On Sunday morning my wife and I jumped onto a packed bus in Iten and headed to Eldoret. It was two hours before Marathon start time but the atmosphere in Iten was already one of nervous excitement as runners emerged from their camps and houses and selected their favourites bars, pubs and hotels to watch the London Marathon.
Our plan was to head 30k down the road and join Kenyan running legend Moses Tanui’s ‘London Marathon Party’ at his hotel on the outskirts of downtown Eldoret. We arrived in good time and in good spirits to watch some great racing. The place was packed and nicely decorated with Virgin London Marathon posters, ticker tape and balloons. The staff were giving out whistles and it was a real party atmosphere. Before we even got to the front door we had been greeted by Moses Tanui and been introduced to 800m star Alfred Kirwa Yego and former London Marathon winner Felix Limo. Moses’ was clearly ‘the place to be’ this morning.
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It may seem like a simple question, but the answers are more complex.
In and of itself, Keflezighi's choice of New York and his affinity for the race is not surprising. He has had some of his best performances here, including his greatest, a victory in the 2009 New York City Marathon which ended a 27-year drought of American champions in the race.
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It’s been a week since Desi Davila’s oh-so-close runner-up finish at the Boston Marathon. In the intervening time, she’s escaped the underappreciated underdog role and been thrust fully into the limelight, both nationally and back home in Michigan, where she’s appeared on several regional TV shows and will throw out the first pitch at Tuesday night Detroit Tigers game at Comerica Park. RT's editor-at-large Jim Gerweck caught up with her and asked her to reflect on her race and look forward to the run up to the U.S. Olympic trials marathon next January in Houston. Among qualifiers, Davila owns two of the three fastest times. Aside from her 2:22:38 time at Boston last week, Davila also has a 2:26:20 from last fall’s Chicago Marathon under her belt.
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Let me get my breath back. When you have just watched two men duel to 2:03:02 and 2:03:06, with a 4:26 last mile, and a celebrity American go sub-2:05, and a little-known American take the women’s race to the wire in 2:22:38 and the first podium place by an American woman since 1993, when you are still gasping to absorb two hours of a breezy Boston morning that rewrote your sport’s history – well, it’s not easy to calmly think about all the other races that happened this spring, in what would have been a season to relish even if the Massachusetts wind had blown the other way on April 18.
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Britain's Paula Radcliffe will get an opportunity to race on many of the roads that will make up next year's Olympic marathon course when she takes part in the Bupa London 10,000 road race on May 30.
Radcliffe has chosen the annual race, organised by the London Marathon, for her second competitive outing since giving birth to her second child, Raphael, in September last year.
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I'm now in Kenya, just arrived from Boston. I read a lot of comments about the influence of the wind, and frankly I find the nost part of these without any fundation.
At first, we go to see the difference between the times of the best men and women and their PB, with some comment for everybody.
MEN
1) Geoffrey Mutai 2:03:02 2:04:55 - 1:53
2) Moses Mosop 2:03:06 Debut
3) Gebre Gebremariam 2:04:53 2:08:14 - 3:21
4) Ryan Hall 2:04:58 2:06:14 - 1:16
5) Abraham Cherkos 2:06:13 2:07:29 - 1:16
6) Robert Cheruiyot 2:06:43 2:05:52 + 0:51
7) Philip Sanga 2:07:10 2:07:11 - 0:01
8) Chimsa 2:07:37 2:07:54 - 0:17
9) Daba 2:08:03 2:07:04 + 0:59
10) Robert Kipchumba 2:08:44 2:08:07 + 0.37
11) Peter Kamais 2:09:50 2:14:58 - 5:08
12) Cardona 2:12:17
13) Gilbert Yegon 2:13:00 2:06:18 + 6:42
14) Migidio Boirifa 2:13:45 2:09:07 + 4:38
15) Abe 2:15:48 2:13:46 + 2:02
Without calculating Mosop and Cardona (of course PB being their first marathon), we have a total time of + 15:49 for the athletes not running their PB (6 in top 15) and a total time of - 13:12 for the athletes running their PB (7 in top 15), with a balance of + 2:37 SLOWER THAN THEIR PB considering the top 15 (157.0 : 13 = 12.0 of average SLOWER THAN THE PB OF THE ATHLETES.
Of course, this mathematic calculation is ridicolous.
Infact, if we speak technically, we must cancel (because don't have any real signification) the performances of the following athletes :
PETER KAMAIS (PB of 5:08) because Boston was his second marathon, the first was NY last year, when he finished jogging after trying to stay with the leaders for 35 km. So, the PB of last year was not his real value. The expecation of his coach Claudio Berardelli was of 2:07 / 2:08 for Boston. At the end, PB slower than the expectation.
