Al wrote:
I was comparing apples with apples (but maybe different types of apple). Whether the world record holders could run with a weight on their back is irrelevant, and not the point I'm trying to make. I was comparing his unweighted run over a km to that of the current world record holders over a km to get a feel for how he stacked up.
1) Your goal is for a podium finish/win the race/new world record.
2) That means that you have to beat this 1:56 runner.
3) If you are basing the next 12 months training on his times, whether it's his training time, race times, weighted/unweighted then it pays to get it accurate otherwise you're basing your goals on hearsay & Chinese whispers.
4) I had no idea what a good time is for a 1km race, thats' why I Googled it.
5) If the 1:56 is accurate, then: he ran 1km faster than the current record holder:
Outside/in training/on the pavement/up hills
vs
Indoor/race conditions/track/flat.
Given that, it's more likely that 1:56 is not correct and has been distorted a bit intentionally or not. Maybe he threw that time into a conversation to psych out the competition who knows?. You can be sure of his race time as well as that of the other top 10 finishers and they will give you more accurate short term goals to pick off rather than something you thought you heard a couple of guys say.
TBH I was sceptical when I heard the other racers discussing the time. As for the guy himself I don`t think he has done the race in a number of years. His WR time he set twice during his 6 overall wins & he never won a race with a time over 4:16
all in all he is/was one exception athlete. 
What I have always been sure of, & discussed this with a friend, is that to win the race a non weighted run would have to be in the region of 2:45-3 minutes to be up there in the mix.
My own goal is 3 minutes for this year, anything bettering that is an added bonus.
I have 47 seconds to eliminate & that is all I will be concentrating on.
