Kipchoge says he WON'T be going for the WR in London

London's not a WR course.

Scorpion_runner wrote:

2:02 is becoming damn near impossible to break, because the men have hit a peak. Yeah, they are a boat load of runners running sub 2:05 now, but only 2 can run sub 2:04, and that is kipsang and Kipchoge. Kimetto and Bekele are done.

And Kipsang was the only one to run sub 2:04 last year ( tokyo). He will be running Tokyo again this year, with no real competition ( btw: Tokyo is to kipsang what new york is to Mary....they get a boat load of money to run them. They have to. Kipsang passes up London and Mary passes up chicago or berlin).

Kipsang might take down the record. However, he will have two shots at it: Tokyo and Berlin. Kipchoge might go for it in Berlin. Other than that, there are no other runners capable of running sub 2:04 right now. Again, do not say Bekele

6 guys just ran 2:04:06-2:04:15 in Dubai a week ago and you don't think any of those runners are capable for running sub 2:04? The race even got tactical at the end because everyone had their eyes on the 200k cash prize. Throw a sub 2:04 bonus in that race and you would have easily had 6 guys under 2:04.

I wouldn't say Bekele is "done". He has the ability to break it, it's just a matter of trial and a lot of error. I mean, everyone thought he was done before Berlin 2016 and he went out and ran the 2nd fastest legal marathon all time, 2:03:03.

There's just tons of 2:03-2:04 guys, and honestly, it's only a matter of time until someone breaks 2:03, maybe this year. The problem is prize money. You can't spend so much on appearance fees and placing fees that you have no money for time bonuses, but at the same time, you still have to offer enough in appearance fees for people to show up. And then you still have to pay rabbits who are willing to go 30k at 2:03 pace just as much as the racers or else there going to want to be paid to race somewhere else. Money is the difference.

watcherob wrote:

Scorpion_runner wrote:

2:02 is becoming damn near impossible to break, because the men have hit a peak. Yeah, they are a boat load of runners running sub 2:05 now, but only 2 can run sub 2:04, and that is kipsang and Kipchoge. Kimetto and Bekele are done.

And Kipsang was the only one to run sub 2:04 last year ( tokyo)....

I don't know what you are talking about.

I just watched 6 guys sprint for the finish at just over 2:04.

THATS NOT SUB 2:04! AND THEY SPRINTED. KIPCHOGE AND KIPSANG RUN THOSE TIMES WHILE SLEEP WALKING.

As stated, there are only 2 runners who can run 2:03, kipsang and kipchoge. Adola did it last year, but that it was his first time, so will shall see.

Why is bekele done? He ran 2:03 only a year ago; provided he gets in a good block of training and stays healthy, I think he is more than capable of being a threat to the world record in London. Of course, how likely that is is a different matter; but I don't think he's done

asdkopasd wrote:

Why is bekele done? He ran 2:03 only a year ago; provided he gets in a good block of training and stays healthy, I think he is more than capable of being a threat to the world record in London. Of course, how likely that is is a different matter; but I don't think he's done

HE is a businessman now, so he is not properly training, as his agent stated. The mentality is weaker, and and he ran berlin 1 1/2 years ago. His last three marathons have been terrible: DNS/2:05/DNF.

He is the greatest distance runner to ever do it, but he is no longer serious about the marathon. Those are facts.

+1

Kipchoge's strength lies in relentless high pace which happens to be Bekele's and Mo Farah's weakness. So, yes I see Kipchoge going for it. A slower pace leaves room for anyone of up to five guys to take it for apart from Kipchoge, BEkele and Mo Farah, there is Guye Adola and Lawrence Cherono who was on a prowl last year breaking course records from Amsterdam to Honolulu. Then there is defending champion Daniel Wanjiru, 2:03 man Stanley Biwott(hopefully he's back to his 2016 shape) and Bedan Karoki who I am sure will be trying to finally transfer his half marathon expertise to the marathon. Why would Kipchoge risk not finishing in the top five by not going all out?

Double your bluff wrote:

London's not a WR course.

Did you watch 2016 London marathon? Kipchoge missed the world record by only 8 seconds! ANd he wasn't even trying. He didn't know he was running that fast and only realized it a few feet to the finish-line where he tried to sprint but could not "swallow" that time difference. And Radcliffe's 2:15:25 world record is from London. 2016 Race here below for you:

I look forward to seen Bekele smash the world record. Admittedly he will have to fight very hard to beat the competition, but he always was the best. This will literally be the best exciting race to watch. I literally think a 2:02:30 is on the cards. People don't realise that he duplicates what Haile's done in his career. He's done the track world records and now the marathon is next. He duplicates everything evan his business's. He has a great carer with his property's, which is the same as Haile. We have another maybe 6 years of Bekele on the top. He will then just run for enjoyment and fitness more then any one here, while running top business in Ethiopia. After running he will probably become a Noel Edmond's of Ethiophia.

Sounds like a plot for a tactical race to give Farah a chance in his home race... Power of sponsors.

Some guys go out on a limb and say they are going for the record, smart ones play it down and say they aren't.

I'm so looking forward to Bekele shutting some of you guys up.

Winning wrote:

He'll win London easily in 2:04:xx and will probably try to brake the wr at Berlin.

I want to see him attack the half marathon record, he can brake it easy.

when i read this i thought... wait a minute, is "braking" a new way the kids are talking about doing something awesome? and then i thought... braking doesn't make sense though, i can't really understand where the slang would come from.

i then i realized its a spelling error.

but, c'mon... an intentional spelling error to get a response like this.

trolling successful.

Mizuno fanboy wrote:

I'm so looking forward to Bekele shutting some of you guys up.

I wish you were right. Unfortunately, those days seem to be over.

Meaning: “I am well prepared, going to focus on the win, if anyone else wants to win, he better be faster than I am, if that is at the cost of the world record, so be it”

TiBeriu55 wrote:

It sounds like he has a separate plan to attack WR at a lower-key marathon where no tactical considerations will be necessary vis-a-vis other runners. He'll simply blow them away by 15k and work unimpeded on the WR. I wonder where/when he'll do this?

Frankfurt and Rotterdam are also pancake flat and have routinely hosted blazing times (Kipsang just missed a WR in Frankfurt with a 2:03 high, Rotterdam CR is 2:04 low). Frankfurt is fall, Rotterdam is spring.

I don't see why he couldn't do it in Berlin if they and Nike can actually get things right. One year the pace clock was completely wrong, another year his Nikes fell apart during the race!

Scorpion_runner wrote:

Kimetto and Bekele are done.

The number of stupid people on the internet is ridiculous.

TIL a 2:05 Marathon is ‘terrible’

That would be a nice audit. Some software that can scroll thru the forums and count up how many times and how many people have claimed Bekele is "done" only to have him come right back and kick a$$.

I am worried that he might be close to the WR but not know and theirfor just miss it. Remeber he wasn't going for the WR in 2016, which cost him at the end as he was only 8 seconds off the record.