George Atlas wrote:
World Cross serves no purpose for any top ranked runner. Its done and interrupting training to travel in March to compete in it isn't a goal that helps a 10,000 meter runner who need to be working on specific training to be in 3:52 mile shape before they can handle the workouts in April and May to run 13:00 and 27:00.
Right, that is what Tergat always said ... wait, umm...he only had silver medals, so do you consider him "top-ranked"? And only at four Championships.
Would you consider Mourhit top-ranked? He is 7th all-time in the 3k and was 8th all-time in the 5k?
I mean it worked that way for Ngugi, or no it wasn't him ...
It was William Sigei and Ismael Kirui ... maybe not them they were just WJR holders.
I am thinking of Khalid Skah ... not ... he only set one WR and only won one Oly Gold (but he also had a WC Bronze) ...
Was it Lopes I was thinking of? I know he only won a silver in the 10k and a Gold in the marathon. He was pretty good at XC though. I think he also was 2nd all-time in the 10k and ran an OR in the marathon. He was not a 3:52 miler so maybe to you he doesn't cut it?
His 2:09:21 OR only lasted for 24 years. Oh, he DID set a WR in the marathon, but that was not in the summer.
You said they have to "handle the workouts in April and May to run 13:00 and 27:00" in late August or September ... makes sense to me.
Maybe I am thinking of that Bekele guy (not Bekele Debele, but the other one) I think running the WCCC always worked out pretty good for him, but he was able to run 45 secs faster than what you are saying.
So, it worked for EVERY medalist for the last 40 years, so 120 guys (I won't give the examples for the women - did any women ever run that race and go on to do anything in the 5k/10k?) for the last 40 years.
I can see how TODAY'S runners could screw it up though ... they are a strange lot ... I have seen them on Flotrack.