Zero chance. The Moroccan guy who won the Houston has one spot reserved so only 2 spots left. Rupp was invincible even was it 5 years ago at the marathon trial but you can't do much about aging.
Lots of variables in the marathon. Anything can happen, and no one is a lock.
Imo this result is hard to decipher. Yeah it looks bad he was beaten so soundly by several other Americans, but on the other hand Galen usually doesn’t run fast halfs, even before he runs fast marathons. In 2021, for example, he ran a 61:52 a month before a 2:06:35 second place finish in Chicago, and in 2017 he ran a 62:18 right before winning Chicago (albeit not in a super fast time). So while I’d assume he’s not, it is possibly he is in 2:07-2:08 shape based on this race and it’s really hard to say.
This post was edited 12 minutes after it was posted.
Honestly, I think it's a great effort. Galen is ironically playing the long game right now, to make the 2028 team. I could easily see him storming from behind to take the third spot at the trials.
Has he ever stormed from behind in a marathon?
Yes in the 2017 Chicago Marathon, win.
honorable mentions: 2008 NCAA Cross Country 10k, win
I actually consider this a decent result all things considered. Just last year Galen had another surgery and was out for months on end. After training back into shape, he ran 62:42 for a half and 60:02 for the 20k in New Haven. He then followed it up with a 2:09:41 full in Chicago where he clearly still wasn't quite in the best shape possible. He now ran 62:01. If he successfully avoids any more injuries and continues making steady marginal improvements, I could absolutely see him running 2:07 or even a hair under again. It's unlikely, but I think still possible.
I actually consider this a decent result all things considered. Just last year Galen had another surgery and was out for months on end. After training back into shape, he ran 62:42 for a half and 60:02 for the 20k in New Haven. He then followed it up with a 2:09:41 full in Chicago where he clearly still wasn't quite in the best shape possible. He now ran 62:01. If he successfully avoids any more injuries and continues making steady marginal improvements, I could absolutely see him running 2:07 or even a hair under again. It's unlikely, but I think still possible.
This would not matter, as his race results are the equivalent to Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa's baseball achievements.
"I've considered him (Rupp) washed up for a while"...spoken like a true letsrunner who never ages, stays at or below world record pace at every race and who thinks everyone else is washed up if they don't stay at the high level of a letsrun commenter.
If that makes the team then good on him & maybe bad for American distance running.
Galen making the Olympics team at 42 would be the coolest thing to happen in the American marathon since he got silver in Rio..
Totally. That wasn't the context of what I said when this is the only thing clipped. Didn't comment on my personal feelings if this were to happen or not.
Bekele ran 2:04 at 41-42, Rupp can only run 62 for a half 2 years younger?
Bekele at his best was running 2:01, wo when he's 41 he's running 3 minutes slower. Rupp's PR is 2:06, 3 minutes slower is 2:09. So he's slowed down a similar amount as Bekele at similar ages.
Except he's not headed off to far flung spots in Ethiopia with Mo Farah and Paula Radcliffe's husband.
Yeah Abdi was sauced to the eyeballs for that race. Mo and Paula were British doping cheats.
Rupp has always been clean, although he notably circumvented the rules into the gray area with Al Sal. He never did anything explicitly illegal--which he deserves credit for, but was seeking any possible legal advantage under Daddy Al Sal's orders.
What do you think about Rupp's performance? I will say it's not bad from someone almost at his 40 already, but if he wants to make the LA 2028 team, he has a really rough road ahead of him. Five other Americans just dip under the 60-minute barrier in the same race, two of them even laugh at Ryan Hall's old American Record.
Discus.
With super shoes and Ryan ran solo. His 5943 is a superior performance