Renato Canova wrote:
I can do my comment on the race of today.
Going to the men, I can speak for Kenenisa and for Abel Kirui, not about other athletes. I told many journalists who asked my previews before the race that Kenenisa, really, was not ready, because could not start running again till the end of February (due to the injury he had falling down at the start in Dubai, that became very bad after running for 20 km with pain and out of balance). Not running, Kenenisa increased his weight of 5 kg, so the training he had to do during the most part of March had the goal not to create specific endurance, but to lose weight. For example, we put in his training (I prepare his training plan, and discuss with Asrat Mersha, his local coach, the best approach) long run of 2 h 30, with the first 1 h 30' very easy (about 4' > 3'50" per km) and the last hour of fartlek (20 times 1' fast / 1' easy + 20 times 30" / 30"), because for Kenenisa is extremely important to have good feeling with a speed a little faster than the speed of the race.
Never I put some of the training I normally use (for example, 5 x 5 km in 14'45" with 1 km recovery in 3'25" / 3'30") for increasing the specific endurance, but some long session on track (2 x 3000 + 3 x 2000 + 5 x 1000 + 6 x 500m) at good speed (not far from the specific speed) with recovery walking, in order to create the feeling with the technical way of running at that identified speed.
In other words, I used a system very different from the system I normally use, every day changing plan after receiving the feedback from Mersha, looking at the best solution at the moment, but without a real long term plan.
What I said (and several newspaper showed the interviews I had) is that, with the current training of Kenenisa, NO ATHLETES IN THE WORLD COULD RUN UNDER 2:10, but, being Kenenisa, I supposed possible a time between 2:05 and 2:06.
So, for who knows the real situation, the race of Kenenisa is another demonstration that he has a so strong mind that never can be compared with any other athletes under this point of view. His threshold of pain, his ability to read inside his body for understanding how far can be from his limites, are qualities that only he as at that level, and probably are the reason because he is an absolute extraclass runner.
My idea, after the race of today, is that Kenenisa, IF able to follow an adequate training plan for marathon lasting 5 months, can run near 2:01 in ideal conditions. The real question is : will Kenenisa in the future to have this opportunity ? His engine, and his mind, are still at the top of the world. Is his body still at the top ? Is his motivation still at the top ? Are his stimuli still at the top ? In this case, no doubt that with him and Eliud Kipchoge we have two athletes who are 2 minutes ahead the rest of the World.