Other than money, what does Kipchoge accomplish with running London again?

nomomobot wrote:

A chance to make Mo Farah his b*tch on Mo's home course is epic.

He's already accomplished this.

Fukuoka is the glaring gap in his resume résumé, not Boston... lol

David S wrote:

Yeah I think the only people who care about Boston are people from Massachusetts.

London is the toughest field in the world right now. Dubai is close. But London in my mind is the unofficial world championship. And maybe they just do things really well for Eliud and he finds it convenient?

Boston has a long history but unfortunately doesn’t attract the best runners anymore now that the marathon WR is on the minds of the fastest runners. Do you see Kipsang, Bekele, Daniel wanjiru or Karoki run Boston? London and Berlin are where the best run fast which is why they attract the fastest guys out there.

there's nothing left that he can accomplish. The 2:01 was possible only because it was such a huge breakthrough that he could muster the supreme force of superhuman will to accomplish it. Doing it again wouldn't be as big a deal, so it's not possible. He wouldn't have the same fire, the same iron grit, the same wicked grin in the face of intense suffering. Been there, done that. It's the peak of every elite's career, nowhere to go now but down. Don't be sad as he jogs off into the sunset.

when you're the best you compete where the best are. That would be London and Berlin

alternatively:

"To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women!"

is best in Life, so 'choge running London accomplishes all of this...

He can beat Mo Farah at London and maybe Shura Kitata again. Mo and Shura could likely be some of his best competition for Tokyo gold in 2020. He also knows the course obviously and has success there. If he ran Boston or NYC in 2019, yes they're more strategic but he'd probably run slower, without pacers as those races aren't only about fast times, unlikely but a small chance he could lose, depending on the field. At this point if he keeps winning and runs fast he can mentally own his competition too, make them think they can't beat him. Tiger Wood's them. More likely they'll do something not too smart if they're not sure they can beat you. If he wins NYC in 2:06 for example next fall, a lot of guys are going to think,...I can run 2:06, and if they ever run together in a race later and it matters they might think they can beat him. Keep the legend going.

If he owns his races until Tokyo, he'll own his competition. Save NYC and Boston until after Tokyo Kip-epo-ge!

Other than money, what do I accomplish by going to the office again?

webby wrote:

Other than money, what do I accomplish by going to the office again?

Just the other week I went to someone else’s office and did my job. They didn’t pay me at all, and I worked really hard. I just wanted to do my job somewhere else, for free, for a change of pace.

Just Another LRC Idiot wrote:

3hr-marathoner wrote:

I want to see Kipchoge run against the deepest fields which means London in non-Olympic years. I think the better question is what would he have to accomplish running Berlin again now that he has the world record.

Haile broke the WR in Berlin in 2007. He broke his own record there a year later. That did not stop him from running there again in 2009... and 2011. What was he trying to accomplish?

The marathon WR was a lot softer when Haile was breaking it. After all the track records were the same then as they are now but the marathon record was 2-3 minutes slower. Personally, I'd rather see him race top competition than run fast alone.

MeHereYouWhere?! wrote:

elephino wrote:

Hopefully you have an answer, but what's wrong with doing something in large part because you're getting paid?

I believe the year was 1993 and couple of guys by the name of Raekwon, Method Man and Inspectah Deck introduced us to the concept of C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me) and it involved the concept of "Get the Money".

Truer words have never been uttered.

The name of the game in professional athletics is collecting checks during your window of opportunity. End of story.

Bad Wigins wrote:

there's nothing left that he can accomplish. The 2:01 was possible only because it was such a huge breakthrough that he could muster the supreme force of superhuman will to accomplish it. Doing it again wouldn't be as big a deal, so it's not possible. He wouldn't have the same fire, the same iron grit, the same wicked grin in the face of intense suffering. Been there, done that. It's the peak of every elite's career, nowhere to go now but down. Don't be sad as he jogs off into the sunset.

This sounds like Dennis Kimetto! Once he broke the world record, you don't hear about him anymore. I think Kipchoge is different. He still have ambitions!

For those who are saying it’s all about the money do you really think it would be as big a deal for the American runners if the could command half as big an appearance fee anywhere else in the Spring?

Boston don’t shell up the big money because they are over paying the American runners relative to there ability.

Boston used to have prestige when Americans were relevant to the marathon

These days it’s for those who can’t make London

I am curious why would think it is wrong to run in the pursuit of money as being the reason to compete? This is the attitude that has plagued our sport for its entire modern history.

We seem to have no issue with a football player who looks to add an extra million or two to his contract.

Totally agree with your words regarding London. Totally disagree with your thoughts about Dubai. Fast times, but usually only Ethiopians, because of rainy season in Kenya -- and it is extremely rare to see anyone who ran a fast time at Dubai repeat with a fast time in another marathon

Scubacane wrote:

I would think he would want to try something different. I would love to see him run a tactical race like Boston. We all know he’s fast. Cement your legacy by winning all 6 WMMs.

Boston doesn't mean that much to anyone other than Americans who think a "BQ" is a big thing though so it's not exactly that attractive to him I'd imagine.

MeHereYouWhere?! wrote:

I believe the year was 1993 and couple of guys by the name of Raekwon, Method Man and Inspectah Deck introduced us to the concept of C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me) and it involved the concept of "Get the Money".

A couple guys? Wu-tang had like 50 members

its just a tune up for a second attempt at sub 2. I think fall 2019 is where there money is at. Nike is postponing it to let Galen heal. It will have all the major players from across the world (i.e. Kipchoge, Rupp, Osako, Farah, Kamworor, Moen, etc.)

If you are running a race for any reason other than money then you are a hobby jogger.

Boston Bucks wrote:

For those who are saying it’s all about the money do you really think it would be as big a deal for the American runners if the could command half as big an appearance fee anywhere else in the Spring?

Boston don’t shell up the big money because they are over paying the American runners relative to there ability.

Boston used to have prestige when Americans were relevant to the marathon

These days it’s for those who can’t make London

Your unintelligible post aside, an elite runner would run a marathon by himself in my driveway, while wearing a beanie, if I paid him $1,000,000