Lagat Targets Gebrselassie's 10km Record

Lagat Targets Gebrselassie's 10km Record

Mar 6, 2015 by Lincoln Shryack
Lagat Targets Gebrselassie's 10km Record




The world’s fastest 40-year-old will target another Masters record on May 10th in the United Kingdom. 
 
Bernard Lagat, fresh off an indoor season that saw him set three age-group World records, will make his road 10k debut at the Great Manchester Run, Europe's largest race of its kind. The American record holder over six events ranging  from 1500m to 5,000m will target Ethiopian legend Haile Gebrselassie’s Masters record of 28:00, set at the 2013 Manchester Run. 
 
“It is not going to be easy,” Lagat told IAAF.org. “That is something fast, but I will give it my best shot.”
 
Lagat will buildup to this race by training in the altitude-happy Flagstaff, Arizona to build strength for a distance that he has never run professionally. Two years ago, Lagat made his half-marathon debut at the NYC Half, placing 12th in 62:33, but he has not raced any distance longer than 5,000m since then. 
 
It was announced today that Lagat would be returning to the Carlsbad 5,000 road race on March 29th. He made his debut in the race last year, placing 2nd in 13:19. The time was initially a new American record, but when the course was remeasured at the urging of the race director, it was revealed that it was short by 13.5 feet, nullifying Lagat’s record. 
 
The course has been altered for this year’s edition to ensure a legitimate record attempt can be made. 
 
The four-time Olympian has already had a magnificent 2015. Lagat has run 3:54 (mile), 7:37 (3,000m), and 8:17 (2-mile), all of which are age-group World records.