Who would win? Killian, Kipchoge or Mo Farah

predictor of the obvious wrote:

Kipchoge wins and it isn't close.

You guys really don't understand how this mountain running stuff works. It's like saying Noah Lyles (with very little prep) races the 400 hurdles against a world class 400 hurdle specialist. Lyles might objectively be a better overall runner, but there is no way he'll win without focused training on the 400H for a while.

Similarly, this hypothetical is a no brainer win for Killian. If Kipchoge focused on this kind of running for a year or so, stayed away from strict road training, he would probably win. (Please remove Mo from the discussion)

semi_pro wrote:

predictor of the obvious wrote:

Kipchoge wins and it isn't close.

You guys really don't understand how this mountain running stuff works. It's like saying Noah Lyles (with very little prep) races the 400 hurdles against a world class 400 hurdle specialist. Lyles might objectively be a better overall runner, but there is no way he'll win without focused training on the 400H for a while.

Similarly, this hypothetical is a no brainer win for Killian. If Kipchoge focused on this kind of running for a year or so, stayed away from strict road training, he would probably win. (Please remove Mo from the discussion)

Mo would win if there was a pace bike up front with Geb holding up a watch and looking back and chuckling at Mo. Mo would be after him for sure

semi_pro wrote:

predictor of the obvious wrote:

Kipchoge wins and it isn't close.

You guys really don't understand how this mountain running stuff works. It's like saying Noah Lyles (with very little prep) races the 400 hurdles against a world class 400 hurdle specialist. Lyles might objectively be a better overall runner, but there is no way he'll win without focused training on the 400H for a while.

Similarly, this hypothetical is a no brainer win for Killian. If Kipchoge focused on this kind of running for a year or so, stayed away from strict road training, he would probably win. (Please remove Mo from the discussion)

This is the correct answer.

Lite Bright for Kids wrote:

I remember these questions. They sound a lot like who would win Batman, Spiderman or Superman?

That's actually a pretty good comparison. Killian is Superman, Kipchoge is Batman, Farah Is Spiderman. Farah/Spiderman would never win, Killian/Superman would win if the race/fight was today, Kipchoge/Batman would win if their's prep time.

Great idea! I thoroughly agree.

thoroughrice wrote:

Lite Bright for Kids wrote:

I remember these questions. They sound a lot like who would win Batman, Spiderman or Superman?

That's actually a pretty good comparison. Killian is Superman, Kipchoge is Batman, Farah Is Spiderman. Farah/Spiderman would never win, Killian/Superman would win if the race/fight was today, Kipchoge/Batman would win if their's prep time.

That analysis sounds about right to me as well. Kipchoge wins once he commits to it 100% and gets several months of specific training in but if they ran the race this weekend, Killian would beat him.

MeHereYouWhere?! wrote:

theRanMan wrote:

Bekele jumps in and gets hurt in the process, 1km from the finish

Fixed that for you.

Fixed that for you.

Lite Bright for Kids wrote:

I remember these questions. They sound a lot like who would win Batman, Spiderman or Superman?

ROTFL!

JosHermens wrote:

MeHereYouWhere?! wrote:

Fixed that for you.

Fixed that for you.

+1mil

Kilian has one of the highest VO2 max scores of ever recorded? What makes people so certain that Kipchoge would toast him at Pikes Peak?

Even given time to train, any advantage Kipchoge would have at the summit would be obliterated on the descent.

Film Rep wrote:

Kipchoge jogs it for an easy win.

predictor of the obvious wrote:

Kipchoge wins and it isn't close.

Translation: "We're from the Midwest!"

crosscounts wrote:

Kilian has one of the highest VO2 max scores of ever recorded? What makes people so certain that Kipchoge would toast him at Pikes Peak?

Even given time to train, any advantage Kipchoge would have at the summit would be obliterated on the descent.

Except Kipchoge is one the greatest distance runners ever to talk this earth. I think people are really discounting how strong this guy really is... I think without training and prep Kilian probably wins.. give Kipchoge 6 months and and he would probably win by 10 minutes.

Lets create some interesting ultras wrote:

So lets say all 3 guys raced the pikes peak marathon.. who would win? The races seems technical enough to give an edge to Killian but obviously Kipchoge and Mo Farah are better runners. Discus

Kipchoge and Farah are better runners at flat events. That doesnt make them better. The world is not just flat. The world is up and down also.

Kilian is small...muscular...gets 90k of vert in the winter a week and about 30k in the summer a week. He is stupidly well beyond any african elite marathoner in any climb.

Where there are sections in road marathons called "heart break hill" kilian doesnt even feel those.

