Anyone else notice Kipchoge looked shaken in post race interview? Blames ear blockage, Kipchoge shook!

zxcvzxcv wrote:

10 celsius with rain and wind would not make Boston-like conditions quite, but not surprising to totally shake up the race. Kenyans often do poorly in these sorts of conditions, and that opened the door for Hall in her race.

But the point that many people are making that the people who beat (destroyed?) Kipchoge on the course were all also African runners, Ethiopian's and fellow Kenyan's. By your logic, the gap between Kipchoge/African's and Western runners like Moen, Scullion and Herzog (who broke the Austrian marathon record in these conditions btw) would have been bigger under warmer conditions with less wind/rain, but the top 8 would have placed quite similarly, unless they individually perform better/worse in cool vs hot conditions.

I see no reason to disbelief Kipchoge when he blames pain in his ear, because he understands the runners ahead of him had exactly the same conditions and also grew up in Africa. I don't understand why so many people here blame conditions for him losing to 7 other runners who were ALL African. This is not similar to Boston, where Des Linden and Sarah Sellers just decimated a field of African runners, because in London it was still the people who were expected to be at the front competing with each other for the win.

He’s human. Actually, it’s remarkable that he hasn’t had more. Excited to see his next race.

Well...... wrote:

I don't find it any coincidence that the winner was the best prepared clothing wise for the conditions. When you are at this level with such small margins, it can make the difference.

I noticed this, but it didn't sink in until your post. Kipchoge wore a baggy singlet and arm warmers at the end. Kitata wore a t-shirt, arm warmers, and a thick headband.

Still, I think it was a combination of ear infection (low grade cold), hypothermia, and missing his energy drinks. It's not like he totally bonked. He was only a minute or so behind the winner.

He actually had a hat on (it was a bit hard to see because the top looked like hair). Not a cap, a hat made of nike material.

He had 3 tops on.

Bill Rodgers had an inner ear infection at Fukuoka in '77 and it messed with his balance. He still won.

Dope Hardstrong wrote:

Bill Rodgers had an inner ear infection at Fukuoka in '77 and it messed with his balance. He still won.

idc

Elite runners can actually have more trouble with the cold. Lower body mass and improved running economy means that they create and retain less heat.

If Bekele raced everyone here would be saying Kipchoge made excuse because he dodn't want to get best by Bekele just like they said Bekele made excuse for deopping out!!

I felt bad for him. Dude has been so reliable since 2013. I hope he goes strong for gold next year and hangs it up while he's on top.

Dope Hardstrong wrote:

Bill Rodgers had an inner ear infection at Fukuoka in '77 and it messed with his balance. He still won.

But Bill Rodgers ran a 2:10:55 in Fukuoka and not a 2:06:xx

KT1 wrote:

Rainy Day wrote:

I’ve run in very similar conditions. When you are wet and exhausted at that temperature, it’s easy to get very cold. During the race was fine, but once I finished I was shaking like crazy.

+1

40 some degrees and raining equals hypothermia after 2 hours. I once ran a 5k in those conditions, steady rain and low 40s, and I could not feel anything for an hour after the race and shook uncontrollably. I can’t imagine that for 2 hours.

He ran 2:03 in similar conditions at Berlin 2 or 3 years ago.

He's still one of the best and isn't afraid of competition. I wonder of Bekele wishes he was there today

ultrawalker wrote:

Since when was 12*c ever considered too cold for running that's perfect temperature, any runner would take today's weather over a sunny 20*c day for a race/time trial.. whoever says this is the worst day of the season so far for running clearly isn't much of a runner.

Why are you arguing with posters who were actually out there running in that weather.

I see you have now made the temp 12 deg.

In fact while I was watching, the weather app indicated 10 deg with a 'feels like' 6 deg

2:06:49.

Maybe I'm just getting old, but I remember when that was NOT a shi**y time.

The man had a cold, got hypothermia, and had an ear problem. And ran faster than all but two American marathoners (Hall and Khannouchi) have ever run.

He'll be back.

Forget Bekele. I bet Farah's kicking himself right now for not entering as a competitor cuz the race literally couldn't have been better for him.

My thoughts on the ear thing: The ear blockage could be cerumen impaction, which is essentially ear wax buildup. If you have a lot of wax and water gets in your ear from a shower, pool, or in this case rain then it does indeed cause a ‘blockage.’ This isn’t painful, but try talking, walking, running, or racing with one finger plugging your ear. It is a very strange feeling and can greatly impact equilibrium.

Yes, other Kenyans did better, but they all ran slower than their best and individuals deal differently with conditions like that. Kipchoge's obviously not a cold rain type runner.

KIPCHOGE IS DONE.

MAGAKAG

The cold probably didn’t help. Some of the men and even the winners in the women’s race mentioned they struggled a lot during the final miles due to the weather.