xzcvxzcv wrote:
For the all-time masters marathon bests, I would put them in this order:
1. Eliud Kipchoge 2:01:09, age 40+ (rationale: what elite peaks at 19, as when he won the world title over El G and Bekele in 2003? Marathoners often hold a peak into their late 30s and he is more disciplined (and older looking) than any other elite marathoner)
2. Kenenisa Bekele 2:05:53, age 40 (rationale: just 19 when he ran 7:30 in 2001, so he might well be a couple years older than this. It took him another six years to beat that time in a number of opportunities. He was listed at 27 when he ran 7:28, the next fastest after that race was 7:40. He ran his 5000m wr at age 21, almost 22, a bit younger than you'd expect as well. He was also 21-22 when he ran 26:20 and 26:17. At 30, he ran 27:12. At 34, he ran 2:03:03, a near wr. In 2019 at a listed 37 years old, he ran 2:01:41, another near world record. At that point, it is possible he was already 40, but maybe 39 or even his listed age. He is someone whose peaks are higher than almost anyone in history but who has been bedeviled by inconsistent training during his marathon years as he builds a commercial empire inspired by Geb)
Also: Haile Gebrselassie. No recorded marathons after age 40, but he was long thought to have been 40 before that when he ran 2:03:59 at a listed age of 35 or maybe 2:06:09 at 37 in 2010. However, despite his wizened appearance, I think that he may have been the age he said he was. He was at his best in his mid-20s, on the track, which is as expected, and didn't run any spectacular times until age 20-21, so he was probably the age he said he was, and he still ran 26:51 at age 35 and 27:20 at age 39 in 2012, about 14-15 years after his peak!)
Lol, you wouldn't wouldn't have a friggin' clue.
