London Marathon 2022

[18.99s]

3:20:20. That might be a 65-69 age-group record.

The W65 record is 3:07:51. But the record for W70 is 3:35:29, so she'll have a shot at that if she can stave off a 15-minute slowdown over the next 5 years.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-rX..._Bv7Hmr8i/view

masters-women-marathon.png

[18.99s]

Front page article reports that Joan Benoit Samuelson won her age group with a 3:20 at London. What really blew my mind in reading it is that she reports doing it on a "replacement knee." Don't know if it was a partial or total knee replacement but my impression was that you simply have to give up running after a knee replacement. As she says, never say never.

She had a partial knee replacement. From an interview last year, shortly before the Olympics:

https://www.bowdoin.edu/news/2021/08...riorities.html

"I had a partial knee replacement last February and I am just starting to run again. I worried about what would happen if I could never return to the level of running I enjoyed and maintained during the greater part of my life. I've turned my energy and my focus to a lot of other things. Having our first grandchild, Charlotte, in our midst this summer has been a real gift and has kept me running."

[NotDutra5]

Joan is 3 months younger than I. I still have the knees I was born with...for now. I am not running 3:20. Kudos to Joan.

[CookyMonzta]

Front page article reports that Joan Benoit Samuelson won her age group with a 3:20 at London. What really blew my mind in reading it is that she reports doing it on a "replacement knee." Don't know if it was a partial or total knee replacement but my impression was that you simply have to give up running after a knee replacement. As she says, never say never.

3:20:20. That might be a 65-69 age-group record. Her daughter ran 2:58.

[AS]

56 year old Aussie Krishna Stanton (nee Wood) set a W55-59 age best in London: 2:48.06.

She was 4th in 1987 World indoor 3000m (as a 20yo in lifetime best of 8:48.38i), 8th in 1987 World X-Country and 2nd in Commonwealth Games Marathon in 2002 (as a 36 year old) in her PB of 2:34:52.

[KDFINE]

Front page article reports that Joan Benoit Samuelson won her age group with a 3:20 at London. What really blew my mind in reading it is that she reports doing it on a "replacement knee." Don't know if it was a partial or total knee replacement but my impression was that you simply have to give up running after a knee replacement. As she says, never say never.

[CookyMonzta]

Bekele crushes the men's age 40 WR.

2:05:53 for 5th.

[Steele]

Bekele crushes the men's age 40 WR.

[Juicy News]

Bekele wants to PR but not tomorrow.

[Steele]

Bekele is making noise about wanting to run a PR in London. Does that mean he goes (tries to go) through the half in 60:30 or 60:45? Will be interesting.

[CD203]

Farah has pulled out.

Disappointing but in all honestly not likely a huge blow to the quality of the marathon

[Trickstat]

Ugh! He looked good in the half marathon.

A hip injury - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/63068178

[bobguild76]

Farah has pulled out.

Ugh! He looked good in the half marathon.

[Juicy News]

Farah has pulled out.

[CD203]

The London Marathon is this Sunday! It will likely be hard for it to match up to the sheer quality of performance from Berlin, but it certainly looks to be one of the deepest entry lists on paper, especially for the women.

The men's race looks to be headlined by Kenenisa Bekele (2:01:41), Birhanu Legese (2:02:48), Amos Kipruto (2:03:13), Sisay Lemma (2:03:36), Bashir Abdi (2:03:36, Olympic bronze), Kinde Atanaw (2:03:51), and Mo Farah.

The women's race has Yalemzerf Yehualew (2:17:23, fastest debutant this year in Hamburg), Joyciline Jepkosgei (2:17:43, defending champion), Ashete Bekere (2:17:58, 2021 runner-up), Joan Chelimo Melly (2:18:04, first in Seoul), Sutume Asefa Kebebe (2:18:12), Judith Korir (2:18:20, WC silver), and Alemu Megertu (2:18:51).

Amazingly, the women's field was set to be even stronger, but Brigid Kosgei, Degitu Azimeraw, Girmawit Gebrzihair, and Abebel Yeshanah have all withdrawn.

On the men's side, I think it will likely be a 3-man race between Legese, Kipruto, and Lemma but I'd pick Kipruto after his impressive runner up behind Kipchoge this spring in Tokyo. A high 2:02 isn't out of the question for them.

For the women Yehualew, Jepkosgei, and Bekere have to be the favorites, though the sheer quality of the field makes it hard to predict. I do hope Yehualew is motivated to regain her national record after Berlin and pushes to run in 2:15 territory.

In any case, both are certain to be excellent races.