paraphrase a speech from last nights Oscars, "pro marathoners are the only profession that celebrates what it means to struggle in a life and overcome!"

I fail to see how insulting her body type is of any use,

True, if someone wanted to design a good running body, I'd think Chepchirchir would be ideal. Slim, but not a rail, good form and a strong stride. She reminds me of a distance running Allyson Felix.

letsrun lore wrote:

The 49 year old is back, baby!

Hahahaha

She is actually well-built for a Kenyan marathoner.

He is like the hefty version of Yuki Kawauchi.

I always have mixed feelings, getting beat by "struggling" types like this guy. On the one hand they lay it all out there, on the other, take a minute to learn decent form and relaxation, man! If you didn't thrash like that you would be faster, and less painful for the rest of us to watch. I realize this goes against the "Litttle Engine That Could" types who proliferate the boards.

letsrun lore wrote:

The 49 year old is back, baby!

That was my first thought on seeing this thread.

Transcontinental wrote:

She is actually well-built for a Kenyan marathoner.

He is like the hefty version of Yuki Kawauchi.

I always have mixed feelings, getting beat by "struggling" types like this guy. On the one hand they lay it all out there, on the other, take a minute to learn decent form and relaxation, man! If you didn't thrash like that you would be faster, and less painful for the rest of us to watch. I realize this goes against the "Litttle Engine That Could" types who proliferate the boards.

True enough--good form makes one faster. I think, though, the 2:19:53 he ran just three weeks prior must have had an impact on him.

tggrfbgberve wrote:

I fail to see how insulting her body type is of any use,

True, if someone wanted to design a good running body, I'd think Chepchirchir would be ideal. Slim, but not a rail, good form and a strong stride. She reminds me of a distance running Allyson Felix.

I agree with most of this. Her arm carriage is too high, and too close to the upper body, as it is with a number of E. African females that I have observed.

The East African women's arm carriage and "twist" is not very aesthetic, but it is so rampant that I have to think maybe it is somehow optimal for them. It seems to go with being around 100 lbs, with hips and proportionately small upper bodies.

outsiderunner wrote:

tggrfbgberve wrote:

I fail to see how insulting her body type is of any use,

True, if someone wanted to design a good running body, I'd think Chepchirchir would be ideal. Slim, but not a rail, good form and a strong stride. She reminds me of a distance running Allyson Felix.

I agree with most of this. Her arm carriage is too high, and too close to the upper body, as it is with a number of E. African females that I have observed.