Is Bernard Lagat aiming for the 2020 Olympic marathon?

Such a jump in distance wouldn't be unprecedented. In '68 George Young and Gaston Roulants both ran in the marathon, finishing 16th and 11th, respectively. This despite both being specialists in the 3000-5000 meter distances. And then there is Rod Dixon, who successfully moved from being a world class miler to winning the NYC marathon in '83, and placing 10th in the Olympic marathon the following year.

It'll certainly be a tough one for Lagat to pull off, assuming that is his intent, but if anyone can do it, it'd be him.

RD ran his best 1500/mile races in the early 70s and competed in the marathon a decade later.

Not so with BL.

EPO gills

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gill#/media/File:Carp_gill_defect.jpg

Dixon also did Lydiard-style training and was only 33 when he won NYC in 1983.

First question

What will it take to make the US Team?

something in the 2:10-2:12 range

I know a post OG year is different from a pre OG year but only 5 guys went sub 2:13 other than Rupp last year

Food for thought------- Abdi Abdi is over 40 by years end

Good point. That Bernie could only run 1:46 while chasing some very fast guys and yet could also crank out 3:26 in a very tight race with El G (another doper) truly shows the efficacy of EPO when someone is a an exceptional responder. Lagat would probably never run faster than 3:34 without some type of PED. I hate to say it, but I agree that no one has run 3:26 clean. Yet.

Hydlide wrote:

How are incongruent PRs like 1:46 and 3:26 explained by EPO? Genuinely curious.

Just think about what you're asking. EPO or other drugs explain quite a bit actually. Some people have posited that anyone who is incapable of 1:45 or faster can't run 3:30 or faster without drugs. More and more those people are looking correct.

Speed is key wrote:

Hydlide wrote:

How are incongruent PRs like 1:46 and 3:26 explained by EPO? Genuinely curious.

Just think about what you're asking. EPO or other drugs explain quite a bit actually. Some people have posited that anyone who is incapable of 1:45 or faster can't run 3:30 or faster without drugs. More and more those people are looking correct.

Bernard Lagat tested POSITIVE for EPO.

The 2020 US Mens Olympic Marathon team will be Galen Rupp, Jim Walmsley and who knows as we don't have that much depth....

I'm pretty sure that you can only say that Lagat is a doper if the vast majority of professional racers are also doping. If it is not true that the majority of racers are doping, then Lagat is most likely clean. Look up Bayes' theorem and false positive results.

Others have moved up to the marathon from once being a middle distance runner.

Rupp, Ritzenhein and Hall all ran the mile in High School and went on to be successful marathoners.

It's just typical Letsrun trolls popping in to set people off. They have no insight into elite athletics nor any actual evidence to support their claims. All they do is look at fast times and proclaim, "EPO!!!"

That issue doesn't even matter. He obviously could have gone faster than 1:46. He broke 1:47 in the NCAA at a conference championship ('99) coming in second and on the same day won the 1500m. What was his final 800 in Athens? I'm not saying he isn't suspicious which he is but people here are spewing a load of bullshit.

Running Expert Here wrote:

Others have moved up to the marathon from once being a middle distance runner.

Rupp, Ritzenhein and Hall all ran the mile in High School and went on to be successful marathoners.

They were not really middle distance runners though

Marathon Steeplechase wrote:

winnr1 wrote:

the idea of this event terrifies me

That's how I read it too. Someone make it happen.

Lame cu nts can call it "chase mary"

LOL

Is he skipping the 10K on the track?

Stopcecil! wrote:

It's just typical Letsrun trolls popping in to set people off. They have no insight into elite athletics nor any actual evidence to support their claims. All they do is look at fast times and proclaim, "EPO!!!"

Well in this case Bernard Lagat tested positive for pro. This isn't speculation but a fact that he is a cheat.

He ran about a 63 in his last half, he runs like a 28 for 10k. If he is doing roads it's only because there's nobody else any good but Rupp.

He ran a 3:54 indoors at "41" when he was probably already 48. He could probably still run a sub 4 when he turns "50." He should stay on the track.