Is Haile over the hump?

Is it now over for Haile Gebrselassie?

Sure, some might consider the question crass in the wake of Gebrselassie's fourth straight Berlin Marathon title, in a hardly pedestrian 2:06:08, a time just three seconds slower than Ronaldo da Costa's world record set 11 years ago in Berlin.

But can we expect the Great Geb, 36, and in his 18th year of competing at a world class level, to continue in such rarefied air any longer?

If Gebrselassie had only been able to finish his historic run on Sunday, finish it as he had started, at world record pace, no one would dare ask the question today. But he faltered, even after passing through 30K in a world record 1:27:13, having exhausted all but Sammy Kosgei (1/2 marathon PR of 59:36) of his nine pacesetters.

After Kosgei dropped out two kilometers later, Gebrselassie was on his own, when the pace, rising temperature - from 55 degrees at the start to the middle 60s two hours later - and perhaps the momentous nature of his quest became too much.

With effort etched on his face, Gebrselassie's pace slipped dramatically, about 20 seconds per mile between 35K to 40K, and any hope of bettering his own 2008 WR of 2:03:59 was gone.

"My preparation was perfect," Gebrselassie told Berlin race officials afterward. "That's why I was on world record pace until 32-33K. But after 33K, with the sun getting warmer, I switched into a different gear. I tried to push, but it didn't work."

So while Gebrselassie ran 2:04:27-guy Duncan Kibet into a DNF at 32K, and pulled the second and third-place finishers Francis Kiprop and Negari Terfa to personal bests of 2:07:04 and 2:07:41, his own goal to better his world record may now be considered unachievable, even though Gebrselassie scoffed at the notion after the race. His stated goals before the race were to improve his world record and win the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics.

And who's to suggest that Gebrselassie, even at age 39, won't be in the hunt for a gold medal in London? Today, the marathon world record will have to be presumed beyond his reach, but at this point - and until someone actually beats him - Gebrselassie remains the best marathoner ever.

mzungo.org says: Haile wins Berlin in 2:06. Pretty respectable for someone "past his peak". It ain't over till it's over. If that's true for anyone, it has to be Haile.