2022 Berlin Marathon

[Steele]

More on the women, avg of top three marathon times (U.S.):

Deena Kastor 2:20:45.7 (2:19:36, 2:21:16, 2:21:25)
Keira D'Amato 2:21:18.7 (2:19:12, 2:21:48, 2:22:56)
Sara Hall 2:21:34.3 (2:20:32, 2:22:01, 2:22:10)

Hall has some gap in the top 5 avg category, 2:21:59, on the strength of her additional 2:22 16 and 2:22:56 marks.

[Atticus]

I don't know the fastest U.S. 49 yr old women's time, Joan Benoit Samuelson ran some fast marathons around this age but I can't find one for this particular age.

Probably isn't one. She was 49 from May 2006-2007.

WA's 'progression' from her page shows

2005 2:46:27
2008 2:49:08

So her best '49' was the 2:49:08 as a 50yo at Boston 08.

[Steele]

Note that Deena Kastor ran an outstanding 2:45:12 on Sunday. Women's 49 yr age group record is by Tatyana Pozdniakova at 2:30:17, she owns all but one of the records from 46 to 51.

I don't know all the lists that some of the savants on this board access so I don't know the fastest U.S. 49 yr old women's time, Joan Benoit Samuelson ran some fast marathons around this age but I can't find one for this particular age.

[Steele]

Well, I think it's safe to say that EK will never break 2 hrs in a sanctioned marathon.

Two questions: If 59:51 is too fast for EK, what do you think his optimal half marathon split would be? And if he ran that optimal half split, what time is he capable of running in the marathon right now? Assume the same course and conditions and rabbiting as Berlin on Sunday.

My guess is the half in 60:30 and come back just a little faster in the second half, maybe 60:15 for a 2:00:45. I think if he gets any closer to 60 flat at the half he will pay for it later as he did on Sunday. If he had a rabbit to 30k or 35k he might be able to shave a little time off, but no one can go that far with him right now.

[CD203]

There was nothing at stake, unlike a championship meet. It was a rabbit-assisted event in an effort to set a WR. Hats off, he did it! It was the POY. Reminds me in a way of last year's Valencia races - perfectly legal WRs according to WA rules.

I an sure you can see the difference between this and WC, or OG or CG.

Are distance records only valid if set in a championship then? There have literally been pacers for distance races for decades, it's a well established and completely valid part of those races

[TN1965]

No one has mentioned this, but Assefa ran the no.3 AT time and the Ethiopian NR by 2 min. She is also a former 800m runner.

[lexvid]

Awe inspiring run. Pure domination by Kipchoge. Nearly 5 minutes clear of Korir who runs sub 2:06. Incredible pace. By any measure it was a historic performance. Only he and Bekele have run sub 2:02 shoes or no shoes. The other world class runners could not handle his blistering pace.

Congrats to the WR Holder once again.

[DET59]

There was nothing at stake, unlike a championship meet. It was a rabbit-assisted event in an effort to set a WR. Hats off, he did it! It was the POY. Reminds me in a way of last year's Valencia races - perfectly legal WRs according to WA rules.

I an sure you can see the difference between this and WC, or OG or CG.

So he's won Olympics twice, a WC, and also at least a win at Berlin (WRs), Tokyo, London, Chicago, etc. What's left for the guy to do (NYC and Boston?) Almost all distance world records are rabbit assisted events designed to break a record. The real discussion is POY/AOY not is it "real" or not. Geez

[NotDutra5]

There was nothing at stake, unlike a championship meet. It was a rabbit-assisted event in an effort to set a WR. Hats off, he did it! It was the POY. Reminds me in a way of last year's Valencia races - perfectly legal WRs according to WA rules.

I an sure you can see the difference between this and WC, or OG or CG.

I can and in this event in current times, it is not relevant.

[noone]

There was nothing at stake, unlike a championship meet. It was a rabbit-assisted event in an effort to set a WR. Hats off, he did it! It was the POY. Reminds me in a way of last year's Valencia races - perfectly legal WRs according to WA rules.

I an sure you can see the difference between this and WC, or OG or CG.

[TN1965]

Breaking Two at Monza and Ineos 1:59 challenge = exhibitions.

Berlin marathon = a real race under the WA rule.

[NotDutra5]

All I said was that the run was a great performance but he wasn't my choice for AOY. That's negative? I didn't even say anything about the zebra-clad pacemakers

The reference to one of the major marathons as an exhibition which my "Say what" comment reflected.

[KevinR]

The course was the correct length, he ran it like everyone else, just faster. Should we discount any track world record that used pacer? As GM mentioned, this is one of the big races.

I am not going disparage anyone here for stating their opinion, but for Pete's sake, this was a great performance.

[gm]

All I said was that the run was a great performance but he wasn't my choice for AOY. That's negative? I didn't even say anything about the zebra-clad pacemakers

I believe you called one of the World Marathon Majors an "exhibition"

[noone]

I'm terribly sorry about commenting on comments on this board...you know...sort of like it is supposed to be.

Frankly, it's amazing that there could be negative comments at all on Kipchoge's great run today. But some are apparently never satisfied.

All I said was that the run was a great performance but he wasn't my choice for AOY. That's negative? I didn't even say anything about the zebra-clad pacemakers