CHEPTEGEI - SUB 26MIN 10K

Renato Canova and people in the GSC?! They never prepared properly for a 10,000m, they prepared specifically for the 5,000m so that they were world class in each distance from 3000-10000. But not specifically for the 10,000, which can give you 2"/km of a difference..because you are more resistant. Joshua has the engine to run 57:30/2:00 flat, but for that give it 2-3 years and 5-8 respectively. On a perfect day with great weather he could go 5" faster in the 5,000m, and the more he tries, the more he gets better at managing the 'suffering' he is not used with in the short races. So..a 12:29 is not inconceivable for an athlete like Joshua, which makes a sub 26 not probable but very likely. Will he achieve these times? I don't know. But does he have the ability to run that fast? Absolutely! 7:20/12:30/25:55/57:20/1:59:40 - These are the times Joshua can be capable of achieving with ideal weather and preparation like he had for his 5,000m imo.

They all prepare specifically for 10-12k cross country in winter.

So even if they focus on 5k for the track season it is almost perfect preparation for 10 race. Strengh in winter then speed. No way they would gain 20sec by racing only 10ks. Maybe like 5-10sec.

I would say more like 7:23/12:32/26:05/57:30/2h00 in my opinion in perfect conditions and optimal preparation which is rare so most of his PR will be slower than that.

You have to know that Kenenisa, when bettered WR of 10,000m, one time was not in shape, and another time was sick. When I told Kenenisa he never prepared 10000m, he told me I had reason ; he alwaysw looked for 5,000 because was the distance in Golden and Diamond League, going to 10,000 in Olympics and WCh because was easier to win.

Kenenisa had a very resistant engine, but till 2007 never had training for something long. The fact was able running 2:01:41 in 2019 doesn't mean he was prepared, physically and mentally, for running 15 km in 41' like Cheptegei, in that period.

During winter he went for something longer, but not too much. For him was very easy to win WCCCh every year, because his muscle structure and his technical adaptation to different surfaces made of him the best specialist of Cross Country all-time, together with John Ngugi, but don't forget that, during winter, in several seasons he attacked the indoor records of 5000m, running also 3000m, 2000m (with World Record) and Two Miles, looking at high intensity workouts more than at big volume of long and fast training.

And change the idea he was not fast : he ran 3'32" at the end of a season when already was in a phase of recovery, two weeks after winning 10000m in Bruxelles, without any specific preparation. The young Kenenisa, with the opportunity to run 1500m in Monaco (such as Mo Farah), of sure could run well under 3'30".

It is good to get more insight into Bekele. It is scary to think that Bekele wasn't even fully healthy when he ran 26:17. Thanks Renato. Bekele will always be the greatest runner to me. Do you have any insight into his current preparations for London next month? I'm literally dying to see him get the WR in the thon.

Thank you so much for this insight

yep.

factors are 10K does not have that many races nor record attempts, of right there that makes the record soft.

and top guys ton's focus on the 10k as canova points out.

then you got pacing and drafting, you want like 4 guys with 1250 in them to line up in the record attempt.

then you got shoes and pick the fast track.

if you had more talent in the distances (its not so bad) and you had several bekele like guys,

then 2600 flat is a foregone conclusion.

i mean right now, running 60 seconds all the way for 5K has been within reach for decades.

in fact, you can do sub 26 with like half the factors being like ok.

I don’t believe it’s a question of fitness. With perfect weather and pacing, he is in shape to break 26.

Assuming it’s not 90 degrees out and he doesn’t lose a shoe and go out way too fast, he can do it.

Will he do it in October? Maybe, maybe not. Could he? Yes.

Burnsy wrote:

Cheptegei vs. Rhonex is going to be the gift that keeps on giving in the coming years.

Yes two dopers bouncing around in clown shoes to implausible times. So riveting.

A better way to look at this is to take the 10000m / 5000m times as a ratio.

A respectable ratio is under 2.1; outstanding being <2.05

Truth is a good number of athletes can hit a comparable ratio as Bekele or Geb have, but simply lack the speed side capability to approach a WR. What made them so special is the combination of talents w/ small frame.

Specificity of preparation is easily confused with the reality the longer race just a better fit of the athlete, typical for those with limited speed.

Safe to say nobody goes after the 10000m record without <4:50 2000m capability and

<50 400 w/ run in start.

Mzungu in Iten wrote:

Bekele and Geb never prepared the 10,000m specifically.

That's not totally true. Think about all of the championships that Bekele ran. He only attempted the 5k/10k double at the 2003 World Champs, 2004 Athens Olympics, 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2009 World Championships. He solely ran the 10k in 2005 and 2007 where he won gold, the 2011 World Championships (DNF) and at the 2012 London Olympics where he was 4th. He did definitely run the 5 in the regular season, but since those seasons are all catered towards global championships, it's inaccurate to say he never prepared for the 10k specifically. This even more so applies to Geb. Geb only ran the 5k at one global championship, and that was way back in 1993 when he took silver. Aside from that, he exclusively only ran the 10k at outdoor global championships (indoors for both athletes are a different discussion). Therefore, I don't think your statement is completely accurate. There were surely seasons for both where the 10k was the main focus (running 5ks is definitely helpful training for peaking for a 10k in August).