Official 2017 London Marathon Live Discussion Thread

kmaclam wrote:

Rigid wrote:

Wanjiru is a skeleton

Yeah, at the finish he kinda went to flex but nary a hint of a bicep and that's with near zero body fat!

Really hard to imagine a sub 2 after watching this. Gutsy race, stacked field, perfect conditions. They went out in an ambitious pace and struggled to run under 2:06

yyy wrote:

it was an incredibly exciting race. Then it doesn't matter that everyone

is 2 min slower than expected. How were the conditions today?

Absolutely agree, but some of that excitement has got to be the Bekele factor. I don't think I would have found that race nearly as exciting if it had been say...Lilesa or Karoki that had dropped back and were trying to make it back. I wouldn't really give them a chance. Bekele is special though!

DQ for bad communication wrote:

kstvbh wrote:

Was Bekele's 2:03.03 a fluke? Never to be approached again?

Or is he still combatting injury or whatever?

Would have broken the WR in Dubai if he hadn't been trampled.

If grandma had balls she would be grandpa.

Bekele looked so pissed, didn't even raise his arms for the photo

Duuhhh wrote:

DQ for bad communication wrote:

Would have broken the WR in Dubai if he hadn't been trampled.

If grandma had balls she would be grandpa.

0/10

I wonder if Mary and Dibaba will break 2:17 in Berlin off better pacing. Clearly it is an even faster course than London and that suicidal pace for the first 10k....

I wish that idiot woman commentator would stop talking about Bekele's "bad patch."

He didn't slow down and come back in terms of pace. He just didn't go with the pace that others took and couldn't sustain.

Everyone else died and massively positive split.

EthiopianKing wrote:

What you guys fail to notice is that London is a HARD HARD course.

Kenny has always had a hard time at this course. It took a lot out of him.

I think he himself underestimated the course.

You wanna do fast time, dont come to London.

Had he run the race to win it, he would have done.

He paid for going for fast time.

BUT BUT, it is still breath taking he managed to come back from that after dropping like a stone through water

says a lot about his talent. really

Agreed. But still a good result - well over half a minute faster than last year!

What can Mary do with sensible pacing?

Rigid wrote:

Really hard to imagine a sub 2 after watching this. Gutsy race, stacked field, perfect conditions. They went out in an ambitious pace and struggled to run under 2:06

I also can't imagine it, but, the women went out faster and still came in shockingly fast. Yet, on the other hand, that might illuminate that womens' performances are still getting faster at a faster rate than mens'.

El Keniano wrote:

What can Mary do with sensible pacing?

I'd like to see her try in Berlin with male pacers.

elmore345 wrote:

Non elite first British man back in 2.14.49. W Champs standard!

Josh Griffiths Swansea Harriers - his first Marathon

First Brit back was a non elite - first time marathon, 2.14.49, should qualify for world champs!

El Keniano wrote:

What can Mary do with sensible pacing?

Pretty fkin fast. I think you have to at least consider sub 2:16 given this was in London to boot. Paula looks like she might have the first legitimate challenger for her record.

2:15 in sight?

What an AWESOME race!!! The women's and the men's. Super exciting to see Bekele come back from behind, and come close to Wanjiru. Wanjiru just had too much gas at the end, Bekele was pushing hard for so long he couldn't close it. Hats off to Wanjiru and Bekele!

Bekele must have run about 4:20-22

And Dibaba without that stomach cramp and with a few more marathon under her belt. Remember, she's just 31.