As far as I know, the East Africans are not particularly adapted to heat. The reason they are more heat resistant in warmer temperatures has more to do with their low bodymass. Heat generation is a function of volume, while heat dissipation is a function of skin surface area. The difference in bodymass is greater in elite men than in elite women. One main reason why Paula's record has stood for so long, at the risk of sounding circular, is the lack of depth at the top: - Since 2003, 36 men have run faster than Paul Tergat's 2:04:55, within 2 minutes of the current world record. That allows for large groups as far as 25-30K at world record pace, and rivalries. - Before 2018, only 23 women had even run below 2:20. This looks to be improving, as in 2018, between Dubai, Tokyo, and London, 6 new women have joined the sub-2:20 club. - Lack of depth means lack of critical mass necessary to pace a group at world record pace far enough for record attempts, unless you use male pacers. - This often means slow tactical races, with the goal of winning, rather than fast times. 2:20 will win most races, so the women don't usually need to run faster. Fast races from the start, like London 2017, and Boston 2014 (thanks to Shalane) are by far the exceptions. - Lack of depth means fewer rivalries, which incentivizes athletes to push themselves harder in order to win. - Lack of depth and lack of critical mass severely reduces the number of potential opportunities to attack the world record. Specifically, in London 2018, with the inclusion of male pacers (compared to 2003): - The temperature and the wind were not ideal. In 2003, " it was a perfect day for marathon running, with temperatures at a lowly 10ºC at the start, and rising just 6 degrees during the race. Radcliffe also had the assistance of a south-easterly breeze for much of the race." - The pacing was too fast. In 2003, Paula ran with "two pacemakers designated to run at 2:16 pace" and "passed the halfway mark in 1:08:02". The best chance so far to challenge the record came in London 2017 -- if Keitany and Dibaba had had male pacers, and had started less aggressively, we surely would have seen 2:16s, if not 2:15.
What's up with this? wrote:
Why can't these hotshot Kenyan & Ethiopian runners break her record? How long has the record stood now? So it was a little warm in London yesterday. Big deal...aren't these East Africans adapted to the heat after centuries of evolution where their physiology should be more efficient at handling heat during endurance excercise? And I think it was fairly warm when Paula set her WR? I'm laughing at the East African female marathoners.