We keep asking this question and posing this criticism without any real clue or will as to a better way forward. The LRC braintrust can do little more than spin its wheels and grind its axe.
I suspect you trolling, however, bear in mind everyone sucks. Who are the Japanese, german, UK, runners winning Boston? So everyone sucks except east Africa? Because technically we appear to be the 2nd best marathoners around? Outside east africa? So, no we dont suck, by definition.
I think if you word this differently you’re right. The reason why we will never be great at the marathon is because we only care about being “Top American”. That attitude doesn’t do anything for us. It’s pretty limiting, especially when you get so many kudos for being so far behind the leaders.
it’s hard because we need to build up our marathon squads mentally but having the top American thing holds us back. I don’t genuinely think the US marathoners think they can win majors. I think you need to be crazy enough to think you can win. Nothing wrong with it just needs to be an undying belief.
We keep asking this question and posing this criticism without any real clue or will as to a better way forward. The LRC braintrust can do little more than spin its wheels and grind its axe.
83 sub-2:20 & 236 under 2:28. The comments are clear that 1) it was a perfect day for running (cool temps + tailwind) & 2) almost everybody fast in the US did the Boston Marathon in the spring every year.
I think a lot of solid runners are choosing different spring marathons and that traveling longer distances to race is more more common now than it was in 1983. I agree that running talent was stacked back then but I'm not sure the gap is as big as people think it is, if there is one at all.
133 US male runners went under 2:20 last year & 326 men went under 2:28. If you look at where people ran those marks, it's all over the place. 128 men under 2:28 so far in 2023. If numbers get close to last year then another 200 men will run that time between now & December 31st. A lot of people are running fast at other races.
I haven't run under 2:28 but I have run 2:30s & I feel like I do Boston once every 3-4 years.
We keep asking this question and posing this criticism without any real clue or will as to a better way forward. The LRC braintrust can do little more than spin its wheels and grind its axe.
83 sub-2:20 & 236 under 2:28. The comments are clear that 1) it was a perfect day for running (cool temps + tailwind) & 2) almost everybody fast in the US did the Boston Marathon in the spring every year.
I think a lot of solid runners are choosing different spring marathons and that traveling longer distances to race is more more common now than it was in 1983. I agree that running talent was stacked back then but I'm not sure the gap is as big as people think it is, if there is one at all.
133 US male runners went under 2:20 last year & 326 men went under 2:28. If you look at where people ran those marks, it's all over the place. 128 men under 2:28 so far in 2023. If numbers get close to last year then another 200 men will run that time between now & December 31st. A lot of people are running fast at other races.
I haven't run under 2:28 but I have run 2:30s & I feel like I do Boston once every 3-4 years.
With supershoes, the standard has meaningfully moved. Nike American Eagle, Terra TC, or Mariah in '83, VF/AF (or equivalent from other brands) in '23. Faster marks should explode with supershoes, as evidenced by far more qualifiers than expected in Atlanta. Not sure where that line falls, but it's definitely faster than 2:20/2:28 now. Absolutely, Boston '83 was a perfect storm unlike '23. There's no denying that there are certainly more options now, there's a larger number and dispersal of opportunities.
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