Official 2017 London Marathon Live Discussion Thread

All the WMM marathons have decided that only 3 pacers are allowed per group. However, last year a pacer dropped out really quickly. This might be a way to kind of circumvent that rule by having the 4th pacer be at the back and when one of the other pacers falls off he might step in.

YG wrote:

iRunfastXC wrote:

That's exciting to hear.

Your Mom.

Perhaps you thought I was being sarcastic.

I'm being serious. The elites run their best when it's freezing.

Keitany thru 25K still on WR pace

1 KEITANY, Mary (KEN) 102 18-39 02:14:32 11:29:32 +00:00 01:19:43

2 KIPROP, Helah (KEN) 108 18-39 02:16:22 11:31:23 +01:06 01:20:48

3 DIBABA, Tirunesh (ETH) 107 18-39 02:16:27 11:31:27 +01:09 01:20:51

4 MERGIA, Aselefech (ETH) 103 18-39 02:16:27 11:31:28 +01:09 01:20:51

She is slowing down, though. Here 5k splits:

5K splits for Keitany so far

15:31-15:46-15:58-16:11-16:17

Bekele looks ominously comfortable. Like Kipchoge did last year. With his speed finishing, I wouldn't rule out 2:03 or lower.

Looks can be deceiving 40 minutes into the race though

Sam wrote:

Just when you thought it couldn't get any more boring... Women's wheelchairs!

I thought that until I just saw one of them with a perfect ass with a big sweat line down the back, mmmmm

Victor Alexander wrote:

All the WMM marathons have decided that only 3 pacers are allowed per group. However, last year a pacer dropped out really quickly. This might be a way to kind of circumvent that rule by having the 4th pacer be at the back and when one of the other pacers falls off he might step in.

That is way too sensible to be true.

My money's on he's got a weapon of some kind, like an electric shock buzzer and if they don't stay ahead of him he'll zap them.

The main male pack looks very comfortable, every last one of them. No one is struggling at the moment.

Maybe the weather conditions are just that perfect.

Have to say. Very disappointed that Kichoge skipped the London Marathon to do the Nike sponsored fiasco. With Bekele is on form it would have been a special race.

Money talks though.

Didn't Keitany have a pretty epic meltdown/slowdown at NY after a rather ill-advised start? Hopefully she's learned how to avoid that.

jflo wrote:

Have to say. Very disappointed that Kichoge skipped the London Marathon to do the Nike sponsored fiasco. With Bekele is on form it would have been a special race.

Money talks though.

Both Bekele and Kipchoge managed by Hermans who's a master at avoiding the matchups and milking he dollars. Kipchoge getting close to half a million from Nike to skip London.

rolling, rolling, rolling wrote:

Didn't Keitany have a pretty epic meltdown/slowdown at NY after a rather ill-advised start?

Déjà vu.

Lead men at 15K. They slowed way down. Splits: 14:11-14:40-14:49

1 KIBET, Stephen (KEN)Pacemaker 50 18-39 02:02:48 12:02:48 +00:00 00:43:40

2 BEKELE, Kenenisa (ETH) 1 18-39 02:02:48 12:02:48 +00:01 00:43:40

3 GACHAGA, Morris (KEN)Pacemaker 51 18-39 02:02:49 12:02:49 +00:01 00:43:40

4 REGASSA, Tilahun (ETH) 7 18-39 02:02:49 12:02:49 +00:01 00:43:40

5 LOTIANG, John (KEN)Pacemaker 54 18-39 02:02:49 12:02:49 +00:01 00:43:40

6 GHEBRESLASSIE, Ghirmay (ERI) 8 18-39 02:02:50 12:02:50 +00:01 00:43:40

7 MENGSTU, Asefa (ETH) 10 18-39 02:02:50 12:02:50 +00:01 00:43:40

8 WANJIRU, Daniel (KEN) 6 18-39 02:02:51 12:02:51 +00:01 00:43:41

9 KAROKI, Bedan (KEN) 35 18-39 02:02:53 12:02:53 +00:02 00:43:41

10 KIRUI, Abel (KEN) 5 18-39 02:02:54 12:02:54 +00:02 00:43:42

11 MESEL, Amanuel (ERI) 9 18-39 02:02:54 12:02:54 +00:02 00:43:42

12 LILESA, Feyisa (ETH) 4 18-39 02:02:54 12:02:54 +00:03 00:43:42

13 BIRECH, Cosmas (KEN)Pacemaker 55 18-39 02:02:56 12:02:56 +00:03 00:43:43

14 ABERA, Tesfaye (ETH) 3 18-39 02:04:50 12:04:50 +00:44 00:44:23

15 KIPYEGO, Barselius (KEN)Pacemaker 53 18-39 02:05:08 12:05:08 +00:50 00:44:29

16 SIMBU, Alphonce (TAN) 11 18-39 02:05:09 12:05:09 +00:51 00:44:30

17 TEWELDE, Tsegai (GBR) 21 18-39 02:07:19 12:07:19 +01:37 00:45:16

rolling, rolling, rolling wrote:

Didn't Keitany have a pretty epic meltdown/slowdown at NY after a rather ill-advised start? Hopefully she's learned how to avoid that.

Yes, in 2011. Here's what we wrote at the time.

5:17 last mile, they aren't going to catch her if she keeps it under 5:30's

Hegbeis wrote:

jflo wrote:

Have to say. Very disappointed that Kichoge skipped the London Marathon to do the Nike sponsored fiasco. With Bekele is on form it would have been a special race.

Money talks though.

Both Bekele and Kipchoge managed by Hermans who's a master at avoiding the matchups and milking he dollars. Kipchoge getting close to half a million from Nike to skip London.

Yeah. I'd take the money too...without question actually.

Pobre Vivi. She's hit a wall.

@Jonathan

where do you get the splits?

Maybe I spoke too soon, Dibaba & Kiprop could work together Dibaba especially looks great