GILBERT YEGON (worse than his PB of 6:42). He tried to stay with the leaders, but his shape was not the best, and at the end he paid. His value could be about 2:08 with an even race, but in his current shape was penalized by the pace of yje race.
MIGIDIO BOURIFA - His PB is of long time ago. His current value, in any case, is about 2:12. So, he ran slower than the expecrarion, but not too much.
If we cancel the above athletes, we have a final balance of - 3:35 cumulative for 10 athletes, that means a difference with their PB of 21" each one (and I don't want to cancel Gebremariam, but of course his PB in NY last year was not his real value, being the first marathon and a difficult course).
WOMEN
1) Carolyne Kilel 2:22:36 2:23:25 - 0:49
2) Desirèe Davila 2:22:38 2:26:20 - 3:42
3) Sharon Cherop 2:22:42 2:22:43 - 0:01
4) Caroline Rotich 2:24:26
5) Kara Goucher 2:24:52 2:25:53 - 1:01
6) Dire Tune 2:25:08 2:22:44 + 2:24
7) Workenesh Kidane 2:26:15 2:27:15 - 1:00
8) Caballero 2:26:17
9) Alice Timbilili 2:26:34 2:25:03 + 1:31
10) Ruban 2:27:00 2:27:44 - 0:44
11) Tsegaye Tirfi 2:27:29 2:22:44 + 4:45
12) Girma 2:28:48 2:27:51 + 0:57
13) Mugo 2:29:06 2:27:16 + 1:50
14) Skvortsova 2:29:14 2:26:24 + 2:50
15) Pushkaryeva 2:29:20 2:26:14 + 3:06
This means, for the 13 athletes already with a PB in Marathon, totals of + 17:23 slower than their PB, and of 7:17 faster, with a final balance of + 10:06 distributed between 13 athletes : that's mean the average of the top 15 was 46.6 SLOWER THAN THEIR PB.
I spoke with the most part of the athletes, after the racem and EVERYBODY told me the wind was not very strong, not always id direction of the race, and the most part of time not significative (some time also against).
The numbers I wrote before seem to confirm their theory.
The PB (excluding the debutants) among the top 15 men were 6, while other 7 didn't improve. Inside the women race, the PB were 6, against 7 that didn't improve (same like men).
Of course, the direction and the strength of the wind was measured at the start, and during the race there were a lot of variations. Also, the real component in direction of the race was between 20 and 40% of the strength of the wind, and in many cases (when the athletes were in the middle of buildings) the wind didn't arrive to the runners, because, coming from one side, the buildings created a barrier for the wind itself.
So,every LINEAR calculation is a pure and, excuse me, very stupid speculation, because there is no a CONSTANT that is at the base of any physical analysis.
Of course we can find some small advantage, but to speak about 3-4 minutes is simply crazy, and has nothing to do with the reality.
I have the idea that US people were shocked by the performances of Ryan and of Desirèe, losing the contact with the reality. Of course, if in the mind of American runners you continue to look at 2:28 for a woman and 2:10 for a man like unbelievable performances (for the most part of people not possible without doping... how stupid and sad behavior !), you don't believe possible, for your runners, to have times of 2:05 and 2:22 without a lot of external aid.
But I can tell you something. I knew Mosop was in a shape of 2:04, as Geoffrey, from what they were able to do. Of course, I didn't know what Ryan Hall could be able to do, and his 63:55 in NY HM didn't authorize anybody in thinking he could be in his best shape.
Now I say my explanation for what happened.
1) In a course without rabbits, nobody supposed that one athlete (Ryan) could go from the start at so fast pace, without any mental inhibition. Ryan was wonderful as personality and as interpretation of the race, knowing his only chance is in a very fast but even pace. Of course, he didn't know the potentiality of Geoffrey and Moses, and he tried his best. Without him,probably the race could be a normal competition, with a final time about 2:05.
2) Geoffrey and Moses never looked at the watch, so were not afarid about the speed because they didn't want to know it. Honestly, we feared Gebremariam, and the tactic, involving Geoffrey, Moses and Robert Cheruiyot, was in any case to push very hard immediately after 30 km.
3) Without any mental conditioning, Geoffrey hammered in incredible way, running 28:24 between 30k and 40k. But wonderful was Moses, having a max gap of 8.0, never thinking to look for maintaining the second position only, but always concentrated on Geoffrey. His ability to stay in the race, in his first marathon, closing the gap after being 50m behind, was something really unbelievable (14:07 between 35 and 40k). And they were still able to finish last 2195m in 6:14 Geoffrey (exactly 2:50 per km) and 6:18 Moses (2:51.7).
4) They average was 2:55 per km, and this is possible only for athletes able running at the moment 10k under 27:00.
The reality is that Marathon is changing, with this type of athletes. Till 5 years ago, few athletes able running about 27:00 moved to marathon, and only when old, and no more to run faster than 27:30. The same Tergat (WR holder of 10000m in 26'27") moved to marathon when no more able to run faster than 27:10.
