Found a few other Strava activites that look the same at that segment of the course. So assuming the race website's course map is correct, I'm convinced they cut off that ~400-500 meter loop between 30 and 35k which explains those splits.
I will contact the organisers regarding how the course was measured. I agree those 5k splits are odd, otherwise it's just fine. At worst it was about 40-50" faster, so we're still looking at high 2:04 performances, that's 2:03 flat in Berlin, it was some fast fast running for sure. Same i can say about Buenos Aires's course, splits were odd but iaaf certified it and results are official. I can also confirm iaaf officials were at today's Abu Dhabi marathon as they seek a Gold label status. Time bonuses were indeed 100,000$ for breaking 2:04:00/2:19:17 which are of course Dubai course records and UAE all-comers' records. However if the course is legit, watch out for these two in 2019!!
Hardloper wrote:
Screenshots of what I mean
Course map:
https://i.imgur.com/3tv0vsf.pngStrava data:
https://i.imgur.com/xRjwjIc.jpg
That U-Turn was done at the 34k and it's not what had been planned apparently. It's way worse than what happened at the SF Marathon in 2017 though as that was a misunderstanding on where the cones had to be placed at the U-Turn (Before and not After like they did), here a whole section was removed ?!
Using Strava I measured the missing loop at about 400 meters so at 2:56/km that's about 70 seconds and would put the 30/35k split at a more likely 15:05.
Zoom Paul Swift wrote:
Yall Missed It wrote:
Completely agree. Bizarre sequence of events.
On a different note, I think the Tokyo Olympic marathon is going to be the most interesting race we'll experience in years. A stark contrast from Rio. The Japanese are the strongest they've been in a while, and Kenya outside of Kipchoge, is developing a new crop of these faces on the scene that created an interesting race today. Throw in Mo Farah, the potential for a comeback from Bekele and whatever Ethiopia puts together, and we could be looking at some interesting tactics in Tokyo.
Please, please stop with the Bekele comeback business. The hype only tears my heart apart further when he shows up straight from the pizza buffet and dnf's. Agree with everything else.
Come on pal, you almost made me spill my coffee.
deathinparadise wrote:
Hardloper wrote:
Screenshots of what I mean
Course map:
https://i.imgur.com/3tv0vsf.pngStrava data:
https://i.imgur.com/xRjwjIc.jpgThat U-Turn was done at the 34k and it's not what had been planned apparently. It's way worse than what happened at the SF Marathon in 2017 though as that was a misunderstanding on where the cones had to be placed at the U-Turn (Before and not After like they did), here a whole section was removed ?!
Using Strava I measured the missing loop at about 400 meters so at 2:56/km that's about 70 seconds and would put the 30/35k split at a more likely 15:05.
So you guys are saying that the u-turn was early. Letsrun slueths at it again!
Kiptum obviously gave up at the end as he could see the distance was going to be well under 42.2km.
So the realty is that Kiprotich was probably barely sub 2:05 if he ran a fully measured thon. I suspect the half mary was the best we seen from him and it is all downhill from now on.
Not sure if you are referencing me still having faith in Bekele, or replying to the poster behind me. Either way, I got a laugh out of his reference to Bekele leaving the pizza buffet.
Rojo, will you please go to Ethiopia yourself and meet with Bekele 1-1? I'm sick of hearing everything through Jos Hermens in articles. I want to listen to an interview/read something that is a direct conversation with Bekele.
vivalarepublica wrote:
Zoom Paul Swift wrote:
Please, please stop with the Bekele comeback business. The hype only tears my heart apart further when he shows up straight from the pizza buffet and dnf's. Agree with everything else.
Come on pal, you almost made me spill my coffee.
+1
Funny stuff
Here is video proof it was short. https://youtu.be/1mjYuaDAhzM I'm saying 53 seconds short for the men. I gave credit to "hawk eye" who emailed this morning a list of local street closures and told me to look between 30 and 35k. If I'd read this thread this morning, I'd also give credit to Hardloper. But here is Hawkeye's email to me
Reading that, was there more off than just the roundabout? Here are his attachments.
https://ibb.co/LkGqTQQhttps://ibb.co/sCqKYVT