Forums >General Running>That Didn't Take Long: The 2014 Boston Marathon Conspiracy Thread
All-time always bothers me because people only remember the last couple of decades. Mens Number 1 - Clarence De Mar, Olympic bronze medalist, 6 times Boston Marathon winner (the last one aged 41). He also won 5 successive marathons 12 months Number 2 - Khalid Khannouchi - one of only 5 men to break the world record twice and only 4 to have broken their own world record. Current official American record holder (Ryan Hall ran faster in Boston, which doesn't officially count) Number 3 - Meb Number 4 - Alberto Salazar Number 5 - Frank Shorter Number 6 - Bill Rodgers Honorable mentions Johnny Hayes - first person to win the 26 mile 385 yard marathon, winning Olympic Gold in the process. He came 2nd and 3rd in Boston. Winner of the inaugural Yonkers marathon. Albert Michelson - first man to go under 2:30 Leonard Elison - first man to go under 2:15
All-time always bothers me because people only remember the last couple of decades.
Mens
Number 1 - Clarence De Mar, Olympic bronze medalist, 6 times Boston Marathon winner (the last one aged 41). He also won 5 successive marathons 12 months
Number 2 - Khalid Khannouchi - one of only 5 men to break the world record twice and only 4 to have broken their own world record. Current official American record holder (Ryan Hall ran faster in Boston, which doesn't officially count)
Number 3 - Meb
Number 4 - Alberto Salazar
Number 5 - Frank Shorter
Number 6 - Bill Rodgers
Honorable mentions
Johnny Hayes - first person to win the 26 mile 385 yard marathon, winning Olympic Gold in the process. He came 2nd and 3rd in Boston. Winner of the inaugural Yonkers marathon.
Albert Michelson - first man to go under 2:30
Leonard Elison - first man to go under 2:15
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Women
1. Patti Catalano
2. Deena Castor
3. Joan Benoit
4. Miki Gorman
5. Kara Goucher
6 = Desiree Davila and Amy Hastings
How about Joan Benoit Samuelson? She has an Olympic gold and a win at Chicago and two wins in Boston. And she was the world record holder for a couple years back in the 80s. Still pretty impressive now with a 2:52:10 yesterday at age 56. She should be in the top 5 or 6.
Women's rankings
1. Samuelson is the clear leader for the reasons you mention
2. Deena Kastor - Olympic Medal and 2:19
After that a little less clear but here's the short list in no particular order: Flanagan and Linden for their 2:22s,Catalano, and, Kim Jones.
"All-time always bothers me because people only remember the last couple of decades."
That can be a tough one, especially with marathoning and distance running because the times got so much faster and fields deeper in the 1960s. In the late 50s a a 2:20 was still a world class time. A decade Derek Clayton had run 2:08. Likewise, comparing the 1970s-80s with today has its limitations.
I used a sharpie in '12 to write my name on my arm for "cheering" purposes. Yeah that tattoo lasted over a year.
From 2008. A week later at the Country Music Marathon, everyone was asking how I got that cool white tattoo. This lasted two years. Norm, you go to Robin's parties; didn't you learn your lesson from me??
Imminent Catastrophe
The weather wasn't similar a few years ago. It was cooler, and there was a massive tailwind. It got pretty toasty out there today, and no tailwind.
Yeah it was warmish. Not hot but warm enough to be a factor. There was a breeze from the west which meant we runners didn't have one. It seemed to be warmest in the Newton Hills, I think it was terrible of the BAA to make those hills higher and longer than last year.
Of course I wasted a lot of energy doing high-fives up until then. Darned Wellesley temptresses.
BTW I am SO glad the med tent had sunscreen!
"Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"
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"All-time always bothers me because people only remember the last couple of decades." That can be a tough one, especially with marathoning and distance running because the times got so much faster and fields deeper in the 1960s. In the late 50s a a 2:20 was still a world class time. A decade Derek Clayton had run 2:08. Likewise, comparing the 1970s-80s with today has its limitations.
It would be interesting to see how those runners would fare with the scientific knowledge of physiology and the training methods honed over the last 50 years. The Lore of Running outlines early training methods and longs walks were part of training right up to the late 1920s.
Len Hurst, who won the first (40km) Paris Marathon in 1896 "consisted of 6 to 7 hours walking and running 10–30 km, spread over two sessions each day. In 1896 he was coached by Mr Boon.
In 1908 Hurst gave details of his training in a book written by Alf Downer. His training was devised for events from 15 to 50 miles (80 km), and he advised all long distance runners to include any amount of walking exercise. His suggested daily programme was: Rise at six followed by a steady walk till 8.30. Breakfast. Rest till 9.45 then walk till 11 am followed by a three mile (5 km) run. Dinner at 12.45 followed by a rest on a bed until 3 o’clock. An hour’s walk followed by a three mile (5 km) run. Tea at 5.30 followed by a walk from 6.30 to 8.30. Finally relaxation until bed at ten o’clock.
According to Tim Noakes, Hurst, like Charles Rowell, Arthur Newton, and Clarence DeMar, achieved greatness without much attention to speedwork.".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Len_Hurst
It would be interesting to see how those runners would fare with modern training methods.
Good thing it's only LR that's talking about this conspiracy.
Good thing we're above that here at RA.
Before you compare and contrast and defend, realize that I haven't read any posts here other than the OP.
But, I chuckle every time I see this rise to the top of the forum.
Cheers,Brian
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Sounds like sour grapes over at LR. An American kicks some ass and now there is something wrong with that, like maybe some sandbagging. It's like when Lance Armstrong was kickin' the shit outta everybody in the Tour De Lance. Some of the riders needed to start a witch hunt because he was wining so much. Miguel Indurain( spelling) didn't get the same response, or maybe he new to quit before he got busted. It's all good though, i'm glad an american won he deserves it, trained hard for it.
Proboscis Colossus
Good thing it's only LR that's talking about this conspiracy. Good thing we're above that here at RA. Before you compare and contrast and defend, realize that I haven't read any posts here other than the OP. But, I chuckle every time I see this rise to the top of the forum. Cheers,Brian
Eh, the conspiracy thing was discarded pretty quickly. Then it was Ryan Hall bashing (I think - might have been another thread), and now we've moved on to lists of the greatest marathoners of all time.
So...nothing controversial here!
MTA: Nope, the Ryan Hall discussion was in another thread. Brief discussion of weather in its place here.
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Eh, the conspiracy thing was discarded pretty quickly. Then it was Ryan Hall bashing (I think - might have been another thread), and now we've moved on to lists of the greatest marathoners of all time. So...nothing controversial here! MTA: Nope, the Ryan Hall discussion was in another thread. Brief discussion of weather in its place here.
Thanks for the summary version of what I've missed. Maybe I will follow this conspiracy theory thread
Now I won't feel like I'm being fed trashy gossipy stuff from contributors to this forum
Ryan Hall says his 2:17 was all part of a strategy to help Meb win. I think it's just an excuse for a terrible race.
Me not BQ-ing for the last 8 years was all a part of a GRANDER strategy to help Meb win.
The plan was executed to perfection.
He didn't exactly say his time was "all part of a strategy." He and other Americans all said they communicated on the course and worked together to help Meb. I thought it was pretty cool.