Marc Scott Has Left Bowerman, Now With NN Running, Hoping to train with Kipchoge in Kenya

THOUGHTSLEADER wrote:

High hopes wrote:

I think 2:07 is a reasonable high end prediction. He's better than Mantz over every other distance and he debuted with 2:08. But 2:04-2:05 is rarified air. Only one non-African born man has gone 2:04 ( Suzuki), and only two more have run 2:05 (Osaka and Moen). Odds are that Scott doesn't get there but 2:06 is a good possibility

There’s no legitimate reason why non-Africans/Japanese runners should languish at the marathon so much. The closest rationale you could say is the infatuation with track running until you are out of your prime. In fact, your stat is not true - what about Daniel do Nascimento? He ran 2:04:51. The fact that B level Americans/Europeans run 2:08-2:10:30 nowadays in fact signifies that the bigger talents should be hitting 2:04-2:07. It happens in Japan. It’s likely to happen with Mantz and Scott in my view. Not every runner translates but the early returns for Scott at the Half have been good.

High hopes wrote:

THOUGHTSLEADER wrote:

There’s no legitimate reason why non-Africans/Japanese runners should languish at the marathon so much. The closest rationale you could say is the infatuation with track running until you are out of your prime. In fact, your stat is not true - what about Daniel do Nascimento? He ran 2:04:51. The fact that B level Americans/Europeans run 2:08-2:10:30 nowadays in fact signifies that the bigger talents should be hitting 2:04-2:07. It happens in Japan. It’s likely to happen with Mantz and Scott in my view. Not every runner translates but the early returns for Scott at the Half have been good.

Yes, I overlooked Di Nascimento. But that still only makes four non-Africans who have gone sub-2:06 compared to 151 African-born athletes.

That said, I agree that more Europeans and Americans should get there in the supershoe era. Too many good distance runners from those areas don't see the marathon as their calling, but just a way to extend their careers. The best example of what a top tier European talent can do by moving to the marathon early is Paula Radcliffe. Mantz is doing it right. There needs to be greater recognition that experience really matters in marathon running, it's not something athletes can dabble in. I think Mo Farah found this out which is why he never reached his potential in the event - he should easily have run 2:04-low and possibly 2:03 but he wasn't prepared to do the learning curve.

High hopes wrote:

THOUGHTSLEADER wrote:

There’s no legitimate reason why non-Africans/Japanese runners should languish at the marathon so much. The closest rationale you could say is the infatuation with track running until you are out of your prime. In fact, your stat is not true - what about Daniel do Nascimento? He ran 2:04:51. The fact that B level Americans/Europeans run 2:08-2:10:30 nowadays in fact signifies that the bigger talents should be hitting 2:04-2:07. It happens in Japan. It’s likely to happen with Mantz and Scott in my view. Not every runner translates but the early returns for Scott at the Half have been good.

Yes, I overlooked Di Nascimento. But that still only makes four non-Africans who have gone sub-2:06 compared to 151 African-born athletes.

That said, I agree that more Europeans and Americans should get there in the supershoe era. Too many good distance runners from those areas don't see the marathon as their calling, but just a way to extend their careers. The best example of what a top tier European talent can do by moving to the marathon early is Paula Radcliffe. Mantz is doing it right. There needs to be greater recognition that experience really matters in marathon running, it's not something athletes can dabble in. I think Mo Farah found this out which is why he never reached his potential in the event - he should easily have run 2:04-low and possibly 2:03 but he wasn't prepared to do the learning curve.

runn wrote:

High hopes wrote:

Yes, I overlooked Di Nascimento. But that still only makes four non-Africans who have gone sub-2:06 compared to 151 African-born athletes.

That said, I agree that more Europeans and Americans should get there in the supershoe era. Too many good distance runners from those areas don't see the marathon as their calling, but just a way to extend their careers. The best example of what a top tier European talent can do by moving to the marathon early is Paula Radcliffe. Mantz is doing it right. There needs to be greater recognition that experience really matters in marathon running, it's not something athletes can dabble in. I think Mo Farah found this out which is why he never reached his potential in the event - he should easily have run 2:04-low and possibly 2:03 but he wasn't prepared to do the learning curve.

I agree with both of you. I've been watching our sport since 1970ish. I started running myself in 1971 at 12 years old.

I used to see more guys gravitate to the roads at a younger age. They might have run the 10,000 in an Olympic year (not worlds back then).

Now, it seems that most are concentrating on the track, they're not top tier, make little money and move on. Maybe, like you said, they try to extend their career with the marathon but it's too late.

Some of these guys (and girls) have to come out of college and make money on the roads and run marathons sooner.

It seems that one benefit of the super shoes is recovery. I talked to one sub 2:30 woman who said she recovers faster and runs more marathons sooner since she's been wearing super shoes.