World Men's POY thinking

[Tuariki]

My ranking order for POY

1. Renaud Lavillenie (FRA)
2. Dennis Kipruto Kimetto (KEN)
3. Yohann Diniz (FRA)
4. Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT)
5. Bogdan Bondarenko (UKR)
6. Justin Gatlin (USA)
7. Jairus Kipchoge Birech (KEN)
8. Robert Harting (GER)

[AS]

I wonder what would happen if they made all of the Marathon Majors in to 'no pacing' races, which Boston and New York are. It would push record attempts to the races that push it hard.

No, I suspect it would push WR attempts outside the majors...

Preventing pace-making is unfortunately pretty difficult. What's to stop an athlete hiring several compatriots to run 30k alongside him/her before dropping back?

[26mi235]

Exactly, and there were no pace makers setting up another record attempt, which makes distance running all but unwatchable and a farce of an actual competition in most cases these days. Diniz went out and kicked everyone's a$$ all by himself on a course that was not record friendly too.

I wonder what would happen if they made all of the Marathon Majors in to 'no pacing' races, which Boston and New York are. It would push record attempts to the races that push it hard. Not sure that the record holders do real well in races, and that makes me discount the real quality of the records. We do now have the World Best and the World Record for the same effort again.

[Powell]

Diniz went out and kicked everyone's a$$ all by himself on a course that was not record friendly too.

And with a huge negative split, too. The second half was ca. 4 minutes faster than the first!

[MJR]

I know many here don't care much about the walks, but I'd take 3:32:33 over 2:02:57 any day. 2:02:57 was awesome; 3:32:33 was a "did that really just happen?" moment.

Exactly, and there were no pace makers setting up another record attempt, which makes distance running all but unwatchable and a farce of an actual competition in most cases these days. Diniz went out and kicked everyone's a$$ all by himself on a course that was not record friendly too.

[Flumpy]

Well, here I go again, going against the grain of thinking like T&FN does.

I look at INdoor T&F as completely different and apart from OUTdoor T&F.

Thus, Lavillenie's 6.16 gets the INdoor POV (and the AOY!!).

But OUTdoor POV?
That goes (so far) to the 2:02:57.

But the IAAF makes no such distinction. An Indoor PV record is the overall PV record so should be treated asuch in any decision on POY.

[LopenUupunut]

I know many here don't care much about the walks, but I'd take 3:32:33 over 2:02:57 any day. 2:02:57 was awesome; 3:32:33 was a "did that really just happen?" moment.

[aaronk]

Well, here I go again, going against the grain of thinking like T&FN does.

I look at INdoor T&F as completely different and apart from OUTdoor T&F.

Thus, Lavillenie's 6.16 gets the INdoor POY (and the AOY!!).

But OUTdoor POY?
That goes (so far) to the 2:02:57.

[Powell]

2:02:57 - not just a world record, but a significant barrier breaker as well

2:03 is a significant barrier??? The marathon record has been improving by a minute every 3-4 years in recent times, so it really isn't that big a deal to see another full-minute barrier getting broken.

Either way, the record still isn't an outstanding one. 5 other men have run withing 1% of Kimetto's mark, 33 within 2%. That's more than in any other running event. Contrast that with Paula Radcliffe, who is still more than 2% faster than the second fastest woman ever.

[bobguild76]

I loved watching the 2:02:57, but 6.16 wins it. Taking down a 21 yr old record, that no one had come within 3 1/2" of, is phenomenal. Now, if Bekele or Kipchoge drops a 2:02:30 at Chicago . . . it will be a bit more difficult, but I would still lean toward the 6.16.

[gh]

It didn't happen, but how would the vote have gone with someone jumping 2.46 along with Lavillenie's 6.16? Two venerable world records that hadn't been seriously approached since they were set.

I'd go w/ Lavillenie because of the change in the PV standards.

[gm]

I gotta confess a deep-set disdain for the pole vault, so that may have some effect on my thoughts about a HJ WR vs. Lavillenie's mark.

[Bill S]

How much lower does everyone think the men's marathon record should be? Clearly, two back-to-back 1:01:30 half marathons just doesn't cut it with some. Heck, there must be 20 guys back home in Iten that can knock that out.

[Dave]

It didn't happen, but how would the vote have gone with someone jumping 2.46 along with Lavillenie's 6.16? Two venerable world records that hadn't been seriously approached since they were set.

[ATK]

There is no men's POY thinking.

Lavillenie wins by default.