Americans don't race many fast paced marathons so their times don't stack up. We don't go to Berlin because it's just not what Americans do, but when Americans (well Rupp) threw down in their prime they were in the mix.
Also he ran 2:06 14 months ago right
Chicago has the women's record and Kimmeto's 2:03:45, so it's not like people can't run a top 100 time there. And maybe Rupp could have placed at Berlin or London, but he was too busy running US meets when the top talent was more focused on time trialing in europe (and that's more a criticism of the sport for not incentivizing decisive competition in the marathon than a criticism of Rupp)
I'd like to see someone (helping out Chicago with the money) put together an American field at Chicago (like that race they had a few years ago where Hehir won, The American Project(?).
Get a large group of our top current and prospective (Fisher, et al) in Chicago along with fast foreigners.
An established race set up for Americans with top Kenyan and Ethiopian, Ugandan competition.
If I wasn't a broke, retired teacher, I'd put up the appearance and prize and bonus money.
I don't see one. I consider great to be winning gold in the Olympic marathon while also consistently winning majors for about 10 years. Jordan and Brady are great because they won for a long time.
Who fits this criteria except for Eliud?
I consider great to be consistent over a period of time, competitive if not medaling at Olympics and Worlds. Medaling is a bonus.
People say that the Olympics are "weak" because there are only 3 Kenyans and Ethiopians but if you finish in the top 6 you will have beaten at least one from each of those countries.
If you medal you're better than most of them from both countries.
Chicago has the women's record and Kimmeto's 2:03:45, so it's not like people can't run a top 100 time there. And maybe Rupp could have placed at Berlin or London, but he was too busy running US meets when the top talent was more focused on time trialing in europe (and that's more a criticism of the sport for not incentivizing decisive competition in the marathon than a criticism of Rupp)
I'd like to see someone (helping out Chicago with the money) put together an American field at Chicago (like that race they had a few years ago where Hehir won, The American Project(?).
Get a large group of our top current and prospective (Fisher, et al) in Chicago along with fast foreigners.
An established race set up for Americans with top Kenyan and Ethiopian, Ugandan competition.
If I wasn't a broke, retired teacher, I'd put up the appearance and prize and bonus money.
Disrespectfully that makes no sense. The marathon project was an elite-only race put together because of covid. Chicago is a race for the masses which includes an elite race.. they already offer prize money and appearance fees with a field of America’s top marathoners. And if they could get Fisher to run, they have the resources. He’s just not interested.
I don't see one. I consider great to be winning gold in the Olympic marathon while also consistently winning majors for about 10 years. Jordan and Brady are great because they won for a long time.
Who fits this criteria except for Eliud?
I consider great to be consistent over a period of time, competitive if not medaling at Olympics and Worlds. Medaling is a bonus.
People say that the Olympics are "weak" because there are only 3 Kenyans and Ethiopians but if you finish in the top 6 you will have beaten at least one from each of those countries.
If you medal you're better than most of them from both countries.
The olympic marathon feels like it rewards consistency instead of top end ability due to the weather. Rio and Tokyo were both run at 80+F and 75+% humidity, so it's more like a test of who's best on a bad day rather than who's best overall.
I'd love to see a spring/fall world champs help every 4 years opposite the olympics that people actually care about. Limit it to 7-10ish per nation so that countries can show off their depth without it turning it into an eithiopia vs kenya duel meet. Invite the top 5 from each of the wmm during the last cycle and fill in another 100ish from time. Maybe score it like an xc race to generate some extra interest in the eithiopia vs kenya race for 1st and the japan vs us vs the rest race for 3rd and to encourage people like Bekele to not drop if they're off the lead group.
I don't see one. I consider great to be winning gold in the Olympic marathon while also consistently winning majors for about 10 years. Jordan and Brady are great because they won for a long time.
Who fits this criteria except for Eliud?
I consider great to be consistent over a period of time, competitive if not medaling at Olympics and Worlds. Medaling is a bonus.
People say that the Olympics are "weak" because there are only 3 Kenyans and Ethiopians but if you finish in the top 6 you will have beaten at least one from each of those countries.
If you medal you're better than most of them from both countries.
Exactly. He’s the only man ever to fit that criteria.
id like to see him qualify for OT with a half and then make the team in his debut. Mantz is also legit. I believe Fisher will wait too long to move up.
lol probably not. People always pick somebody with little foot speed and claim they're going to crush the marathon and the basically never do. Remember Dathan?
I think of people like Dylan Jacobs or Isai Rodriguez, They both look really good on the grass and the 10,000, as well as being super underrated. Jacobs has run 13:11 and was last years 10k champ, but no one ever talks about him here, I can see him grinding out a fast half or full post collegiately.
Isai I think would be perfect for it, he's 5'7 and built for hills I remember watching him run away from one of the best fields in the nation to smash the Cowboy Jamboree record. he is tough as nails. I really think he could've won NCAA Cross this year if it wasn't for his car crash, and I would love to see him get a contract and run some fast road races.
Surprised Mantz isn't the overwhelming answer here. Wasn't this guy super hyped up for his first marathon last year? His result wasn't absolutely groundbreaking, but in an age where so many LRC posters are raging about the amount of "elite" US marathoners running >2:10, a 2:08 debut should have been music to our ears.
I am confident Mantz will continue to make positive strides as a pro half and full marathon runner, with the occasional 10k. He's only been pro for, like, about a year now?
The sky is the limit for him in my eyes. He could be a future medalist. But, there's always the chance somewhere like 2:05-6 is his ceiling. It's not like he was a master of many distances like Rupp was. I am interested to see how things play out for him.
Surprised Mantz isn't the overwhelming answer here. Wasn't this guy super hyped up for his first marathon last year? His result wasn't absolutely groundbreaking, but in an age where so many LRC posters are raging about the amount of "elite" US marathoners running >2:10, a 2:08 debut should have been music to our ears.
I am confident Mantz will continue to make positive strides as a pro half and full marathon runner, with the occasional 10k. He's only been pro for, like, about a year now?
The sky is the limit for him in my eyes. He could be a future medalist. But, there's always the chance somewhere like 2:05-6 is his ceiling. It's not like he was a master of many distances like Rupp was. I am interested to see how things play out for him.
Yeah, I think Mantz is the guy. I don't think he had near his best day and ran 2:08 in his first one. He'd be doing himself a disservice if he doesn't go after sub-60 and 2:06 in the Fall (he's doing Boston). Outside of him, I look at Nico. I'm wary of putting Grant out there because I think Jerry doesn't move his guys to the roads voluntarily.
Klecker said he’s debuting in the Half this Fall. Could see him doing something fast. Dathan is always talking about how he and Monson will soon become marathoners
Fisher is the obvious answer here as a 26:33 guy. Guessing 2026 debut during the no Outdoor Championship year
Fisher is the obvious answer here if you haven't followed BTC men careers. None have progressed from top track performers to equivalent-level marathoners. Zero. Whether that's because they wait too long to leave the track, or because they're fried from years of Schumacher's training by that point, or they've internalized the BTC "there's always more time, this is a building block" ethos, or some combination of those two factors, who knows. But the male Schumacher-trackie-to-marathon record is abysmal.