Radcliffe no longer headlines London Marathon field

[nevetsllim]

Irina Mikitenko GER 2:19:19
Catherine Ndereba KEN 2:18:47
Zhou Chunxiu CHN 2:19:51
Berhane Adere ETH 2:20:42
Lyudmila Petrova RUS 2:21:29
Constantina Dita ROU 2:21:30
Svetlana Zakharova RUS 2:21:31
Gete Wami ETH 2:21:34
Mara Yamauchi GBR 2:25:03
Martha Komu KEN 2:25:33
Inga Abitova RUS 2:33:55
Kate O’Neill USA 2:34:04
Liliya Shobukova RUS Debut
Jo Pavey GBR Debut

In this company, Radcliffe is a relative youngster - Petrova is 40, Zakharova and Dita will be 39, Mikitenko and Adere are also older and Pavey and Yamauchi beat her by three-months.

[mump boy]

this field is just ridic !!!

[Jon]

this field is just ridic !!!

Tell me about it! Less than 10 years ago, the world record was still 2:21. This race has nine 2:21 women - four of those being sub-2:20 runners for good measure :shock: The men's line-up is just as crazy.

Here's hoping they're all healthy for the race. It's going to be epic!

[joeltetreault]

Here's hoping they're all healthy for the race. It's going to be epic!

I feel like I have been saying the exact same thing for most of the London Marathons the past few years! They keep pulling in quality fields year in and year out, it's amazing.

[guru]

Radcliffe pulls out - injured.

http://www.insidethegames.com/show-news.php?id=5141

[nevetsllim]

:cry: I'm not surprised - she hadn't announced any preparation races and I was getting a bit concerned.

[eldrick]

can you remind us ?

years ago she woud run maybe an x-country race or that san juan 10k

did she usually run anything in the year prior to london in last 5 - 6y ?

[Jon]

Before the 2005 LM (her last London appearance), she ran the New Orleans 10km (ran 30:45 to finish behind Isabella Ochichi). She ran the San Juan 10km in 2004 (also finishing second in 30:45 there), 2003 (running the current WR of 30:21) and 2002 (30:43).

[AthleticsInBritain]

Does broken toe mean stress fracture? Or did she drop a dumbell on her foot while cross-training?

[mump boy]

i'm glad she's not running london he has nothing to prove there asn i wold prefer she ran as few full marathons as possible and concentrated on champs

[guru]

Does broken toe mean stress fracture? Or did she drop a dumbell on her foot while cross-training?

From the insidethegames article -

An earlier issue with a ganglion on the same foot had been resolved and the medical opinion is that this caused the foot mechanics to alter.

[pherekydes]

Re: Radcliffe headlines London Marathon field

Jo Pavey GBR Debut

Jo Pavey will be making an alternative debut this year: motherhood.

Congrats to Jo and hubby.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/athletics/7948395.stm

[nevetsllim]

Re: Radcliffe headlines London Marathon field

Jo Pavey GBR Debut

Jo Pavey will be making an alternative debut this year: motherhood.

Congrats to Jo and hubby.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/athletics/7948395.stm

Yes, congratulations to Jo! British long-distance running will have a new look this year with Liz Yelling also pregnant, Radcliffe injured and Hayley Yelling retired.

Does anyone else think Yamauchi could actually win?? She's unbeaten this season and has run a fast half-marathon (68:23) and even though we can't always read into early season form, Mikitenko ran a pretty slow half-marathon time and was beaten. The Chinese marathoners weren't very impressive in Seoul and I think their main target will be their National Games so it will be interesting to see what sort of form Zhou will be in (remember Sun Yingjie had a terrible run in London in 2005, before performing well at their NG.) Zakharova and Petrova are normally good enough to make the podium but not win in and I think Wami and Adere are both past their best, and maybe Ndereba too. I think Yamauchi certainly has a chance.

[Kai88]

Brilliant news for her and Gav.

Only Yamauchi now of the Britains who can really make an impact in the race with Radcliffe, Pavey and Yelling all out.

Does anyone else know who might be competing ?

Perhaps Haining. She will have a great chance of getting into the team for Berlin this year, with only Yamauchi a cert really for the team as im not holding out too much hope of radcliffe being there unfortunately.

Anyone know what Kate Reed is up to at the moment either, after her problems last year don't know if she is planning on racing or not this year.
Just who will Britains representatives be in the 5000m + 10,000m this summer...... I'm struggling to think of many names....

[eldrick]

Re: Radcliffe headlines London Marathon field

Does anyone else think Yamauchi could actually win??

no

68'23 isn't particularly jaw-dropping - drop 1' off it, then it's time to sit up

also, she's no spring-chicken at 35y, so her chances are lessening daily

a reasonable thumb-conversion for 1/2M -> M is 1/0.475 to 1/0.4775 & off

68'23, we are talking

~ 2'23'13 - 2'23'58

if that time wins london, bedford better look for a job here :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZw87CSV-o4