Instead, athletes like Geoffrey and Moses move to marathon WHEN ARE ABLE TO RUN 26:45. This fact provokes different effects :
a) These athletes are younger (so more fresh in their mind and their body) and faster than before
b) Their training changed. I use very high intensity for extensive workouts (for example, Moses ran 40k 3 weeks before Boston in 2:07:15, on rough road, start and finish in the same place, and heavy training shoes), and of course I need to give more days of recovery between one specific wokouts and the next one. In this case, Moses had the next training on track (10 x 1600m with 2' recovery in 4'35" / 4'32" with the last in 4'17") exactly 6 days after his 40k.
c) Their level of intensity NEVER goes under 85%. This is a big difference, because in Kenya and Ethiopia the post-race behavior is to relax without doing any alternative training for rebuilding speed and muscle strength, so everytime the athletes prepare a new marathon they start again from a low level. Instead, Geoffrey using competitions, Moses using training, both of them maintain a high quality also short time after the marathon. We saw this last year with Geoffrey and Wilson Kiprop, this year with Mary Keitany.
d) Physiologically speaking, this type of athletes are able running a HM near 6 mml of lactate, and their marathon is near 4 mml. In other words, if till 5 years ago the best marathon runners were DIESEL ENGINES, now are TURBO DIESEL (whar already happened with Paula Radcliffe).
So, I really think that we don't have to wait too long time for looking at the first 2:02, also if it's difficult to have all the components favourable like in Boston this year.
At least, everything has a logic explanation, and to do wrong analysis for justifying something out of the normality is an exercise that has the only effect to create limits in the mind of the athletes, and excuses for their poor performances.
Read comments on letsrun.com message board here
Paula Radcliffe’s seemingly invincible marathon world record of 2hr 15min 25sec may have to carry the caveat “set in a mixed race” under proposed changes to the way women’s marathon marks are recorded.
The road-running commission of the International Association of Athletics Federations, which met in London yesterday, has recommended that the women’s world record be split into two in future — one for women-only races and one for mixed races.
Radcliffe’s record, set in London in 2005 and considered one of the most untouchable world marks in athletics, would be considered ‘mixed’ because for that year only, the London women’s race included two male pacemakers.
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Another day, another marathon record. On Sunday it was Emmanuel Mutai running the fastest time in the 31-year history of the London Marathon. Yesterday, in Boston, it was Geoffrey Mutai – another Kenyan, but no relation – running the fastest marathon in the history of the planet: 2hr 03min 02sec.
It was a Boston Marathon record but not an official world record for the classic distance of 26 miles 385 yards. The Boston race is run on an undulating, roller-coaster course that is classified as "downhill" by the world governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federations.
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The 2011 Boston Marathon will go down in history, officially or not, as the fastest marathon race ever run.
Personal, American and World Records were shattered this morning, as a significant tailwind throughout most stretches of the race fostered an ideal environment for records to be broken.
Most impressive was Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai's 2:03:02 performance, smashing the world record by almost a minute (2:03:59) and record the fastest Boston Marathon time ever by almost 2 minutes. Mutai and the rest of the pack (primarily Kenyans and Ethiopians) came through the half in just under 1:02. Even more impressive was Mutai's closing half, an astonishing 1:01:06!
The first half's record pace can be attributed mostly to the fearless tactics of American Ryan Hall. He stormed to the lead early and looked like the man to be beat up front until roughly halfway. However, a huge chase pack of 10 Kenyans and Ethiopians worked together to reel Hall in and regain contro after the halfway point. Hall looked to drop off the pace considerably, but in fact, he was still actually running on huge PR and Boston record pace.
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Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya ran the fastest marathon ever Monday in capturing the 115th Boston Marathon. Taking advantage of ideal weather conditions — a brisk tailwind and cool temperatures — Mutai finished the hilly, 26.2-mile course in 2 hours 3 minutes 2 seconds, edging his countryman Moses Mosop by four seconds.
The elite men heading out at the start of the 115th Boston Marathon on Monday in Hopkinton, Mass.
Mutai and Mosop beat the previous fastest marathon — the 2:03:59 set in Berlin in September 2008 by Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia. Mutai’s time, however, is not an officially recognized world record because the Boston course is not a so-called flat course.
