Official 2019 Tokyo Marathon Discussion Thread

Congrats to Ruti Aga for finally winning a big one!

telecran wrote:

Phantasy Star wrote:

Doped winner. Who engineered this guy? Rosa? Hermens? Whatever. Congrats to my clean Japanese comrades.

Legit looked like he had just finished a training jog. Not even tired. What a joke.

Meanwhile the Japanese runners are collapsing as they cross the finish line.

rojo wrote:

It blows my mind. There is a great women's race going on and they don't show it.

Well, women are not equal to men in athletic ability. Why should I get excited about someone finishing at 2:21 when there are letsrunners making fun of guys finishing in 2:15.

Ruti Aga finally wins a WMM in 2:20:40, super impressive in these conditions

Helen Tola 2:21:01 PB (old 2:22:48), just as impressive

Japs best years behind? wrote:

After their best year ever last year are the Japanese now going downhill? Looks like they won't have anyone run under 2:09 this year. Just like USA!

Nah, combination of weather and blowing up from the pace. I still think 6-7 guys ran sub 2:13. The USA does not have 6 sub-2:13 guys right now.

Demise 2:21:05

Florence Kiplagat 2:21:50, that's a big return to form especially in these conditions

imbeingian wrote:

I wonder how many U.S guys would qualify for the trials if they had a similar system? Sub 2:11 two race average doesn't seem possible for anybody but rupp, and sub 2:11 in new york or boston and top 3 american men also doesn't seem possible for anybody but rupp.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the US trials would consist of a Galen Rupp solo victory lap if the US had the same qualifying standards as Japan.

Mao Ichiyama 2:24:33 Debut, 33 seconds off of qualifying for MGC. Because this was not a qualifying race for the women (next week in Nagoya is), there were harder standards than usual. In Nagoya, top 3 qualify with sub 2:28 and next 3 with sub 2:27

ZidaneValor wrote:

imbeingian wrote:

I wonder how many U.S guys would qualify for the trials if they had a similar system? Sub 2:11 two race average doesn't seem possible for anybody but rupp, and sub 2:11 in new york or boston and top 3 american men also doesn't seem possible for anybody but rupp.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the US trials would consist of a Galen Rupp solo victory lap if the US had the same qualifying standards as Japan.

With the standard NOP post-race workout!

juddy96 wrote:

Mao Ichiyama 2:24:33 Debut, 33 seconds off of qualifying for MGC. Because this was not a qualifying race for the women (next week in Nagoya is), there were harder standards than usual. In Nagoya, top 3 qualify with sub 2:28 and next 3 with sub 2:27

That's just ridiculous. Sub-2:25 doesn't get her in? That's a shame.

She has to run another marathon to average to 2:28 between now and April 28. So if she thinks she can bang out a 2:31:27 at like... Hamburg (directly on April 28) she should go for it

ZidaneValor wrote:

Japs best years behind? wrote:

After their best year ever last year are the Japanese now going downhill? Looks like they won't have anyone run under 2:09 this year. Just like USA!

Nah, combination of weather and blowing up from the pace. I still think 6-7 guys ran sub 2:13. The USA does not have 6 sub-2:13 guys right now.

With no Rupp, the US has no elite pro runners going for the marathon. No elite in the half either. Once you step on a track and run a 5000, the US already has 30 guys ahead of the Japanese.

Finish tape for all top 10 is stupid

juddy96 wrote:

She has to run another marathon to average to 2:28 between now and April 28. So if she thinks she can bang out a 2:31:27 at like... Hamburg (directly on April 28) she should go for it

What a wild qualifying process. You shouldn't have to do something like that or some of the guys who missed their "average" time by 4 seconds or whatever. The marathon is hard and on a given day a lot of people can compete for the win. This can be seen as a somewhat cool process but why not just pick an arbitrary standard like 2:15 and 2:35 and just line up the best in the country. It's that whole argument of if having a 2:19 or 2:45 standard in the US takes away from people going after 2:10 and 2:30. I'm definitely not in the camp. There is value to having 2:18 and 2:44 people lining up. I don't think the faster folks are affected by that.

Jeremy R wrote:

Llano just got passed by Aga!

That happens when you run 2:03.37 pace for 25-30 KM, your legs feel like you are carrying an Elephant and you slow WAY DOWN.

douglas burke wrote:

Jeremy R wrote:

Llano just got passed by Aga!

That happens when you run 2:03.37 pace for 25-30 KM, your legs feel like you are carrying an Elephant and you slow WAY DOWN.

Well 20k My Bad

This x. 100!

So the wrote:

Finish tape for all top 10 is stupid

So seriously, how many of these Japanese guys and gals are we expecting to run Boston/London now to get QTs?

douglas burke wrote:

Jeremy R wrote:

Llano just got passed by Aga!

That happens when you run 2:03.37 pace for 25-30 KM, your legs feel like you are carrying an Elephant and you slow WAY DOWN.

What about carrying a piano? Isn't that what the announcers said during Boston marathon 2018 about Yuki Kawauchi?