JAinNE wrote:
Really... so many haters. Ryan is the best marathoner in American history. His debut, trials win, great efforts at London and Boston. Come on folks. The guy runs at the front and is a solid human being. Go get them Ryan!
A hater wishes ill will on someone. Those of us continually disappointed with Halls results aren't haters. We're just not able to summon the anticipation anymore. Hopefully he'll do well. But I can't get my hopes up and neither can you.
NJ Possible wrote:
But I can't get my hopes up and neither can you.
Of course we can.
With 'haters' I meant that in general many people seem to discount what he's done.
As far as best American, I'm a big Joanie, Bill, Alberto, Khalid fan. Khalid especially NEVER gets his due. But the fields then weren't what they are now. Hall's efforts during a race are remarkable. He does what many can't... goes to the front early, charges back if gap'd, and finishes consistently high in big fields.
Even Kenyans have bad days, DNS, DNF - look at London last week. Running sub 2:08's even once means everything is working. Doing so repeatedly is what 'greatness' is.
JAinNE wrote:
With 'haters' I meant that in general many people seem to discount what he's done.
As far as best American, I'm a big Joanie, Bill, Alberto, Khalid fan. Khalid especially NEVER gets his due. But the fields then weren't what they are now. Hall's efforts during a race are remarkable. He does what many can't... goes to the front early, charges back if gap'd, and finishes consistently high in big fields.
Even Kenyans have bad days, DNS, DNF - look at London last week. Running sub 2:08's even once means everything is working. Doing so repeatedly is what 'greatness' is.
Hall is a huge talent. If he gets back near where he was that would be fantastic to see and great for the American marathon scene. Without a healthy Hall we are reduced to hoping that Rupp will decide to make the jump sooner rather than later and/or that Meb never ages.
Wishing Hall all the best.
Oh, and there have been no haters on this thread.
Wish him all the best.
You have to evaluate people based on when they ran. When shorter ran his PR, he was 1:02 off of the WR. Hall was more than double that.
Khannouchi, Shorter, then Hall, then Rodgers for the top four, IMO.
Salazar or Edelen?
Men who twice finished in the top 4 in Olympic marathons:
Abebe Bikila
Eric Wainaina
Frank Shorter
Jon Brown
Karel Lismont
Mamo Wolde
Meb Keflezighi
Takeyuki Nakayama
Waldemar Cierpinski
Men who did it in Olympics held 8 years apart:
Meb Keflezighi
Make of that what you will.
jsquire wrote:
Men who twice finished in the top 4 in Olympic marathons:
Abebe Bikila
Eric Wainaina
Frank Shorter
Jon Brown
Karel Lismont
Mamo Wolde
Meb Keflezighi
Takeyuki Nakayama
Waldemar Cierpinski
Men who did it in Olympics held 8 years apart:
Meb Keflezighi
Make of that what you will.
the olympics are every 4 years bro
lilma ruffus wrote:
jsquire wrote:Men who twice finished in the top 4 in Olympic marathons:
Abebe Bikila
Eric Wainaina
Frank Shorter
Jon Brown
Karel Lismont
Mamo Wolde
Meb Keflezighi
Takeyuki Nakayama
Waldemar Cierpinski
Men who did it in Olympics held 8 years apart:
Meb Keflezighi
Make of that what you will.
the olympics are every 4 years bro
He just meant not in consecutive Olympics.
Wishing Ryan Hall the best! With a PR of 2:04 he is probably the only American that can hang with the leaders in a fast race.
No he's not. You just have shitty reading comprehension. Good luck improving.
peekay wrote:
Somehow this does not seem like something that I can wrap my mind around.
Maybe it is because I can't even remember the last time he ran a marathon. Maybe it is because all the focus has been on London up to now.
Just seems like it won't happen.
2:04:58 with a strong tailwind. Maybe a 2:06:30-2:07 that day with no aid. Call a spade a spade. Still a legitimate 2:06:17 in London.
Wishing Ryan Hall the best! With a PR of 2:04 he is probably the only American that can hang with the leaders in a fast race.[/quote]
Based on (after the fact) doping info, Shorter is in truth a double Olympic gold medalist.
For me, that makes him the best American marathoner ever.
I'm dismissive of the idea that today's best guys are so superior. It's apples and oranges to some degree.
For example, I think you can make a case that Emil Zatopek was the best distance runner ever.
I would really like to see him run a great marathon. Yes, he seems like a head case sometimes, but he does have the gift. Doubtful that he reads this, but I do wish he'd tuck in behind Meb or other front runners and wait until the hills in Newton to start racing. Both at past Bostons and the last OT he ran way too aggressively in the first half and couldn't pull off a win. He's got so much talent but doesn't have Meb's head for racing.
lilma ruffus wrote:
jsquire wrote:Men who twice finished in the top 4 in Olympic marathons:
Abebe Bikila
Eric Wainaina
Frank Shorter
Jon Brown
Karel Lismont
Mamo Wolde
Meb Keflezighi
Takeyuki Nakayama
Waldemar Cierpinski
Men who did it in Olympics held 8 years apart:
Meb Keflezighi
Make of that what you will.
the olympics are every 4 years bro
hilarious