Who says Americans don't go for it? Jeffrey Eggleston sure did. 2:10 marathoner went out in 63 at Fukuoka last weekend!!

LetsRun.com wrote:

We were impressed by his guts and caught up with him afterwards:

http://www.letsrun.com/news/2014/12/qa-210-american-jeffrey-eggleston-reflects-back-successful-2014-campaign-going-6338-japan/

Oh great... Kimetto could have gone out in 59:00...

Sorry about the spacing issues. It's been fixed.

Looks like he had thought it through and decided to target a high-2:08. Good for him.

It is too bad it did not work out better as he had run 2:12:03, then 2:11, then 2:10:52. It looks like had he gone out in 1:04:45, based on how he said he thinks he was in better shape, he may have held even pace and run ~2:09:30. But, it's impossible to know and it seems like he knows that.

It looks like he knows WELL what it takes to go 2:10-2:12. So he will likely get that breakthrough soon. Very few Americans have run 2:09:59 or faster on a record-eligible course. I can't find a marathon list that goes past the top-20 performances, but I believe you would be in the top-10 Americans all-time if he could run 2:09:59 or faster. 2:08:55 and you are top-5 all-time performer.

We've updated the interview with one last question about his mileage.

LetsRun: One follow up, it looks as if you ran less this year but want to run 10km more next year? Is that right? How much were you running last year, this year and what do you hope to do next year?

Eggleston: Yes, a goal is to be strong enough to hang in the final 10km of a marathon (with a pace similar to Fukuoka). I think I can accomplish this with more training at the specific marathon pace (not necessarily more total volume).

Regarding volume, a typical training week in 2012 (leading up to my 2:12:03 in Chicago) was somewhere in the 220-230km/week (I use km, but that's 140mi/wk range). I actually topped out just over at 270km for one week. Leading up to Boston this year, I may had only 3-4 weeks over 200km, which I found gave me the best quality per volume. For Gold Coast Marathon in July, highest week 160km.

Sounds like he's a Canova fan. Good stuff.

there have been athletes and coaches advocating increased specificity in marathon training since the 1950's.

Did you remember to ask him if he felt that Asians are genetically inferior, rojo?

Looks like pretty much everyone caught up with him...sorry, couldn't resist

I agree with the sentences sentiment from LetsRun. It's great to see someone make a run at a goal and just run fearlessly (and not in a stupid way...it was still a respectable performance). I enjoyed the interview and will be rooting for him to make that breakthrough!

Bring Back the 880 wrote:

(and not in a stupid way...it was still a respectable performance).

I am all for taking chances but do you really think DNFing with 7km to go is a respectable performance?

Meb finishing New York in a slow time was a respectable performance.

He went out with the lead pack and stuck there most of the race. It sounds like this was his plan. Now, if a marathoner starts DNFing often, we have a problem.

Yes, going for it and making it to 30k and dropping out at 35 is worthy of respect in this instance. Dropping out at half way would indicate a problem and be a crappy performance. The marathon is a hard race! Just finishing in a slow time is not as impressive as actually competing, though as the interview points out, sometimes finishing can be more economically rewarding.

newname wrote:

I can't find a marathon list that goes past the top-20 performances, but I believe you would be in the top-10 Americans all-time if he could run 2:09:59 or faster. 2:08:55 and you are top-5 all-time performer.

Tilastopaja list's goes to 2:15.30

It is a paid service, but well worth it.

Bring Back the 880 wrote:

Yes, going for it and making it to 30k and dropping out at 35 is worthy of respect in this instance. Dropping out at half way would indicate a problem and be a crappy performance. The marathon is a hard race! Just finishing in a slow time is not as impressive as actually competing, though as the interview points out, sometimes finishing can be more economically rewarding.

I am against DNFing unless you are causing yourself some harm.

And as you point out, in the interview he mentioned the money side as well. Another reason why I don't get it.

Leonard Komon ran what? 2:14? on his debut after having talked about the World record. He still finished.

I see the DNFing mentality as being too prevalent in the US and in Europe too.

I am against DNFing unless you are causing yourself some harm.

And as you point out, in the interview he mentioned the money side as well. Another reason why I don't get it.

Leonard Komon ran what? 2:14? on his debut after having talked about the World record. He still finished.

I see the DNFing mentality as being too prevalent in the US and in Europe too.[/quote]

His goal wasn't to complete the distance and get a participation medal. He's won marathons, he's pushing to his limits and has high goals. Finishing for finishing sake doesn't work into that equation. The last 7k may have taken an unnecessarily high physical toll on his recovery. I'd be surprised if he doesn't reap huge strategic positives from his effort. IMHO,

But you do what works for you.

Is this the same guy that DNF'd in Houston at the Olympic Trials and then came back to run the next day in the community race for a paycheck?

DNF is in his DNA wrote:

Is this the same guy that DNF'd in Houston at the Olympic Trials and then came back to run the next day in the community race for a paycheck?

Did not realize someone did that in Houston.

I remember going back that Teddy Mitchell led through 5mi in the Birmingham trials, dropped out and came back the next day and won $$$ in the Mercedes Half they hold down there. His sidekick chick who got popped for EPO won the womens.

lolpod wrote:

I am against DNFing unless you are causing yourself some harm.

And as you point out, in the interview he mentioned the money side as well. Another reason why I don't get it.

Leonard Komon ran what? 2:14? on his debut after having talked about the World record. He still finished.

I see the DNFing mentality as being too prevalent in the US and in Europe too.

You know nothing about the marathon. Limping along at 9:00+/mile pace for another 5 miles CAN cause harm. With all the muscles cramping it can be easy to do some damage. If you drop out you can recover much quicker.

You say this like he could have held on for a 2:14 like Leonard Komon. He was headed for MUCH worse than that if he finished. 2:20+.

Good athletes of all nations DNF from time to time.

DNF is in his DNA wrote:

Is this the same guy that DNF'd in Houston at the Olympic Trials and then came back to run the next day in the community race for a paycheck?

No, he didn't run the Olympic Trials, but he was a pacemaker for the marathon in '13.

lolpod wrote:

I see the DNFing mentality as being too prevalent in the US and in Europe too.

Kenyans DNF all the time... you're just not paying attention.

The gimp wrote:

I am against DNFing unless you are causing yourself some harm. . .

You've clearly never run the last 7 km of a marathon.