With the 2021 World Marathon Majors season in the books, Jonathan Gault analyzes what we learned from a busy fall of marathon racing.

The greatest distance runner in history will race NYC for the 1st time as will American Ben True. Can True break the American NY course record? *MB: NYC men: How do Bekele and Kandie do? Can Ben True break the American course record and run 2:08 in NY?

Not since Frank Shorter in 1972 has an athlete won the Olympics and doubled back to win a fall marathon later that year. That's what Jepchirchir is trying to do on Sunday in New York.

There are an incredible three 2:02 guys in the field (Mosinet Geremew, Birhanu Legese, Titus Ekiru) and three more 2:03 guys (Evans Chebet, Sisay Lemma, and Kinde Atanaw). One stud is going to win and one isn't even going to finish in the top five. *MB: With 9 sub-2:20 women, and 6 sub-2:04 men the 2021 London Marathons are the deepest in history. Who do you think will win?

Who sounded confident at Thursday's pre-race press conference? Find out here.

The bad news: an American is almost certain to get lapped in Sunday's London Marathon. The good news: you can get lapped in London and still run really, really fast. We preview the chances of Jared Ward, Sara Hall, Molly Seidel, and Lindsay Flanagan. Could Sara Hall possibly break Deena Kastor's 2:19:36 AR?

Like the men's race, the women's race in London is headlined by an incredible showdown: WR holder Brigid Kosgei against world champ Ruth Chepngetich. Both women have won their last 3 marathons; something's gotta give in London.

It's here. We made it, people. We may have lost Boston, Berlin, Chicago, and New York, but the world's greatest marathon, London, has found a way to survive the pandemic.

NYC's elite men's field isn't deep at all, but with Geoffrey Kamworor coming in off a half marathon WR, Lelisa Desisa chasing an unprecedented Worlds/NYC double, and Jared Ward entering in terrific shape, the men's race should still be a good one.

Each will receive $250,000 in prize money for winning the overall series.

The WMM are putting their money into keeping the sport clean. Others like agents and sponsors need to start joining them.

Jonathan Gault also breaks down Chris Derrick's sub-2:10 and says that Eliud Kipchoge will slow down, eventually.

Wardian's average time from Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and NYC was 2:31:09. *RW article

The press release says she still wins the $500,000 prize purse, but no mention if they are going after Rita Jeptoo for her her doped winnings.

Also, the WMM is going after Lilya Shobukhova for more than $1.4 million in appearance fees and prize money she took from them while doping.

"My talent is being wasted. I don't have any motivation. Shobukhova and Jeptoo have been suspended but I have not been paid what was due to me."

Mary Wittenberg: “It’s a real concern. The WMM was strongly supportive of an out-of-competition testing lab and system in Kenya and Ethiopia. That has to happen.”

 

Nick Bitel:  "We've just agreed with the IAAF that we're going to carry out hundreds and hundreds of out-of-competition tests on athletes ourselves. We're not just sitting there waiting for somebody else to find out the results, we're being very proactive about this."