How convenient that the “most competitive era of american distance running” coincides perfectly with the introduction of bouncy shoe mania. Oh well, hope I didn’t ruin your day.
It started before that. I'd say roughly 2011/2012 was the front edge of it with Rupp and Centrowitz, then Evan Jager in 2016. No bouncy shoes for those medals. Not much was going well for Americans in the 1990's and first decade of the 2000's. Hall looked like a freak because he was the only one doing much of anything, and yet what he was doing isn't any better than what multiple people have done in the past several years. We've got 4 different men finish in the top 9 of the olympics from 2016-2024 (3 olympic games). From 1980-2012 (a whopping 9 olympic games) only two men did it, Meb and Ritz. In 2000 only one american was even qualified, and that was back when the qualifying standard was pathetic.
With the exception of Ward (and of course, Eyestone), every single one of those times were run post bouncy shoes.
How convenient that the “most competitive era of american distance running” coincides perfectly with the introduction of bouncy shoe mania. Oh well, hope I didn’t ruin your day.
The competitive bar has been raised and training has evolved, BUT there absolutely needs to be a supershoe adjustment to Eyestone on that list. He probably "bounces" up to mid-list at least with the necessary technology adjustment.
Using 3% boost from the shoes, that places Eyestone at #5 ahead of Clinger and high 2:07
Interesting. Name one common element (with the exception of Eyestone and, maybe Ward) that links all these times?
You think it's 'super shoes' but it's they're all part of the most competitive era of american distance running. We're not getting our doors blown off in every indoor/outdoor/road race. When I was growing up any track race or road race was east africans, a massive gap, and then some other people. Now there are Americans in the mix, winning medals, even gold medals.
Not in the marathon, which is the subject of this thread. Americans were much more competitive in the marathon in the 1970s and early 1980s.
Interesting. Name one common element (with the exception of Eyestone and, maybe Ward) that links all these times?
You think it's 'super shoes' but it's they're all part of the most competitive era of american distance running. We're not getting our doors blown off in every indoor/outdoor/road race. When I was growing up any track race or road race was east africans, a massive gap, and then some other people. Now there are Americans in the mix, winning medals, even gold medals.
This. It wasn’t that long ago that we were watching like maybe one US guy make it to the 1500 and 5000 finals and getting like 7th-15th place. Obviously there were outliers like Rupp and Centro, but the depth the US has from 800-10000 is unprecedented in the modern(post 80s) era. I guess the shoes only work for us.
It started before that. I'd say roughly 2011/2012 was the front edge of it with Rupp and Centrowitz, then Evan Jager in 2016. No bouncy shoes for those medals. Not much was going well for Americans in the 1990's and first decade of the 2000's. Hall looked like a freak because he was the only one doing much of anything, and yet what he was doing isn't any better than what multiple people have done in the past several years. We've got 4 different men finish in the top 9 of the olympics from 2016-2024 (3 olympic games). From 1980-2012 (a whopping 9 olympic games) only two men did it, Meb and Ritz. In 2000 only one american was even qualified, and that was back when the qualifying standard was pathetic.
With the exception of Ward (and of course, Eyestone), every single one of those times were run post bouncy shoes.
Also the exception that BYU had ZERO top team finishes in the 20 years before the shoes, and three in the less than a decade since. So they've had better runners recently than the previous 20+ years. I imagine that helps a lot.
Top 10 All-Time BYU Marathoners (updated) 1. Conner Mantz - 2:04.43 2. Rory Linkletter - 2:07.02 3. Clayton Young - 2:07.04 4. Ethan Shuley - 2:07.14 5. Casey Clinger - 2:08.43 6. Jared Ward - 2:09.25 7. Nico Montanez - 2:09.55 8. Christian Allen - 2:09.57 9. Aidan Troutner - 2:10.23 10. Ed Eyestone - 2:10.59
other notables:
11. Paul Cummings — 2:11:31 12. Conner McMillan — 2:12:07 13. Jake Heslington Heslington – 2:13:51 / 1:04:22 ( I think training in Flagstaff) 14. Jaquavious Harris - 2:13:52 (trains with the Provo people, coached by Isaac Woods I think) 15. Conner Weaver – 2:13:56 16. Josh Rohatinsky — 2:15:22 / 1:01:55 half 17. Habtamu (Habtu) Cheney — 2:15:43 / 1:03:19 half (trains with the Provo people, I think coached by Isaac Wood) 18. Adam Wood — 2:16:59 19. Conner Peloquin – 2:17:02 20. Michael Ottesen — 2:18:55 / 1:03:47 half 21. Danny Carney – 2:22:22 / 1:03:41 half
The Thompons (Creed/Davin) may be on this list at some time. Miss anyone?
Good marathoners no doubt, but at least Cheney and Harris never actually ran for BYU AFAIK (though they've associated with BYU alumni post-collegiately).
Jaquavious Harris and Habtamu Cheney didn't run for BYU but train in Provo I believe.
Correct. Harris attended Oklahoma City then SLCC. Cheney ran for Central Arizona College then Utah Valley.
Harris ran for the BYU farm team when Isaac Wood was the coach. They tried to move him up to the varsity but he was out of eligibility. He then went to Oklahoma City and SLCC..
Correct. Harris attended Oklahoma City then SLCC. Cheney ran for Central Arizona College then Utah Valley.
Harris ran for the BYU farm team when Isaac Wood was the coach. They tried to move him up to the varsity but he was out of eligibility. He then went to Oklahoma City and SLCC..
I love the fact that BYU has a farm team.
That tells me everything I need to know about the program.
I've also had the pleasure of meeting Coach and I can see why people want to run for him.
To be fair though eyestone has said before that he felt he didn’t reach his potential in the marathon and that he was certain he was in low 2:06 shape- for sure once, maybe a couple times throughout his career
You think it's 'super shoes' but it's they're all part of the most competitive era of american distance running. We're not getting our doors blown off in every indoor/outdoor/road race. When I was growing up any track race or road race was east africans, a massive gap, and then some other people. Now there are Americans in the mix, winning medals, even gold medals.
This. It wasn’t that long ago that we were watching like maybe one US guy make it to the 1500 and 5000 finals and getting like 7th-15th place. Obviously there were outliers like Rupp and Centro, but the depth the US has from 800-10000 is unprecedented in the modern(post 80s) era. I guess the shoes only work for us.
So why are only bouncy-shoe times on that list (minus Eyestone of course)? Just looked up Ward’s time and he ran it in 2019 which makes it a bouncy-shoe time as well - Lol!
To be fair though eyestone has said before that he felt he didn’t reach his potential in the marathon and that he was certain he was in low 2:06 shape- for sure once, maybe a couple times throughout his career
Well Ed would have had to be in world record shape then, and so I would take that with a grain of salt. I doubt that Ed was in world record shape, but who knows? People can think what they want.
How convenient that the “most competitive era of american distance running” coincides perfectly with the introduction of bouncy shoe mania. Oh well, hope I didn’t ruin your day.
I must've missed the memo about super shoes only helping Americans...
How convenient that the “most competitive era of american distance running” coincides perfectly with the introduction of bouncy shoe mania. Oh well, hope I didn’t ruin your day.
I must've missed the memo about super shoes only helping Americans...
Lol! You start following marathon running this morning? Even Mantz’ 2:04 is barely in the top 90 all-time. All but 12 times ahead of his are, you guessed it, bouncy-shoe times. And since Mantz has the AR, there are zero American times ahead of his. Yes, in the history of marathon-running, the US has only produced the 87th fastest marathon time. So, this is your memo I guess.