We all know that bekele is virtually untouchable over 10000m, but can he use his awesome combination of speed & endurance to run a sub 7:20 3000m ? or will the pace be impossible for him?
We all know that bekele is virtually untouchable over 10000m, but can he use his awesome combination of speed & endurance to run a sub 7:20 3000m ? or will the pace be impossible for him?
I'd have to guess no. Komen's 3k performance was unreal -- arguably the single toughest world record there is between 800 and 10,000 meters. Convert it to 2 miles and it crushes the world record. It requires more flat-out speed than I think Bekele has. I'd give El G a better chance of it, (and even then only 3-5 years ago, not today)
Average_Joe, I agree if When El G was in his top shape he had a good chance...I believe he ran 7:23 going for it. That is back to back 3:40's?
Geekazoid wrote:
Average_Joe, I agree if When El G was in his top shape he had a good chance...I believe he ran 7:23 going for it. That is back to back 3:40's?
Yes, if you count 3:41.5 as 3:40.
Yes, El G ran 7:23 on his first ever real (senior....not sure if he ran one as a jr) attempt at the distance. THAT is pretty damn impressive.
But I feel that if El G had/has a shot at 7:20, Bekele does too.
12:37 mostly by yourself ain't bad either.
Bekele and El G should get together and go for it. Then they can go head-to-head at 5k WR. Why not.....
7:20 is one of the greatest records out there and Bekele won't be able to break, nor do I think El G could've broken it in his prime either. We shouldn't forget what a stud Komen was in '96-98 over 3000/2mile/5000. When Aquita set the 3000 WR in the late 80s, I think it was 7:29 or possibly 7:28 and this was the greatest middle distance runner of his time and Komen would've been 60 meters ahead of him. Komen didn't have the best kick but when you're running 7:20 it really doesn't matter.
El G can run closer to that record than Bekele, but neither of them will beat it.
That is my favorite record in the books.
I think both El G and Bekele have the potential to break the record. That being said, having potential does not mean they will do it, however if both of them give it a couple of serious attempts I think both of them will better the mark. I think El G has the better speed of the two men thus he should be able to go a little faster. Not to mention he as run many more races at 3.40.00 or under than Bekele. Can't wait to see them go for it!
Is Komen's record legit?
I think that it's very likely Bekele could take the 3000 record, after all, Geb came within two seconds and Bekele broke Geb's 5k record by a larger margin than that. Plus, saying that Bekele doesn't have the speed is to ignore his amazing last laps in 5 and 10ks where he finishes in the low 50's.
Could Geb hold the record at 3k, 5k, 10k and the marathon at the same time? I think he could.
Geb never came within 2 seconds. His best 3k is 7:25.
Komen's records are as legit as El G's records.
You need excellent pacemaking for this to have a chance. When Geb went for the sub 8 attempt, he had a slew of pacemakers but they still missed their marks. So his final time was 8:01 or something like that.
Very small margin of error.
-Soup
Both Hicham and Bekele need to run in the same race w/ Lagat as the pacemaker, Bekele will have to take over after 1500m and Hicham would have to challenge with 500m to go to get the kick rolling to get the record....7:20 though, hot damn!
youre forgetting about the runner formerly known as stephen cherono. i would put money on him beating bekele in a 3k. if you got together a field of el g, cherono, bekele, lagat, and kipchoge with a rabbit through 2k, you could see the record go down.
a sub 7:20 would be SICK! I wonder what guys like Bannister think of performaces like Komen's 3k and 2 mile records that are essentially like running two sub 4 miles.
i think that Augustine Choge guy probably has a shot in a couple years.
mikemogz wrote:
We all know that bekele is virtually untouchable over 10000m, but can he use his awesome combination of speed & endurance to run a sub 7:20 3000m ? or will the pace be impossible for him?
capital N, capital O.
Bekele is an over 8km runner if there is such a thing.
He has lost the 5k twice to two different people as far as I know. HE has also lost the 3k.
However, it is very hard for him to lose a race that is at least 8k in distance. just check his record.
He can run fast over a very long distance. I bet he can be a very good half marathon runner. May be I am wrong.
Komen's record will stay for the whole of this decade. I hope I will be proven wrong (because i'd like to see it go) but I fear I am right.
NativeSon wrote:
Bekele is an over 8km runner if there is such a thing.
Huh???
That's why he ran a 12:37 5k by himself early season at age 21.
That's why he has the WR indoors for 5k.
That's why a week later (or was it before?) he ran 26:20 again virtually by himself.
That's why he is UNBEATABLE at either 4k or 12k X-c.
That's why he set the WJR at 3k after not having too many track races under his belt.
I'd say Bekele is mind-boggingly good at 3k-12k track or x-c. Who knows what is best event is, but to say that under 8k he is not so special is just silly.
Being pushed, Bekele is clearly capable of at least 12:35 in the 5k. That's what......4 or 5 seconds faster than Geb or Komen?
Bekele vs El G, training for 3k, rabbitted correctly can produce another 7:20 for sure in my mind.