2:09?? Was that the Chicago marathon or the Flying Pig marathon?

Honestly, 2:09 seems a bit slow for a WMM win. It is the same way Meb was able to win NYC and Boston, slow times.

With dozens of Africans breaking 2:06 every year, it's hard to get excited about a 2:09 win for Rupp. Any other American, and I'd be impressed but he's supposed to be a world beater.

Say what you want about conditions, but Dibaba ran 2:18 in the same conditions in her first ever marathon. Beating the female winner by 9 minutes is hardly world class.

Yuki Kawauchi has run faster while holding a full time job.

I give Rupp credit for being extremely consistent and a very dominant American, but he's got a long way to go to challenge the best.

Three world marathon majors (Olympics, Boston, Chicago) and podium finishes in all three events. Looks to me like he is showing up to take on the best in the world.

Sara Palin wrote:

huh??????????? wrote:

I thought it was a great race. It was more interesting than watching 3-4 paid pacers bring a small handful through the first half in 62. I have no problem with the finishing time today, and would not knock Rupp for his winning time. The guy just hung in the middle of the lead pack until about mile 23. It was smart racing today.

That said - I would like to see Rupp run London or Dubai or Berlin next year, where pacers are paid to take everyone through the half in 61-62. Just to see if Rupp can run sub 2:05.

I'm sure these numb skulls will come up for some other excuse to hate Rupp after he beat Halls time.

Rup ran a disciplined race today and finished strong but he's a long, long way off Hall's mark. Meb's would be a good interim goal.

Looking at his splits Rupp just ran fast enough to win. This was a championship style race and not a time trial. He needs to now run the London Marathon time trial in the spring and see how fast he can roll. He has a world major win but now it's time to run fast. If he can run 4:30's at the end like he did today then there no reason he can't run 4:40's in London.

Why oh why do people think that having pacers in any way lessens the quality of the race? You'd rather see a bunch of scrubs hanging around until the same guy who would have won in a fast race wins the slow race anyway? The potential for a fast time doubles the excitement in a marathon.

wikitimes wrote:

Since 1995, Rupp's time of 2:09:20 is only better than 3 other winning times.

2007 - 2:11:11

2015 - 2:09:25

2016 - 2:11:23

Next slowest?

2:08:52 in 1996 and 2001

And when did Chicago get rid of pacers? Oh yeah, starting in 2015:

Seems that's a major contributing factor to slower times in 3/3 years where they've had no pacers.

either that or possibly the number of positive doping tests over the past 5 years have runners scared to use PEDs and thus the times have slowed as only clean runners enter the race.

Houston Marathon winning time was like 2:06 or 2:07 most years recently. 2:09 sucks.

Except for last year when the starting temp was 65 degrees, and the winning time was 2:12. I think it's possible that, even though Chicago wasn't initially as warm as was feared, there was some conservatism among the men not wanting to go out too fast and blow up when it warmed up.

Rupp was already above Pfitz, now he's moved above BJ in my book! (Those of you who don't know who that is, read up on American running history)

Fan of Hall wrote:

Rupp was already above Pfitz, now he's moved above BJ in my book! (Those of you who don't know who that is, read up on American running history)

Billy Jack?

Amazing how many pre-1990 times remain on this list.

SAlly V wrote:

Fan of Hall wrote:

Rupp was already above Pfitz, now he's moved above BJ in my book! (Those of you who don't know who that is, read up on American running history)

Billy Jack?

Garry Bjorklund from Minnesota.

Rainy Day wrote:

With dozens of Africans breaking 2:06 every year, it's hard to get excited.

We now know what they can run undoped and not in perfect weather conditions.

(Like the Olympics)

For the millionth time, Rupp is running pretty fast if it's 1974.

As he is the best current American marathoner, that pretty much spells out the state of American marathoning.

Those ain't no fancy hi-tech Nike shoes, but I do see the insoles have stayed in place:

http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/ian-thompson-of-great-britain-winning-the-marathon-during-the-in-picture-id456014574

Excluding Boston, a point-to-point course that can't be considered for record purposes, the revised list of the top 9 American (citizen) performers are:

1. Khalid Khannouchi—2:05:38, London Marathon, 2002

2. Ryan Hall—2:06:17, London Marathon, 2008

3. Dathan Ritzenhein—2:07:47, Chicago Marathon, 2012

4. Abdi Abdirahman—2:08:56, Chicago Marathon, 2006

5. Meb Keflezighi—2:09:15, New York Marathon

5. Galen Rupp—2:09:20, Chicago Marathon, 2017

6. David Morris—2:09:32, Chicago Marathon, 1999

7. Jerry Lawson—2:09:35, Chicago Marathon, 1997

8. Ken Martin—2:09:38, New York City Marathon, 1989

9. Alan Culpepper—2:09:41, Chicago Marathon, 2002

Corrections appreciated.

Salazar ran 2:09.41 at his first NYC win.

Thank you. That's the oldest of the top 10.

Revised:

1. Khalid Khannouchi—2:05:38, London, 2002

2. Ryan Hall—2:06:17, London, 2008

3. Dathan Ritzenhein—2:07:47, Chicago, 2012

4. Abdi Abdirahman—2:08:56, Chicago, 2006

5. Meb Keflezighi—2:09:15, New York, 2009

5. Galen Rupp—2:09:20, Chicago , 2017

6. David Morris—2:09:32, Chicago, 1999

7. Jerry Lawson—2:09:35, Chicago, 1997

8. Ken Martin—2:09:38, New York, 1989

9. Alan Culpepper—2:09:41, Chicago, 2002

9. Alberto Salazar—2:09:41, New York, 1980

Dick Beardsley 2:09:37 in Duluth