Bekele is running Berlin marathon

crosscounts wrote:

Am I correct in thinking that the NN article is the first time we've seen Bekele in half-tights? This is huge.

Meant the pictures in the article.

He's in the past been a split shorts guy. Bet the half-tights accompanied his reborn self.

Great news. Another scalp to add to AJ’s collection along with Kimetto and Rupp. Surely he’ll retire for good after the shirtless giraffe runs him down.

runnerdave wrote:

Can’t believe people are getting excited about this. Talk of him winning is laughable. At best, he’s maybe 2:08. If he goes out fast, he’ll drop at the half. Is he actually getting appearance money? Good grief.

I dunno this is a super hard line way of thinking about one of the greatest runners ever. Sure he hasn't consistently nailed the marathon but he still threw down a 2:03 in 2016. Had decent runs at London in 2017 & 2018. He ran Amsterdam 1 year ago, going through halfway in 1:02-low and then moving to the front just before 30k. He dropped out at 40k still on 2:07-flat pace. He could have jogged it in and still have hit what you're calling his best. Clearly he's got some injury problems and mental problems to get through 40k and not pull the plug. I wouldn't be surprised with him putting together a 2:04 and being able to maintain a fast opening half. I think he can be competitive and I want to see it.

I don't get why we spend so much time hating on here. Of course he's getting a nice appearance fee he's one of the best runners out there. It's not laughable to think he might win or go further than halfway. He can go through halfway with the leaders no problem. The question is about being able to maintain.

crosscounts wrote:

did wrote:

This is fanciful (bordering on farcical) but can you imagine if Bekele can truly regain long term form?

How exciting would it be if we were in store for an olympic matchup between two healthy and well trained superstars like Kipchoge and Bekele? Maybe even other races if they didn't dodge eachother?

What if...

Bekele manages to set the WR in Berlin 19 or London 20?

Bekele wins the 2020 Tokyo olympics over Eliud?

If this happens Bekele would be, in my humble opinion, the even more undisputed than he already is GOAT.

We would have to consider Bekele as one of the GOATs out of any sport, he would be in some pantheon with Tom Brady.

Tom Brady? So you are saying Bekele cheated at all those world records just like how Tom cheated in football to win the Super Bowl?

Martymart wrote:

crosscounts wrote:

If this happens Bekele would be, in my humble opinion, the even more undisputed than he already is GOAT.

We would have to consider Bekele as one of the GOATs out of any sport, he would be in some pantheon with Tom Brady.

Tom Brady? So you are saying Bekele cheated at all those world records just like how Tom cheated in football to win the Super Bowl?

get over it kid. grow up.

Brady has won 6 super bowls. Appeared in 9. Best winning percentage of all time for major quarterback. supermodel wife.

you think he cheated in every game he's played to get to the super bowl 9 times and win 6?

If so, you're a total idiot.

Yea it would be beyond cool if those two competed for 2-3 races (or more!). But while it's fun to let one's imagination run wild we do have to wait and see what, if anything, happens in Berlin. Here's to hoping it's at least a good and complete race for Bekele.

And now back to rampant speculation and GOAT talk. This has been discussed in too many threads to keep track of but my opinion is that Bekele holds the following titles with ease:

- Goat 5k

- Goat 10k

- Goat Cross Country

- Goat Distance Runner (considering everything 4k and up across all surfaces)

And Kipchoge holds the following with ease:

- Goat marathoner

If Bekele sets the marathon WR or beats Kipchoge in the 2020 Olympics then I think

- Kipchoge's marathon career takes a ding but he still maintains his title as the Goat marathoner (until such time that Bekele continues to beat Kipchoge and perform well in for multiple marathons).

and

- Bekele further separates himself as the Goat distance runner (considering everything 4k and up across all surfaces)

I heard Buddy Edelen will line up at Berlin, too.

tarckstar wrote:

I heard Buddy Edelen will line up at Berlin, too.

Buddy Edelen is literally dead. He died in Tulsa a long time ago. I know it is easy to get confused sometimes especially when you can't spell trackstar. Gobble gobble MF(I will be saying this a lot at the end of the month when Bekele destroys the field)

Fixed the title. "running" would have been the correct punctuation.

In all seriousness, I really hope he nails this one. He'll never get the world record now (I mean, Kipchoge is 34, Bekele 37) that Eliud set it so far out there. Still wish he had gone a few seconds faster back when it wasn't so fast and concurrently held ALL the WRs. Would have been amazing.

https://www.nnrunningteam.com/en/2019/09/03/team-building/

: "Alongside the injury issues it was clear that Kenenisa has also arrived in Nijmegen overweight and this was leading to greater stress on the body." We all saw it. Interesting his coach (and he) never realized this was a problem until now. A shame they lost his elite marathoning years.

Here's to hoping for some great performances out of the Distance GOAT. He'll never lose that title, even to the Marathoning GOAT, Kipchoge.

only thing he's finished lately is his career...back in 2007.

I run faster than Bekele wrote:

only thing he's finished lately is his career...back in 2007.

Remind me what he did at the 2008 Olympics.

££££££ wrote:

I run faster than Bekele wrote:

only thing he's finished lately is his career...back in 2007.

Remind me what he did at the 2008 Olympics.

AND in 2009.

Factcheck wrote:

££££££ wrote:

Remind me what he did at the 2008 Olympics.

AND in 2009.

-Fastest 10,000m in 2011

-Even though off the pace, I think he did a 12:55 in that fast Paris 5,000m in 2012, 4th at olympics :(

-Beat Farah in 2013 great north run

-2:05 marathon debut in 2014

-2:03 marathon in 2016

Banana Bread wrote:

Buddy Edelen is literally dead. He died in Tulsa a long time ago.

He is just dead...no need to be literally dead

Letsrun knuckleheads wrote:

Martymart wrote:

Tom Brady? So you are saying Bekele cheated at all those world records just like how Tom cheated in football to win the Super Bowl?

get over it kid. grow up.

Brady has won 6 super bowls. Appeared in 9. Best winning percentage of all time for major quarterback. supermodel wife.

you think he cheated in every game he's played to get to the super bowl 9 times and win 6?

If so, you're a total idiot.

It’s obvious he’s been involved in a CULTURE of cheating. He’s still very good but it does take away from his success.

Whelp, running 2s off the world record certainly qualifies as "a good and complete race" in Berlin. Now we have to wait and see what, if anything, happens at (Ineos1:59 and at) the Tokyo Olympics.