Japanese aren't too keen on outsiders. I don't think you'd get an appearance fee if you weren't a top 20 type runner or Japanese.
Japanese aren't too keen on outsiders. I don't think you'd get an appearance fee if you weren't a top 20 type runner or Japanese.
Appearance fee??? That wasn't the question. I run 2:3x and that doesn't get me any appearance fees in the US either. Gets me comped entries and entries after races have filled and such, but no money.
I won't ever make the Trials and I compete only for fun. I've run several races abroad because that's always more fun, and now that I've improved enough and the Fukuoka entry bar has been lowered enough I actually want to run it. Hence my question. Is there anything I don't know about this race?
It was part of it, you just don't realize it. Most people who visit this site would assume that those with the most interest in the level of competition that Fukuoka provides are more in the 2:10-2:25 range. That's not to say that those slower than 2:25 wouldn't be interested. A trip to Japan is big $$, at least twice what a trip to NYC or Boston would cost. Without someone comp'ing those expenses for runners, they aren't keen on doing that on their own dime. Most in your demographic (along with faster US runners) can get plenty enough competition in Boston, LA, NYC, TCM, CIM and even London, Berlin, and Rotterdam and spend a lot less to travel there than heading out to Japan. There probably isn't much that you don't know about the race, in particular, just about how attractive it is to the lean competition in the US, and how eager Americans in general are to travel overseas to lands with (for them) strange people speaking strange languages and eating strange foods feeds into that.
Definitely cost is a huge issue. Not too mention getting used to an eleven hour or so time change. It's not easy to get to Japan from too many places that have a lot of runners.
Reebok knows Fernando Cabada is an extraordinary runner and is worth every penny spent to be in Japan. As far as time difference, it's 17 hours and he's been there since Chiba and has adjusted as best he can. I hope you guys are wishing him well. After all he is representing USA. Gooooooooo Cabada
Yes, definitely, but Reebok, Brooks, Loco, or even Vitruvian unfortunately won't be sending Spiny Norman over.
Try harder, you never know there's always next year.
Homebodies wrote:
Americans don't like to travel beyond their borders.
That is why the United States is full of hicks/rednecks!!!
Ritz is a joke. Marathon debut of 2:14 or so. Bob Kempainen ran 2:12.12 as a marathon debut.
2:09:41
Was Bob Kempainen 23? Yeah, I didn't think so deusch bag. Count how many guys 23 or younger have ran faster than Ritz on the NYC course, then call Ritz a joke. I think there are maybe 2 Americans ever.
irun wrote:
Was Bob Kempainen 23? Yeah, I didn't think so deusch bag. Count how many guys 23 or younger have ran faster than Ritz on the NYC course, then call Ritz a joke. I think there are maybe 2 Americans ever.
Kempainen was not 23 but was in medical school. All Ritz does is run...And still not even Abdi or Meb can run faster than 2:08.47...And all they do is just run!!! Either way, Abdi and Meb are better than Ritz.
As soon as they have a perfect day with a 20 mile an hour tailwind is when they will run faster than Kempanain. It would be important to duplicate the same conditions that Bob had. For a point of reference what was Bob's second best time at the distance and where was it run?
DING DING DING wrote:
As soon as they have a perfect day with a 20 mile an hour tailwind is when they will run faster than Kempanain. It would be important to duplicate the same conditions that Bob had. For a point of reference what was Bob's second best time at the distance and where was it run?
From there he went to run the L.A. marathon, ran like 2:11 for 2nd place on rainy and windy Los Angeles day. Still faster than Ritz.
Ritz will run faster than Kempainen. Just think of how much stronger Ritzenhein is going to get in the next 7 - 8 years. Ritz is also finally having some consistent training without any injuries or illnesses, so his rate of improvement is probably going to be more steady, as long as he stays healthy. I wouldn't be surprised to see Ritzenhein run a low 2:08 on a Chicago-type course by the time he is done with running.
irun wrote:
Ritz will run faster than Kempainen. Just think of how much stronger Ritzenhein is going to get in the next 7 - 8 years. Ritz is also finally having some consistent training without any injuries or illnesses, so his rate of improvement is probably going to be more steady, as long as he stays healthy. I wouldn't be surprised to see Ritzenhein run a low 2:08 on a Chicago-type course by the time he is done with running.
If Abdi or Meb can't do it, there is not way in hell Ritz will. Ritz might have fast track times but that doesn't mean anything with 42.2km. Ritz still has to run faster than 2:08.47...And he has a long way to go!!!
irun wrote:
Ritz will run faster than Kempainen. Just think of how much stronger Ritzenhein is going to get in the next 7 - 8 years. Ritz is also finally having some consistent training without any injuries or illnesses, so his rate of improvement is probably going to be more steady, as long as he stays healthy. I wouldn't be surprised to see Ritzenhein run a low 2:08 on a Chicago-type course by the time he is done with running.
I hope you are right, I am rooting for him and US running in general. If I were to bet on it I think there is more chance of him getting his injury prone body hurt over and over producing a long term weaker ritz, not stronger.
Dang I'm good, I called it. I said Cabada would run 2:12-2:13 and that's exactly what he ran.
Well, Fukuoka has strict cut-off times. You need to run faster than 2:45h pace. The man with the red flag checks every 5km.
Sadly happened to me today, after 27k it was rien ne va plus. Still within the pace by 1 min and passing 25k they pulled me out between check points.
Otherwise it's a very well organised race. Organisers have great attention to detail, very impressive. It's one of those rare classic races. Lake Biwa or Beppu Oita have similiar qualification standards.
BTW A top performance by Fernando Cabada, well done. Hard to understand that there are mixed views. A very brave attempt to run in Fukuoka, he could have waited and signed for a top US marathon. Can only be good for US distance running, good to see new names like Cabada following a different path and closing in on the more established US runners.
2:14low @NYCM = 2:12whatever @ Fukuoka