Comments on: The Lure of the 2-Hour Marathon http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/01/10/the-lure-of-the-2-hour-marathon/ Runner's Information & Advice Mon, 21 May 2012 20:01:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Mark Iocchellihttp://completerunning.com/archives/2007/01/10/the-lure-of-the-2-hour-marathon/comment-page-1/#comment-9992 Mark Iocchelli Thu, 11 Jan 2007 16:47:36 +0000 http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/01/11/the-lure-of-the-2-hour-marathon/#comment-9992 Blaine and Adeel, I agree. Blaine and Adeel,

I agree.

]]> By: Adeelhttp://completerunning.com/archives/2007/01/10/the-lure-of-the-2-hour-marathon/comment-page-1/#comment-9991 Adeel Thu, 11 Jan 2007 16:30:18 +0000 http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/01/11/the-lure-of-the-2-hour-marathon/#comment-9991 Er, one thing I should've mentioned is that world record attempts themselves are rare. No one's out there trying to run 2:03, though I think that watching Korir run 2:04 should make a lot of guys think that they can do better. Evans Rutto ran 2:05:50 in his first marathon. Felix Limo ran 2:06:14 in a wind tunnel. The financial incentives are there, but it's easier to just try and win a major marathon. Er, one thing I should’ve mentioned is that world record attempts themselves are rare. No one’s out there trying to run 2:03, though I think that watching Korir run 2:04 should make a lot of guys think that they can do better.

Evans Rutto ran 2:05:50 in his first marathon. Felix Limo ran 2:06:14 in a wind tunnel. The financial incentives are there, but it’s easier to just try and win a major marathon.

]]> By: Adeelhttp://completerunning.com/archives/2007/01/10/the-lure-of-the-2-hour-marathon/comment-page-1/#comment-9990 Adeel Thu, 11 Jan 2007 16:26:39 +0000 http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/01/11/the-lure-of-the-2-hour-marathon/#comment-9990 <b>I bet in my lifetime the 2:00 mark will be broken a few times.</b> You're probably right. One thing I should've mentioned is that Tergat's record attempt was really rare. Most attempts at records over about a mile are tough since they're solo. Kenenisa Bekele ran 26:17 running by himself for the last 4-5 km. There probably isn't as much interest in a 2:03 marathon as there is in assembling very high-quality fields such as the one announced every year for London. I'm inclined to agree; I'd much rather see Tergat, Gebrselassie, Baldini, Khannouchi, Limo, Gharib et al trying to win a marathon. World records are nice, but it's really all about the races. I bet in my lifetime the 2:00 mark will be broken a few times.

You’re probably right. One thing I should’ve mentioned is that Tergat’s record attempt was really rare. Most attempts at records over about a mile are tough since they’re solo. Kenenisa Bekele ran 26:17 running by himself for the last 4-5 km.

There probably isn’t as much interest in a 2:03 marathon as there is in assembling very high-quality fields such as the one announced every year for London.

I’m inclined to agree; I’d much rather see Tergat, Gebrselassie, Baldini, Khannouchi, Limo, Gharib et al trying to win a marathon. World records are nice, but it’s really all about the races.

]]> By: How fast could Super-Tergat run at St. George? at Of Marathons and Mapshttp://completerunning.com/archives/2007/01/10/the-lure-of-the-2-hour-marathon/comment-page-1/#comment-9989 How fast could Super-Tergat run at St. George? at Of Marathons and Maps Thu, 11 Jan 2007 16:13:58 +0000 http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/01/11/the-lure-of-the-2-hour-marathon/#comment-9989 [...] Personally, I’ve always been optimistic that the men’s marathon record would be improved by several minutes still. It would seem that given enough training improvements, enough time, and enough prize incentive, that eventually someone would come along and break the 2:00:00 marathon barrier. Adeel speculates similarly on the Complete Running Network. For the record, 2-hour pace comes out to about 4:34/mile, but hey, didn’t people once say that the 4-minute mile was beyond human limits? And if a million moneys could type Hamlet over enough time, surely someone will break 2:00:00 at some point. [...] [...] Personally, I’ve always been optimistic that the men’s marathon record would be improved by several minutes still. It would seem that given enough training improvements, enough time, and enough prize incentive, that eventually someone would come along and break the 2:00:00 marathon barrier. Adeel speculates similarly on the Complete Running Network. For the record, 2-hour pace comes out to about 4:34/mile, but hey, didn’t people once say that the 4-minute mile was beyond human limits? And if a million moneys could type Hamlet over enough time, surely someone will break 2:00:00 at some point. [...]

]]> By: Blaine Moore (Run to Win)http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/01/10/the-lure-of-the-2-hour-marathon/comment-page-1/#comment-9985 Blaine Moore (Run to Win) Thu, 11 Jan 2007 14:35:26 +0000 http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/01/11/the-lure-of-the-2-hour-marathon/#comment-9985 Mark, It will be like the mile. Once it is done once, it will probably happen a few times in quick succession. Mark,

It will be like the mile. Once it is done once, it will probably happen a few times in quick succession.

]]> By: Mark Iocchellihttp://completerunning.com/archives/2007/01/10/the-lure-of-the-2-hour-marathon/comment-page-1/#comment-9984 Mark Iocchelli Thu, 11 Jan 2007 03:07:47 +0000 http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/01/11/the-lure-of-the-2-hour-marathon/#comment-9984 Once upon a time people thought your heart would explode out of your chest if you managed to exert yourself to a four minute mile. Flash forward to 1999 and the record for that distance is 3:43:13 and El Guerrouj hardly looked winded (ok, maybe a bit). I'd say it's possible - even probable based on the fact that most records are eventually broken. I bet in my lifetime the 2:00 mark will be broken a few times. Once upon a time people thought your heart would explode out of your chest if you managed to exert yourself to a four minute mile.

Flash forward to 1999 and the record for that distance is 3:43:13 and El Guerrouj hardly looked winded (ok, maybe a bit).

I’d say it’s possible – even probable based on the fact that most records are eventually broken.

I bet in my lifetime the 2:00 mark will be broken a few times.

]]> By: Is a two hour marathon possible? « Run to Win »http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/01/10/the-lure-of-the-2-hour-marathon/comment-page-1/#comment-9983 Is a two hour marathon possible? « Run to Win » Thu, 11 Jan 2007 02:45:59 +0000 http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/01/11/the-lure-of-the-2-hour-marathon/#comment-9983 [...] Adeel poses yet another interesting question over at the Complete Running Network when he asks, “Is a 2-hour marathon possible?” It is a great question, and I believe that the answer is yes. Somebody will sooner or later run a 2 hour marathon. The question, however, is how legit of an effort will that be. Paul Tergat, the current record holder at 2:04:55, does not believe it is possible. However, he is in his 30s and ran an amazing race. Who is to say that some stud in his mid to late 20s will not find some way of breaking the barrier? Roger Bannister had never seen a mile run in under 4 minutes before. [...] [...] Adeel poses yet another interesting question over at the Complete Running Network when he asks, “Is a 2-hour marathon possible?” It is a great question, and I believe that the answer is yes. Somebody will sooner or later run a 2 hour marathon. The question, however, is how legit of an effort will that be. Paul Tergat, the current record holder at 2:04:55, does not believe it is possible. However, he is in his 30s and ran an amazing race. Who is to say that some stud in his mid to late 20s will not find some way of breaking the barrier? Roger Bannister had never seen a mile run in under 4 minutes before. [...]

]]>