Was Shalane Flanagan's close the fastest-ever by a woman in NY? How does it rank for any marathon?

It would seem unlikely that Ms. Flanagan's last 5.21875 miles was the fastest ever due to the many inclines during those miles.

The information probably is not known for many races but Ms. Radcliffe's closing miles at the 2002 Chicago Marathon had to be lightning fast.

I just looked at Boston, but Rita Jeptoo closed a lot faster in 2013 (probably doped). Edna Kiplagat also comes close this year. Here are times from 35km since 2013:

2013 Boston - Rita Jeptoo 22:41 (5:04)

2014 Boston - Buzunesh Deba 23:36 (5:16) -- Jeptoo removed from results

2015 Boston - Caroline Rotich 24:05 (5:23)

2016 Boston - Atsede Baysa 24:13 (5:25)

2017 Boston - Edna Kiplagat 23:11 (5:11)

Also, Mary Keitany in London 2012. Here are the finishes since 2009, again 35km to finish:

2009 London - Irina Mikitenko 24:06 (5:23)

2010 London - Aselefech Mergia 24:13 (5:25)

2011 London - Mary Keitany 23:54 (5:20)

2012 London - Mary Keitany 22:36 (5:03)

2013 London - Priscah Jeptoo 23:46 (5:18)

2014 London - Edna Kiplagat 24:14 (5:25)

2015 London - Tigist Tufa 23:25 (5:14)

2016 London - Jemima Sumgong 23:29 (5:15)

2017 London - Mary Keitany 24:22 (5:27)

Here's New York since 2009. Shalane closed even faster over the last 7.195km:

2009 New York - Derartu Tulu 25:06 (5:36)

2010 New York - Edna Kiplagat 23:41 (5:17)

2011 New York - Firehiwot Dado 24:55 (5:34)

2013 New York - Priscah Jeptoo 23:17 (5:12)

2014 New York - Mary Keitany 23:18 (5:12)

2015 New York - Mary Keitany 24:29 (5:28)

2016 New York - Mary Keitany 24:47 (5:32)

2017 New York - Shalane Flanagan 22:57 (5:08)

Yeah I agree. Looks suspicious

D. Ternowski wrote:

The information probably is not known for many races but Ms. Radcliffe's closing miles at the 2002 Chicago Marathon had to be lightning fast.

Wejo wrote an indepth article on pacing Paula for that race. He's got detailed splits.

21: 5:09.8

22: 5:11.6

23: 5:23 for 23 (windy as heck)

24: 5:09

He doesn't list 25 and 26 but I kind of doubt it averaged out to be faster than for Shalane.

jeptoo finished fast wrote:

I just looked at Boston, but Rita Jeptoo closed a lot faster in 2013 (probably doped). Edna Kiplagat also comes close this year. Here are times from 35km since 2013:

2013 Boston - Rita Jeptoo 22:41 (5:04)

2014 Boston - Buzunesh Deba 23:36 (5:16) -- Jeptoo removed from results

2015 Boston - Caroline Rotich 24:05 (5:23)

2016 Boston - Atsede Baysa 24:13 (5:25)

2017 Boston - Edna Kiplagat 23:11 (5:11)

Flanagan covered it in 22:57 this year. Jeptoo wasn't DQd but once an EPO user always an EPO user in my book. 2nd place in 2013 Boston was 33 seconds slower so the fastest legit close in 2013 Boston would be 23:14.

Shalane's finish was so impressive. It's often discussed that central park is hilly and tough, but I think a lot of people don't realize that the mile before entering the park the first time is entirely uphill. From 22.7-23.7 climbs over 100 feet at a consistent grade, she split 5:08 and 5:11 for the 23rd and 24th mile, up a 100 foot grade. I'm not sure how that converts out to a flat mile, but it seems like the race was really won right there. The others cracking a mile later probably came from how taxing that mile was.

Shalane could have dropped a 4:20 mile and half the posters would be going on about she "got lucky", Mary "gave up" and "threw the result", etc.etc. . The cognitive dissonance and tearing down of American runners here is an artifact of the Clickbait Generation.

note that Flanagan was wearing those 4% shoes, which seem to help people close marathons quickly.

eric a blair wrote:

note that Flanagan was wearing those 4% shoes, which seem to help people close marathons quickly.

based on what? Generally curious. I just thought the shoes made people faster overall not that the effect was specific to closing ability. Is that because they feel less dead at the end? Is this any different than being fresher late in the race because you weren't working as hard early on?

heyyo wrote:

eric a blair wrote:

note that Flanagan was wearing those 4% shoes, which seem to help people close marathons quickly.

based on what? Generally curious. I just thought the shoes made people faster overall not that the effect was specific to closing ability. Is that because they feel less dead at the end? Is this any different than being fresher late in the race because you weren't working as hard early on?

Based on information he pulled from his ass

Is this normal, being able to close faster, at an older age?

Or is something illegal going on with Shalane.

I would not be surprised if USADA finds something wrong.

tremendous finish for a very worthy champion, factoring in the pace and terrain, and she had some more in the tank if anyone had challenged. After a hilly course almost all the way, including a mile hill on the Verrazona Narrows Bridge, substantial hills in Brooklyn, the steep bridge between Brooklyn and Queens at 13.1, the 1.5 or 2M up on the Queensborough Bridge, ups and downs in Manhattan and the Bronx, including two bridges, she ran those last miles with 1M uphill from 110th St to the park entrance, some more uphill after going down Cat Hill, about a mile uphill on Central Park South, and then the last .3 or .4 up to the finish. On a flat course, she might have run close to 5 flat.

Just from watching the race, no audio, I could tell Shalane was moving fast. Shalane's body posture looked like she was running a track 10K, pushing to the finish instead of the traditional marathon look of just holding on. Obviously you can't count out an athlete as great as Mark K, but within a K after Shalane made her break, I was predicting victory. Mark K was not able to come back on Shalane because she was moving at pace she could not handle. Albeit, the pace up to that point was somewhat pedestrian, but when Shalane made her break it looked a like 10K athlete versus a marathoner.

She got popped, but didn't Liliya Shobukhova throw down some crazy finishes. I thought in at least one marathon she finsished the last 5k faster than the over-all winner.