Ranking the top twenty Marathoners, male and female

Aussiestatman wrote:

Aussiestatman wrote:

That would be Marius Kipserem, 10th in London this last October in 2.09.25. I had him ranked 12 before that based on wins at Rotterdam in April last year and Abu Dhabi in 2018 both in just over 2.04. Abu Dhabi would later be acknowledged as being a short course.

With the IAAF now admitting their mistake after checking with the organisers, Reuben gets his rightful 15th place here and Bedan, Marius, and Shifera drop to 16, 17, and 18. All is well in my world again.

At 19 is runner-up at Chicago last year, Dejene Debela. Was second late in 2018 in Abu Dhabi on a short course. Had won in Xiamen the previous two years before fifth there this year.

Aussiestatman wrote:

After the Tokyo Marathon I set about ranking the top 50. I decided to place three women together at 18th. One, Valerie Jemeli, would struggle in London while the other two would amazingly record the same times in finishing Valencia, so those two I still cannot separate as equal 18th here. Degita Azimeraw and Tigist Girma both recorded 2.19.56.

20th and last place goes to Ruti Aga, winner of Tokyo and third in New York last year. Consolidated that ranking with seventh in Valencia nine days ago in 2.20.05.

Aussiestatman wrote:

Aussiestatman wrote:

With the IAAF now admitting their mistake after checking with the organisers, Reuben gets his rightful 15th place here and Bedan, Marius, and Shifera drop to 16, 17, and 18. All is well in my world again.

At 19 is runner-up at Chicago last year, Dejene Debela. Was second late in 2018 in Abu Dhabi on a short course. Had won in Xiamen the previous two years before fifth there this year.

I still have one more man to add at number 20. That man is Albert Korir. Second in a major last year, New York in 2.08.36. His only weakness is lack of a sub 2.08 time.

Aussiestatman wrote:

Aussiestatman wrote:

After the Tokyo Marathon I set about ranking the top 50. I decided to place three women together at 18th. One, Valerie Jemeli, would struggle in London while the other two would amazingly record the same times in finishing Valencia, so those two I still cannot separate as equal 18th here. Degita Azimeraw and Tigist Girma both recorded 2.19.56.

20th and last place goes to Ruti Aga, winner of Tokyo and third in New York last year. Consolidated that ranking with seventh in Valencia nine days ago in 2.20.05.

Should I continue. 21-30?

yes. continue. Where is galen rupp? He ran 209 on a TOUGH atlanta course in bad conditions. Dont pretend that Galen Rupp is only a 209 marathoner this year. I WISH WISH WISH that he ran the marathon project, but maybe its not fast enough for him.

should be studying 102 wrote:

yes. continue. Where is galen rupp? He ran 209 on a TOUGH atlanta course in bad conditions. Dont pretend that Galen Rupp is only a 209 marathoner this year. I WISH WISH WISH that he ran the marathon project, but maybe its not fast enough for him.

No Rupp yet but soon. Not so much about the 2.09. More about how I don't think he could go with the next guy on a quick course. Marathon running has changed a little since Rupp ran 2.06.07 in Prague two and a half years ago. Lots of East Africans can dip under 2.05.30 now, sometimes twice in a year. I have Asefa Mengstu next. He was third in Dubai early last year in 2.04.24 and backed it up with third in Chicago in 2.05.48. Has another 2.04 low from the year before. Seventh in Tokyo early this year.

Aussiestatman wrote:

Aussiestatman wrote:

After the Tokyo Marathon I set about ranking the top 50. I decided to place three women together at 18th. One, Valerie Jemeli, would struggle in London while the other two would amazingly record the same times in finishing Valencia, so those two I still cannot separate as equal 18th here. Degita Azimeraw and Tigist Girma both recorded 2.19.56.

20th and last place goes to Ruti Aga, winner of Tokyo and third in New York last year. Consolidated that ranking with seventh in Valencia nine days ago in 2.20.05.

21. Mare Dibaba: second in Berlin last year in 2.20.21. Her best time dates back to 2012, third in Dubai in 2.19.52. Equalled that in 2015 in Xiamen FTW. That same year was second in Boston and won the World Champs to be rated number one by Track and Field News. Won bronze at the last Olympics.

Aussiestatman wrote:

should be studying 102 wrote:

yes. continue. Where is galen rupp? He ran 209 on a TOUGH atlanta course in bad conditions. Dont pretend that Galen Rupp is only a 209 marathoner this year. I WISH WISH WISH that he ran the marathon project, but maybe its not fast enough for him.

No Rupp yet but soon. Not so much about the 2.09. More about how I don't think he could go with the next guy on a quick course. Marathon running has changed a little since Rupp ran 2.06.07 in Prague two and a half years ago. Lots of East Africans can dip under 2.05.30 now, sometimes twice in a year. I have Asefa Mengstu next. He was third in Dubai early last year in 2.04.24 and backed it up with third in Chicago in 2.05.48. Has another 2.04 low from the year before. Seventh in Tokyo early this year.

22. Bashir Abdi, the Belgian record holder at 10k and this classic distance but not the half. Was second in Tokyo in 2.04.49. Last year was 7th in London and fifth in Chicago.