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1. Caroline Kilel KEN 2:22:36
2. Desiree Davila USA 2:22:38
3. Sharon Cherop KEN 2:22:42
4. Caroline Rotich KEN 2:24:26
5. Kara Goucher USA 2:24:52
6. Dire Tune ETH 2:25:08
7. Werknesh Kidane ETH 2:26:15
8. Yolanda B. Caballero COL 2:26:17
9. Alice Timbilili KEN 2:26:34
10. Yuliya Ruban UKR 2:27:00
1. Geoffrey Mutai KEN 2:03:02
2. Moses Mosop KEN 2:03:06
3. Gebregziabher Gebremariam ETH 2:04:53
4. Ryan Hall USA 2:04:58
5. Abreham Cherkos ETH 2:06:13
6. Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot KEN 2:06:43
7. Philip Kimutai Sanga KEN 2:07:10
8. Deressa Chimsa ETH 2:07:39
9. Bekana Daba ETH 2:08:03
10. Juan Carlos R. Cardona, Sr. COL 2:12:17
| Who will win the Boston Marathon? | |
| Geoffrey Mutai | 40.7% |
| Robert Cheruiyot | 25.4% |
| Gebre Gebremariam | 23.8% |
| Ryan Hall | 2.7% |
| Moses Mosop | 2.5% |
| Tekeste Kebede | 2.3% |
| Tadese Tola | 0.8% |
| Evans Cheruiyot | 0.4% |
| Robert Kipchumba | 0.3% |
| Gilbert Yegon | 0.3% |
| Moses Kipkosgei | 0.3% |
| Abrehem Cherkos | 0.3% |
| Other | 0.1% |
| Stephen Kibiwot | 0.1% |
| Bekana Daba | 0.1% |
| Who will win the Boston Marathon? | |
| Florence Kiplagat | 21.2% |
| Dire Tune | 21.2% |
| Teyba Erkesso | 19% |
| Catherine Ndereba | 9.1% |
| Sharon Cherop | 8.8% |
| Kim Smith | 6.4% |
| Tatyana Pushkareva | 4.2% |
| Tirfi Tsegaye | 2% |
| Werknesh Kidane | 1.9% |
| Kara Goucher | 1.7% |
| Caroline Kilel | 1.7% |
| Caroline Rotich | 1.1% |
| Alice Timbilili | 0.5% |
| Desiree Davila | 0.5% |
| Merima Mohammed | 0.4% |
| Elfenesh Alemu | 0.3% |
Emmanuel Mutai of Kenya has won the Virgin London Marathon in a course record time.
Earlier, his compatriot Mary Keitany smashed her personal best to claim a commanding victory in the women's race.
Keitany broke away after 15 miles and never looked like being caught as she clocked an unofficial time of two hours 19 minutes and 17 seconds, almost 10 minutes quicker than her debut in New York last year.
The 29-year-old began the year by setting a new world record of 1:05.50 for the half-marathon, becoming the first woman to run under 66 minutes.
And she proved equally adept at double the distance to relegate defending champion Liliya Shobukhova of Russia into second, with Kenya's Edna Kiplagat in third.
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Mutai has killed it! He was flying! Emmanuel Mutai has won the London Marathon! We make that 2:04:38. The fourth fastest marathon of all time and the fastest London has ever seen.
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Mary Keitany lived up to the promise she had shown at the half-marathon distance and finally cracked the full 26.2-mile distance to win the women’s race in 2:19:19 at the Virgin London Marathon today.
In recent years Keitany has established herself as the world’s best half-marathon runner. She has four sub-67-minute clockings to her name and won the world half-marathon title in 2009. Earlier this year she shattered the world record with 65:50 in Ras Al Kaimah, underlining her dominance of the distance.
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London Marathon Brit Andrew Lemoncello follows in the footprints of Olympic legends on his training runs.
He can be found pounding the West Sands beach of Chariots of Fire fame at his childhood home of St Andrews.
This Sunday the Scot aims to take the next step towards emulating the Olympic-medal winning feats of the film's stars Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell.
The leading British male in last year's race, when he finished eighth, Lemoncello has targetted the Olympic qualifying time of 2 hours 12 minutes.
"It is a dream I've always had to run the Olympic marathon," said Lemoncello, who bases himself at altitude in Arizona for most of the year.
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During last year's London marathon I pulled a hamstring. An hour into the race, I slipped off the couch.
As hard as the BBC try to make the marathon interesting they always fail. At the 10-mile mark there's a group of 10 elite athletes detached from a larger group of people dressed as cuddly animals. By 15 miles there are eight Africans, two miles ahead of everyone else. At 20 I'm watching Countryside.
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Martin Lel has a chance to become the first man to win four London Marathons when he laces up his shoes on Sunday.
However, he's not convinced he'll be the victor because he's been sidelined by injures the last two years.
Lel has been bothered by hip and leg injuries, and only received an invitation to the race after Olympic champion Sammy Wanjiru withdrew because of a knee injury. It's the Kenyan's first London Marathon since winning his third title in 2008.
"The body is different after being out of racing for two years," said Lel, who asked organizers to let him run when his form improved. "I have told myself, 'Let me go and try.' I can only say I am happy to be here. ... I did not lose hope (because) I could feel in my training that I still have potential."
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