What’s going to be more exciting 1:39, 3:25, 7:19

Personally I'd say the 3000, but beyond the small circle of hardcore athletics fans, easily the 800m. 3.75 times around the track and 7.5 times around the track aren't relatable distances for most normal people in the same sense as "two laps under 50 seconds each" is.

The sub 100 second 800 meters. Sort of has the same appeal as the sub 4 mile did.

Four laps under 60 seconds.

Two laps under 50 seconds.

I can't believe that anyone would say anything other than a sub 1:40 800. Not only is it the greatest amount of time away from the barrier in the original post (.91 vs. .67/.00) at a shorter distance but it has also been more frequently run than the 3000. I am assuming that type tier athletes also compete more often at 800 than 1500 given and therefore have had more chances at. Last but not least it is also an actual barrier as 100 seconds has way more buzz to it that 3:26 or 7:20 respectively.

325

couch traitor wrote:

Jakob and/or Tim could break 3:26 for the 1500. I give it a 50-50 chance of happening before 2023.

No one running right now has a shot at running 1:39.x for 800. Amos had great speed but is beginning to age out and is still inconsistent. Brazier ran a near perfect race at Doha and got a PR of 1:42.35. 2.35 secs is a lot to find at age 24. No one else strikes me as anything more than a 1:42 mid talent.

40 years after Coe's 1:41.73 run in 1981 the WR is only .8 secs better. At that rate we'll be around. 1:40.1 in 2061.

Maybe if more 400 hurdlers take up the distance, train seriously, and make front running mandatory the record will come down. I'm not holding my breath though.

the problem w that thinking is that WRs are not linear developments. It only takes one guy to come along and run 1:39.99 so predicting the wr in 40 years based off of the last 40 years is a meaningless exercise. in 2061 the wr could be stil 1:40.9 or a superhuman that is currently 10 could run 1:39.5 in 15 years. I do agree that no one currently on the global circuit has it in them to run 99 seconds for 800 meters.

I suspect that if David Rudisha had the "super shoes" during his Olympic win, we would already have 1:39.9

800m 7 of the 8 men who ran that final, never ran faster again

3:39 mile

Just looking at the numbers seems crazy.

Stating the obvious but anyone breaking one of these records is going to be off the charts exciting so it's really splitting hairs. But the answer is the 3000m - because this is a record of pure mythological status and I don't think people realize how crazy the record is and the fact it is rarely run also adds to this.

The list of Mt Rushmore middle and long distance legends that went for this record is incredible.

It was set by Morceli, broken by Komen and since then Geb, El Guerrojou and Bekele all had at least one serious attempt at it and didn't come close. The all-time list paints the picture - Komen ay 7.20.67, Hichem at 23.09 and then Geb, Bekele and the pack starting at 25. This year we had an attempt involving the 5000m WR holder in "super" spikes with wavelight where the lights left him for dead after 1000m.

I think another factor/advantage the 3000m has is the length of the event. There is twice as much distance and more than twice the amount of time for things to go right/wrong. Hanging on the edge of your seat watching someone have to religiously rip off 58.X second laps for 7.5 laps and the anticipation of if they can maintain the rhythm is just amplified.

I think we have seen some loose evidence that 1.40 could maybe (I use this very loosely) be broken in the next 20 years (the current WR, a number of 1.41 low times and even the 1.41.24 of Kipketer that should have been more like 1.40.7 if not for a suicidal 48.3 first lap). We have also seen El G run 3.26.00, 26.12, 26.45 and Lagat 26.34 so this seems plausible. But 7.19 just doesn't seem like it's happening. Like ever. So to see this one happening would be off the charts and hence the most exciting.

Breaking Barriers wrote:

What will be more amazing??

99 second 800m

3:25 1500

7:19 3k

I think 99 for the 800 will be more exciting given how many times the 800 has been raced. Coe’s record stood for so long, then Kipketer, now Rudisha... Back to back sub 50’s

I agree with the 800M, but the 7:19 will not happen in the 3000M.

Breaking Barriers wrote:

What will be more amazing??

99 second 800m

3:25 1500

7:19 3k

I think 99 for the 800 will be more exciting given how many times the 800 has been raced. Coe’s record stood for so long, then Kipketer, now Rudisha... Back to back sub 50’s

Karsten Warholm could run sub 43 and sub 1:40 at this very moment…

Breaking Barriers wrote:

What will be more amazing??

99 second 800m

3:25 1500

7:19 3k

I think 99 for the 800 will be more exciting given how many times the 800 has been raced. Coe’s record stood for so long, then Kipketer, now Rudisha... Back to back sub 50’s

Sounds actually fairly boring. I'll just watch the pole vault for now on. Non-africans can win medals in distance events? Track has officially peaked.

3:25

https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_6205-1.jpg

1:39

https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_6196-1.jpg

From the Future wrote:

3:25

https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_6205-1.jpg

1:39

https://www.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_6196-1.jpg

It must be the shoes!