22nd lady is Ababel Yeshaneh. Breakthrough at this distance was two years ago this month winning at the short Abu Dhabi course in 2.20.16. Confirmed her ability when second in Chicago last year when Kosgei claimed the WR. Didn’t panic when lost touch with that leader and finished in 2.20.51. Was through halfway in 68.22. Was unlucky at the World Half Champs this year to be clipped by Jepkosgei and both falling.

23. Mo Farah. Fifth in London last year then 8th in Chicago after third and first in the same cities in 2018. Do you think he runs a fall marathon next year after the Olympics?

Aussiestatman wrote:

22nd lady is Ababel Yeshaneh. Breakthrough at this distance was two years ago this month winning at the short Abu Dhabi course in 2.20.16. Confirmed her ability when second in Chicago last year when Kosgei claimed the WR. Didn’t panic when lost touch with that leader and finished in 2.20.51. Was through halfway in 68.22. Was unlucky at the World Half Champs this year to be clipped by Jepkosgei and both falling.

23. Asefa Kebede, third in Tokyo in 2.20.30 after winning Beijing last Nov. in 2.23.31.

Aussiestatman wrote:

23. Mo Farah. Fifth in London last year then 8th in Chicago after third and first in the same cities in 2018. Do you think he runs a fall marathon next year after the Olympics?

24. Titus Ekiru, unbeaten the last three years over this classic distance. The qualifier to that is that he also has three dnf's. Does he decide after halfway that if he can't win, he won't finish? Tokyo this year he at 20k was caught between 10 in the lead pack and more than 10 in another group behind him. There were 12-15 sec gap both ways. Same at halfway in 62.13 then Titus was out before the 25k mark.

24th female is Gelete Burka: won Paris and third in Chicago last year. Was in my top 20 earlier this year:

Gelete still stands as my gatekeeper to the top 20, as i explained here in my year end rankings:

19th female is Gelete Burka, 33yo and ranked 6. Was third on the short course that was Abu Dhabi in 2.24.07, then won Paris in 2.22.47. Ran third in Chicago in 2.20.55. In 2018 was sixth in Dubai in 2.20.45 (PB) and won Ottawa in 2.22.17.This is my profile for her in Chicago:

better write a quick bio:

Burka is 33yo and ranked 6. This year won Paris against four other very talented elite marathoners, all finishing under 2.24. More in a minute.

In that event her and Azmera Gebru, currently ranked 29, ran the other three off their feet after the 40k mark, where they were all together, to put a gap of 43 sec or more on them. The other three were: Azmera Abreha, now ranked 26 and runner-up in the Cardiff half last weekend; Clemence Calvin, and Selly Chepyego. Selly was so good in Berlin with her podium finish making her SO much better than her 56 ranking. Burka last year finished two marathons inside 2.22.20 and won the deep Valencia half in 66.11.

So, for me, its like Burka is the gatekeeper to this top 20. Any one of those four could have taken her place if they could have defeated her on the streets of Paris [well, maybe not Calvin].

Up to 25 and still no Rupp. Soon now: just before Osako, who claimed the Japanese NR this year.

Aussiestatman wrote:

Up to 25 and still no Rupp. Soon now: just before Osako, who claimed the Japanese NR this year.

Guye Adola at 25. Third in Valencia last year in 2.04.42. Second in Berlin 2017 in 2.03.46.

should be studying 102 wrote:

yes. continue. Where is galen rupp? He ran 209 on a TOUGH atlanta course in bad conditions. Dont pretend that Galen Rupp is only a 209 marathoner this year. I WISH WISH WISH that he ran the marathon project, but maybe its not fast enough for him.

25th woman: Alemu Megertu, fifth in London in 2.24.23 after two sub 2.23’s last year. With so few marathons run this year only two women have hit that target this year with Sara Hall a chance to be the third. Alemu won Rome in April 2019 in 2.22.52 then second in Frankfurt in 2.21.10.

Aussiestatman wrote:

should be studying 102 wrote:

yes. continue. Where is galen rupp? He ran 209 on a TOUGH atlanta course in bad conditions. Dont pretend that Galen Rupp is only a 209 marathoner this year. I WISH WISH WISH that he ran the marathon project, but maybe its not fast enough for him.

25th woman: Alemu Megertu, fifth in London in 2.24.23 after two sub 2.23’s last year. With so few marathons run this year only two women have hit that target this year with Sara Hall a chance to be the third. Alemu won Rome in April 2019 in 2.22.52 then second in Frankfurt in 2.21.10.

Mistake in my stats there: two this year under 2.23.08 Tigist Girma and Birhane Dibaba.

Aussiestatman wrote:

Aussiestatman wrote:

Up to 25 and still no Rupp. Soon now: just before Osako, who claimed the Japanese NR this year.

Guye Adola at 25. Third in Valencia last year in 2.04.42. Second in Berlin 2017 in 2.03.46.

26. Kinde Atanaw. Couldn’t finish two weeks ago in Valencia as the defending champ. The year before finished there in 2.03.51.

26th female is Valary Jemeli: poor tenth in London in 2.28.18 after winning Frankfurt last year in 2.19.10. Had three other results under 2.23.02 in either 2018 or 2019.