Theyd do well at comrades. But to think they could even go top 10 at pikes peak is pretty fun

They could definitely go top 10 at Pikes. The question is whether or not Kipchoge could break that "impossible" 2:01 Ascent Record. Pikes isn't super steep (10-12% grade in a lot of trail sections and very smooth dirt up until Barr Camp). There are some rocky sections up high though. I'd imagine these guys (like many fast road marathoners) could crush the Ascent. Running down fast is a little harder and less like road running, but again Pikes isn't like a Euro mountain race with super steep and techy stuff. It's hard to say. I'd say for sure they'd crush all of us (Kilian included) on the Ascent. There were quite a few guys in this race (Max King, Andy Wacker, Tim Freriks) who have had great track and/or road times who didn't crack the top 15 this year at Pikes....but that doesn't mean some sub 2:15 marathon guys....or sub 2:05 marathon guys for that matter) wouldn't do very very well. More likely than not there is a very strong correlation between road marathon times and finishing times at many mountain-ultra-trail races. Remember its all just distance running. High aerobic fitness and leg strength is key (plus nutrition, hydration etc). Pikes is mostly an all running race (I only powerhiked a few steps). Depends on their "variable running economy".

MUT and Road Runner wrote:

Lets create some interesting ultras wrote:

So lets say all 3 guys raced the pikes peak marathon.. who would win? The races seems technical enough to give an edge to Killian but obviously Kipchoge and Mo Farah are better runners. Discus

Kipchoge and Farah are better runners at flat events. That doesnt make them better. The world is not just flat. The world is up and down also.

Kilian is small...muscular...gets 90k of vert in the winter a week and about 30k in the summer a week. He is stupidly well beyond any african elite marathoner in any climb.

Where there are sections in road marathons called "heart break hill" kilian doesnt even feel those.

Theyd do well at comrades. But to think they could even go top 10 at pikes peak is pretty fun

bkrunner wrote:

semi_pro wrote:

You guys really don't understand how this mountain running stuff works. It's like saying Noah Lyles (with very little prep) races the 400 hurdles against a world class 400 hurdle specialist. Lyles might objectively be a better overall runner, but there is no way he'll win without focused training on the 400H for a while.

Similarly, this hypothetical is a no brainer win for Killian. If Kipchoge focused on this kind of running for a year or so, stayed away from strict road training, he would probably win. (Please remove Mo from the discussion)

This is the correct answer.

+2

Banana Bread wrote:

semi_pro wrote:

You guys really don't understand how this mountain running stuff works. It's like saying Noah Lyles (with very little prep) races the 400 hurdles against a world class 400 hurdle specialist. Lyles might objectively be a better overall runner, but there is no way he'll win without focused training on the 400H for a while.

Similarly, this hypothetical is a no brainer win for Killian. If Kipchoge focused on this kind of running for a year or so, stayed away from strict road training, he would probably win. (Please remove Mo from the discussion)

Mo would win if there was a pace bike up front with Geb holding up a watch and looking back and chuckling at Mo. Mo would be after him for sure

Yet another display of Pikes Peak ignorance.

I took up mountain bike racing for a few years when I first moved to Colorado - I remember hitting it once after work on the bike, pushing hard, really hard, only to have a runner who appeared to be East African (and clearly training for the race) rip past me like I was standing still. Even a World Mountain Bike Champion would not be able to stay ahead of the lead runner up this trail. Downhill is another story of course.

Just Another Run of the Mill ex-D1 er wrote:

Banana Bread wrote:

Mo would win if there was a pace bike up front with Geb holding up a watch and looking back and chuckling at Mo. Mo would be after him for sure

Yet another display of Pikes Peak ignorance.

I took up mountain bike racing for a few years when I first moved to Colorado - I remember hitting it once after work on the bike, pushing hard, really hard, only to have a runner who appeared to be East African (and clearly training for the race) rip past me like I was standing still. Even a World Mountain Bike Champion would not be able to stay ahead of the lead runner up this trail. Downhill is another story of course.

Oops, and motorized vehicles are prohibited of course.

soccerxc wrote:

This is like Mayweather vs McGregor; two great fighters in their own rights, McGregor goes to Mayweather's variation and loses. Flip side, Mayweather would be shredded in an octagon. I don't think anyone has the climbing like Killian, and the descent would hurt the roadies. But you put them on flat city streets, and Kipchoge runs away with it.

Really? You think a guy who has run 2:01 would run away with it on flat city streets?

As of today there is exactly a zero percent chance Kipchoge could beat Killian. It's 7500 feet of climbing in 13ish miles. Plus killian is one of the best downhill runners alive. This is just an truly stupid comparison. I mean Kipchoge can maybe run a flat marathon 15 minutes faster than Killian. How on earth could he possibly beat him on Pikes?

Perhaps is Kipchoge dedicated a year to a sport that Killian has dedicated his life to, he could finish within 15 minutes of Killian.

Besides, Killian couldn't even beat Carpenter's record so Kipchoge wouldn't even bex close. Not sure how the crackhead idea of Farah even made it in OPs brain.