Beginners and Beyond

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Interesting take on what was happening back in the pack (Read 118 times)

StepbyStep-SH


    Apparently, Hall and the other Americans adjusted their own races slightly to help give Meb the edge.

    20,000 miles behind me, the world still to see.

    Brrrrrrr


    Uffda

      It was definitely an interesting read. I am a little surprised that people in the chase would essentially give up the ability to win, but maybe they just knew they were out-gunned and this was the best that they could do? I would be interested to see Ryan get interviewed about it, but it looks like they have a couple of people on record about it. This is a very good showing of team work, in a sport where there usually isn't any.

      - Andrew

      Docket_Rocket


        Interesting indeed.  I just think the leaders didn't think Meb had it in him and therefore underestimated his ability to push the pace until it was too late.  After all, why push the pace when you could rest until it is time to take over?  But in this case, Meb had a great day.

        Damaris

         

        As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

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        LRB


          I just think the leaders didn't think Meb had it in him and therefore underestimated his ability to push the pace until it was too late.  After all, why push the pace when you could rest until it is time to take over? 

           

          That is a good take on it but there had to be something else as one would have thought a 2:05 or better would win it, yet a 2:08 did.  Has there been any talk of conditions playing a role with the crew up front?

          Love the Half


            Welcome to the difference between a race and a time trial that most recreational runners are used to doing.  Honestly, how many times have you raced?  Probably never.  In a "race", as opposed to a time trial, your time is irrelevant.  The only thing that matters is place.  Whoever is in the lead has to do extra work both physically and psychologically.  In many major marathons, the elites are surrounded by a throng of pacers.  In Boston though, there are no pacers.  If you want to lead that group, well that's fine but you'll destroy yourself doing it and you'll get passed by all the folks laughing at you for being so stupid.

             

            Here, the Americans in the chase group simply refused to help any of the Africans catch Meb.  By the time Wilson Chebet started chasing, he had to really lay himself out there to catch Meb.  It damn near worked.  He dropped a 14:57 5K between 35 and 40K as I recall.  When he started the chase, Meb had an 81 second lead.  That lead shrank to 6 seconds with a mile left but Chebet couldn't close the gap and you could see it in his stride.  Rather than running fluidly as he had been, his stride became shorter and choppier - the sure sign of someone who is spent.  Meb had a bit of another gear and widened the lead to 11 seconds at the finish.

            Short term goal: 17:59 5K

            Mid term goal:  2:54:59 marathon

            Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life.  (I started running at age 45).

            kristin10185


            Skirt Runner

              The psychology of what is happening with the lead pack always amazes me and intrigues me. I love reading race reports from people who win races (we've had a few here from Jay, LTH, a few others) and they are completely different from those of us who are racing essentially only against ourselves and our own best times. When to push the pace, when to break away, when to let someone else get ahead, how to use someone as a rabbit, all of these strategies are foreign and interesting to me. It is incredibly interesting that the Americans used these strategies to give Meb an edge. GO MEB!

              PRs:   5K- 28:16 (5/5/13)      10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13)    4M- 41:43 (9/7/13)   15K- 1:34:25  (8/17/13)    10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14)     HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14)     Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)

               

              I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to

              Zelanie


                Interesting, and it does remind me of the Tour de France strategies with breakaways. Smile

                 

                I thought I recognized Craig Leon's name in there, and then I realized that's because he has the course record for the tiny local half marathon that is in my town.  That's what living pretty close to Eugene will do, I guess.

                Docket_Rocket


                   

                  That is a good take on it but there had to be something else as one would have thought a 2:05 or better would win it, yet a 2:08 did.  Has there been any talk of conditions playing a role with the crew up front?

                   

                  2:08 is around the time that it takes to win Boston, usually. It was also not the perfect conditions. I don't think anyone was expecting a 2:05.

                  Damaris

                   

                  As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

                  Fundraising Page

                    Following this on various forums has been really good reading.

                     

                    My armchair opinion is in the camp claiming the Africans underestimated Meb when he began to open the gap.  "He's caught up in the moment, he's pushing into the hardest part of the course, he's going to blow up, we know better, etc."

                     

                    I have been gapped and known I was in deep doodoo as soon as it happened, but I've also let a guy go, dismissing him as being clearly older and certain to falter at some point.  Except he never faltered.

                     

                    It's doubtful that the Africans explicitly cared what Hall was doing, but if he consciously didn't instigate a chase, and it turned out that no one chased quite soon enough, then yes, he helped team 'murica in at least a small way. (Although it's quite likely that he also assumed Meb would blow up and was only telling guys not to chase because he also thought the push was ill-timed and ill-fated.)

                    RSX


                       

                      2:08 is around the time that it takes to win Boston, usually. It was also not the perfect conditions. I don't think anyone was expecting a 2:05.

                       

                      I watched parts of the local coverage Monday night but enough to see both winners. After Jeptoo broke the course record they were talking about Meb's times in relation to the course record until they finally gave it up. There was some talk before the race that the course record may fall. I posted in RW that on a day a lot of folks complained about the heat, the women's course record fell, and a 38 year old guy had a PR. Ryan Hall gets called a lot of things good and bad, but now team player can be added.

                      Love the Half


                        Following this on various forums has been really good reading.

                         

                        My armchair opinion is in the camp claiming the Africans underestimated Meb when he began to open the gap.  "He's caught up in the moment, he's pushing into the hardest part of the course, he's going to blow up, we know better, etc."

                          

                         

                        Agreed.  Wilson Chebet had to kill himself trying to catch Meb but when he got close, he had nothing left.

                        Short term goal: 17:59 5K

                        Mid term goal:  2:54:59 marathon

                        Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life.  (I started running at age 45).