An American will never hold the North American record. They’ll be lucky to break 2:10, per usual. And when Mo Ahmed moves up he’ll run 2:03 and put the record away for good.
330 million people, not a single decent runner.
Unfortunately, athletes in America gravitate towards sports that actually make them money.
Unfortunately, athletes in America gravitate towards sports that actually make them money.
Galen Rupp, Ryan Hall, Grant Fisher??
Not to mention Woody Kincaid, Joe Klecker.
Olympic Gold Matt Centrowitz
Let’s not forget Conner Mantz.
Yes, nobody has run a legit 2:05 marathon yet, but Rupp and Ryan Hall got close in the pre-super shoe era. Mantz might get there. Fisher is among the world’s best on the track right now.
Unfortunately, athletes in America gravitate towards sports that actually make them money.
Galen Rupp, Ryan Hall, Grant Fisher??
Not to mention Woody Kincaid, Joe Klecker.
Olympic Gold Matt Centrowitz
Let’s not forget Conner Mantz.
Yes, nobody has run a legit 2:05 marathon yet, but Rupp and Ryan Hall got close in the pre-super shoe era. Mantz might get there. Fisher is among the world’s best on the track right now.
Unfortunately, athletes in America gravitate towards sports that actually make them money.
Galen Rupp, Ryan Hall, Grant Fisher??
Not to mention Woody Kincaid, Joe Klecker.
Olympic Gold Matt Centrowitz
Let’s not forget Conner Mantz.
Yes, nobody has run a legit 2:05 marathon yet, but Rupp and Ryan Hall got close in the pre-super shoe era. Mantz might get there. Fisher is among the world’s best on the track right now.
Rupp wore super shoes for EVERY marathon of his career. Including in at the Rio Olympics, where if the rules were followed, he + Kipchoge should have been DQed - as they were prototypes, disguised in the same colour as the current non-supershoe flats, and not available to all.
Does facing cold as a young child = altitude effect
I grew up in Quebec & Ontario in the 70's and we had a pretty robust youth scene in both provinces as well as a few inspiring elites. I think Cam is from out west? I suspect it was similar there.
Great run. There's a lot of pro marathoners out there who need to raise their sights. 2:08-09 just isn't a good time anymore.
You raise your sights above your current level. If your PR is 2:10 or 2:11, 2:08-2:09 is a good sight to have. Then once you have run 2:08/2:09 now you set your sights for 2:07 or 2:06. I think too many top Americans that have run well for road races in the 10k-half marathon range set their sights for 2:07 immediately and blow up every time and never learn how to actually run a marathon. Cam didn't start out running 2:05. It was a big jump for him when he ran sub 2:10 for the first time, then another big jump to run 2:07 at worlds, and now another jump to 2:05. It's a process and you need stepping stones.
Remember after his ankle injury, from late 2016 through late 2018, Cam was running 14min/30min times: the hatchets came out and everyone said he was washed up and done? "too many miles" "too injured" "burned too bright" etc:
I'm sorry to those this may offend but Cam has done NOTHING in two years and this sorry trend probably won't change. He'll be another Wheating in two years. Sorry.
Methinks my guy has been doing the work, keeping his head down and consistently improving, despite assumptions otherwise. Can't think of anyone else who has been off for the better part of 3-5 years and really pulled it back together at this level. Super impressive, even outside of the 2:05.
First I'd like to say congrats to Cam on a great race. Probably 2:07/8 worthy in pre Super Shoe era?
Next in regards to the poster above (" Cam> Galen " )
No way. Medals/podium finishes and top finishes in Olympics/WC's and Marathon majors are much more important than good PR's [ especially when set in races when you get towed along, where everyone else is simply waiting for the kick, and then you get absolutely smoked in the final half mile.]
Rupp has 2 Olympic medals, 3 top two finishes in World Marathon majors and several near misses on medals in World track championships.
What does Cam have? a fourth in a world championship and a fifth place here.
While I agree that old pros often (not always) make terrible coaches, I would argue that Jim Finlayson is a very smart guy. Not quite the old-pro level, but very good and he was probably capable of more than what he achieved. But he was Canadian Marathon champ, went to world cross, etc.
He is well known for being a bit of a math genius, an excellent writer, photographer and thoughtful coach.
At first blush, it may have seemed odd for Cam to hire someone remote who is coaching age-groupers and sub-elite, but knowing both of them, I thought, what a fit! Jim is smart enough to get out of Cam's way when it is time to, too.
Kengo Suzuki is the underdog hero. He is the fastest marathon runner without any African genetics ! Asia now holds the fastest true non African 100m and marathon times!