An El G Basher Sees The Light

[gh]

OK, I admit it, I was wrong. Way wrong. Hicham El Guerrouj is a grade-A stud-muffin. He proved it in the 1500, then confirmed it in the 5K. He can do it in non set-up races. Watching him run in the 5K was amazing. He seemed to be struggling to hold back. I would have loved to have seem him--in retrospect--make a break about a mile out.

[dl]

Re: An El G Basher Sees The Light

I too have to give him the credit I haven't on this board. I predicted, up until the end and even after talking to his manager in Paris, that El G wouldn't toe the line in the 5K. Thank goodness he did. I tip my beret to Hicham.

[tafnut]

Re: An El G Basher Sees The Light

HE made the WC 5000 THE 'race of the year.' Pre would have appreciated the effort.

[Guest]

Re: An El G Basher Sees The Light

> I would have loved to have seem
>him--in retrospect--make a break about a mile
>out.

I'm going to bash him a bit for what I think were poor racing tactics. Why on earth is history's fastest miler leading a 5k before the last lap, especially when he's doubling?! I'd have loved to have seen him sit in second or third and then blast a sub 50 last quarter for the gold.

Or, if those 5k guys have more speed than El G does, why don't they drop down and break 3:25 and 1:40?

[MJD]

Re: An El G Basher Sees The Light

>Or, if those 5k guys
>have more speed than El G does, why don't they
>drop down and break 3:25 and 1:40?


Look at HG and his 1500. Bekele has more speed tham him and that is what El G was dealing with(among other things). He had to go with at least a mile to go.

[Guest]

Re: An El G Basher Sees The Light

Actually, the race played out exactly as it "had" to - each man playing off the strengths and weakness of the other to perfection. ElG wouldn't have been allowed to sit and kick to a "sub 50" last lap - Bekele and Co. aren't stupid. The race was perfect because every man did everything he could to win the race. I would have loved to see ElG pull it off - he's got my vote for AOY based on his willingness to lay it on the line in a second event.

[6 5.5hjsteve]

Re: An El G Basher Sees The Light

el supremo, I second that.

[Guest]

Re: An El G Basher Sees The Light

I don't think that El G did what he had to do. Instead, I think he screwed himself. That he came so close to winning after doing all the work for the final 1200 (or whatever) makes me think he would have won if he had waited until the final 100 as the winner did.

[Guest]

Re: An El G Basher Sees The Light

Just because El G has more speed, it doesn't mean he has more "speed" at the end of a 5k - but he almost did. All three guys ran 53+. The way/level lactate builds up in the 1500 is different. Bekele could never hang with El G in a super fast 1500.

El G did what he had to do. If had tried to sit back, the other guys would have taken off with a couple of laps to go anyway. He did what usually does with great success in his own event.

Yes, El G showed that he does have some real guts. And maybe he's learned a thing or two for a double in Athens.

[Guest]

Re: An El G Basher Sees The Light

I also believe El G tactics should have been wait till 250M out then kick. Starting his effort a mile out would have just pulled then group along.

[Django]

Re: An El G Basher Sees The Light

Add me to the list of those who've really become fans--- I thought it was really courageous of him to make a sustained effort from so far out, and take the risk of being out-kicked in the final straight. I also admired the way that, instead of folding when he was passed near the finish, he fought back.

[Guest]

Re: An El G Basher Sees The Light

Django

"I also admired the way that, instead of folding when he was passed near the finish, he fought back."

Absolutely!! The last 20 meters were the best. That could have been 2 High School kids battling for the district crown - step for step, legs buckling. You just don't see a guy like El G in that state very often. When his form went south the last 5 meters you knew he was completely spent - also how about his class right after the race to congradulate the winner - nice.

[Guest]

Re: An El G Basher Sees The Light

Another way to think about whether El G's tactics were good or bad: Surely going into the race, he was primarily asking himself the question, "How can I beat Bekele and Chebii?" He answered that question rightly, and he did it! His tactics worked to perfection for beating those two. Unfortunately for him, Kipchoge also ran the perfect race.

If he had yielded the initiative to others until the last 250m, he would have been no better than 3rd, and might have been out of the medals.

[Grazer]

Re: An El G Basher Sees The Light

I thought Bekele was the tactical disaster. If you want to wear out El G, you have to set a pace that you can maintain yourself. Bekele went out too fast, and non of his compatriots could pick it up for him. El G hung on without a problem and Bekele was toast.

[gh]

Re: An El G Basher Sees The Light

But if Bekele hadn't forged such a stiff pace, the race probably would have gone out much slower, playing even more into El G's hands, no? Can't it be argued that if Bekele made a mistake it was in letting the pace fall off to those 64s and 65s in mid-race?

Certainly the let's-surge Kenyans of old would have preyed on El G's inexperience in the event and made the pace fluctuate wildly in the middle, missing with his head somethign fierce.