Could Josh Kerr beat Seb Coe, Morceli, Jim Ryun, & El Guerrouj?
LetsRun.com's Track Talk: The Home of Running and Track and FieldShow Notes
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Josh Kerr's Commonwealth Games mile annihilation reignites the debate over where he ranks among history's greatest milers, with Rojo's "beat every great miler ever" thought experiment digging up crazy closing splits from Noureddine Morceli and Jim Ryun. Coach Danny Mackey weighs whether Kerr should chase a 1500m world record or protect his health for the World Ultimate Championships. Elsewhere, Abdihamid Nur and Alicia Monson's decision to skip USAs for a faster race in Belgium sparks a debate over what national titles are actually worth. And on the college side, Kenyan half-marathoner Dennis Kipkogei's commitment to Texas gets a debate going on the NCAA ranks.
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LINKS
If All The Top Milers in the World Lined Up, Would Kerr Win?
The Pareto Frontier: Jonathan Pritchard's closing-speed data deep dive
Did Texas Just Sign the Favorite for the 2026 NCAA XC Title?
Changing allegiances from Jakob to Kerr (forum thread)
Colorado Buffaloes loading up on Africans for 2026 XC (forum thread)
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Sponsor Intro & Episode Preview
02:45 Off-Air Banter: VPNs, Weather & Cooling Gear
08:52 Josh Kerr's Commonwealth Games Mile Domination
12:57 Kerr's World Ultimate Championships Outlook
18:45 Could Kerr Beat Every Miler in History?
23:10 Comparing Eras: Ryun's Kick vs. the Doping-Era 90s
26:53 Danny Mackey's Decision on a 1500m World Record Bid
34:00 Other Commonwealth Games Standouts
36:22 Africa's Distance Running Decline & the Kipsang Mystery
40:50 Jakob Ingebrigtsen's Fitness, Qualifying Rules & Fan Rivalries
48:30 Skipping USAs: The Nur & Monson Debate Begins
53:49 USATF Points System Under Fire
58:12 Off-Topic Tangent: Wejo's College Racing History
1:02:38 USATF Foundation Grants & Accountability
1:06:58 Dennis Kipkogei Headlines Texas' Loaded Recruiting Class
1:10:28 Full-Ride Scholarships & the NCAA Funding Arms Race
1:16:41 Conference Realignment, Age Caps & Remote Coaching Fantasies
1:21:53 Colorado's Kenyan Recruiting Rumor & International Talent Debate
1:26:35 World Juniors Preview & Closing Thoughts
CONTACT
Contact us: Email: [email protected] Call or text: 1-844-LETSRUN (1-844-538-7786)
ABOUT THE LETSRUN.COM PODCAST
Since 2000, LetsRun.com has been the independent home of elite running. Described by the New York Times as the "influential website that serves as something of a superego for American running," the podcast is the weekly deep dive into the world of track and field and elite distance running.
The show is hosted by LetsRun.com co-founders Wejo, a 2-time Team USA member, and Rojo, a former Cornell coach who helped pace the marathon world record, along with award-winning senior writer Jonathan Gault. Together they move beyond PR headlines to provide insider reporting and unfiltered debate serious fans rely on.
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