This thread was started before the race. We changed the title and merged it with a 2nd thread that was started with the title of "Ethan MF Shuley 2:07:13 Marathon at 2026 Osaka Marathon". We have an article up oon the race here: https://www.letsrun.com/news/2...
Its easy to throw about the PED accusations, but looking at his strava hes been putting in a crazy amount of volume, lot more than most American pros do. Just another example of a guy who is built for the marathon but not your typical NCAA program?
Its easy to throw about the PED accusations, but looking at his strava hes been putting in a crazy amount of volume, lot more than most American pros do. Just another example of a guy who is built for the marathon but not your typical NCAA program?
I think the 2:11 in Kobe was worth a lot more than that, he placed 2nd behind 2:04 guy Elisha Rotich, very different kind of race to Osaka. Still crazy progression. Brett Larner said he's a film student in Tokyo
Ed Eyestone also told me he went out in 64:00 in that race.
Okay so I just spoke to Isaac Wood, who coaches Ethan. Isaac seemed a little overwhelmed by how quick Ethan ran. He's never coached a guy close to this fast -- Shuley's 2:07:13 pb places him #7 in US history.
He was a fairly talented HS runner, then went on a two-year mission from 2016-18. Came to BYU in fall of 2018 but was basically injured nonstop. Quit/leaves team after two years due to injury, runs a little with the BYU club team. A bit of a "what-if" story because of the injuries.
Graduates in 2023 and moves to Japan. He resumes training. Turns out he can run without getting injured. In Isaac's words: "now he’s a man and can handle the insane high mileage."
Trained consistently throughout 2024 and runs 2:20 at the Nara Marathon in December.
Then 2:18 in April 2025, 2:11 in November 2025, and now 2:07 in February 2026.
Unsponsored and trains largely alone, though he did some stuff with the BYU guys when he was in town last summer.
Oh, and Isaac said Ethan told him he was cramping for the last 10k today in Osaka. Without that, maybe he runs 2:06.
Ethan Shuley is a cyclist from Japan. Join Strava to track your activities, analyze your performance, and follow friends. Strava members can plan routes, participate in motivating challenges, and join clubs. Get started by si...
quite funny that basically we have an American Marathoner, where it seems the Japanese (and BYU) running community/network knows him better than the American running community in general, who seems to know next to 0 unless they watch RTJ closely
This post was edited 14 minutes after it was posted.
Congrats to him. Looks like he posts everything on strava, the dude is a grinder. Ran 5100 miles last year, topped out at 162 for this build. I'm willing to bet he won't be a one and done 2:07 guy like Matt Richtman.
I think the 2:11 in Kobe was worth a lot more than that, he placed 2nd behind 2:04 guy Elisha Rotich, very different kind of race to Osaka. Still crazy progression. Brett Larner said he's a film student in Tokyo
Ed Eyestone also told me he went out in 64:00 in that race.
Okay so I just spoke to Isaac Wood, who coaches Ethan. Isaac seemed a little overwhelmed by how quick Ethan ran. He's never coached a guy close to this fast -- Shuley's 2:07:13 pb places him #7 in US history.
He was a fairly talented HS runner, then went on a two-year mission from 2016-18. Came to BYU in fall of 2018 but was basically injured nonstop. Quit/leaves team after two years due to injury, runs a little with the BYU club team. A bit of a "what-if" story because of the injuries.
Graduates in 2023 and moves to Japan. He resumes training. Turns out he can run without getting injured. In Isaac's words: "now he’s a man and can handle the insane high mileage."
Trained consistently throughout 2024 and runs 2:20 at the Nara Marathon in December.
Then 2:18 in April 2025, 2:11 in November 2025, and now 2:07 in February 2026.
Unsponsored and trains largely alone, though he did some stuff with the BYU guys when he was in town last summer.
Oh, and Isaac said Ethan told him he was cramping for the last 10k today in Osaka. Without that, maybe he runs 2:06.
The progression is so inspiring to see, also seems like he has more time to give and this was not a fluke. Wonder what brand he'll sign with, if any at all. UNREAL
Its easy to throw about the PED accusations, but looking at his strava hes been putting in a crazy amount of volume, lot more than most American pros do. Just another example of a guy who is built for the marathon but not your typical NCAA program?
Looks like a Bill Rodgers repeat to me. He half-assed his way through HS and college, chain smoked his way through a long break, suddenly found the fire in the belly and here we are.
Really? If this guy had been Kenyan you all would been pelting him with all sorts of accusations.
Nobody is even aware of this yet, This thread has no traction. maybe wait and see the publics reaction before you determine how everyone feels about it
I grew up in the Cincinnati area the same time Ethan went to high school in northern Kentucky and I remember hearing his name floated around a few times. You’re not wrong when you say this might be the craziest out of nowhere result you’ve ever seen. Absolutely wild stuff.
Crazy progression. Is this what happens if an American runs the Japanese marathon training? It sounds like he did run very high mileage but not with a Japanese group or coach. Given how many 2:06-2:08s ever year in Japan, with light sub-half credentials, you'd think we'd have much better marathoners on their training.
I changed the thread title since Ethan Shuley just ran 2:07:13 in Osaka.
This has gotta be one of the most out-of-nowhere results in the history of US marathoning. I thought Matthew Richtman running 2:07:57 in LA last year was wild (and it still doesn't make sense to me given the low volume he was running) but Richtman was at least 26th at NCAA XC.
Here is Shuley's progression, best I can tell. He's 27 years old:
2014-15: Two-time Kentucky 2A state champ in XC. 2016: Graduates HS with track pbs of 4:14/9:10 (full mile/2-mile). Those are both from his junior year (no results as a HS senior) -- those are pretty strong marks for a HS junior in 2015. 2016-20: Goes to BYU but barely races. Only mark is 8:45 for 3000 in January 2020 -- or 10+ seconds slower than Jane Hedengren. That's at altitude in Provo on a track, but still not very impressive. 2021-24: Only one result during this span: 8:42 for 3k on the JDL Fast Track (flat track) 2025: Surfaces in Japan, runs 2:18 at Nagano Marathon in April. Runs 63:06 half in October, then 2:11 at Kobe Marathon in December. 2026: Runs 61:02 half in Osaka on January 25. Now four weeks later runs 2:07!
So he barely raced at all for almost a decade -- two races from 2016-24. Now 2:18 to 2:11 to 2:07 in the span of 11 months.
Isaac Wood just told me he coaches him. I'm going to call him and get the scoop.
Saw him on Jake’s channel but never imagined he’d run that quick
He ran a 61 minute half around a month ago. Great to see his fitness translate to the marathon.
Great to see him translate his fintess to the marathon?
In what world is 61:01 equal to 2:07? The WA scoring table has it at 2:09:09. John Kellogg's chart has it at like 2:09:45. This was MUCH MUCH better. WA says it's a 60:07 half.
It's the 14th fastest marathon ever run by an American in any race.
Where does Clayton Young, who 2 years ago comfortably was the most fit guy at the US Olympic Trials (despite Mantz getting the win), now sit in the US marathon rankings? Despite the current injury, he has only gotten faster since then too. I don't think by LA28, but Brisbane '32, the US might seriously compete on the men's side
Where does Clayton Young, who 2 years ago comfortably was the most fit guy at the US Olympic Trials (despite Mantz getting the win), now sit in the US marathon rankings? Despite the current injury, he has only gotten faster since then too. I don't think by LA28, but Brisbane '32, the US might seriously compete on the men's side
There are probably going to be a dozen Africans who can run under 2:02 by 2032 (some of whom won’t be competing in the Olympics) so the US men will still likely be a long shot.
