Why everyone seems to think London will be "slow"?

This course will be slow af. If the leaders try wr pace at the start they gonna crash and burn.

You say this based on what? Have you read the details above in this thread?

It’s quick course and will be a quick time. If the world record does not fall, I will be surprised unless the wind and rain from the storm over Europe heads this way

I understand the wind being an issue but why would rain be so detrimental to there times? Is this common knowledge?

Yes, it's about the friction force on ground contact. Energy is lost without generating momentum. However so far so good, latest forecast shows the rain will go away just in time, it might even be clear.

You forgot the all important fact that East Africans are afraid of running in the rain, they basically combust

The course has 7 corners, 3 of which are sharp 90* or more, 2 of which are slightly under 90* and the final two a slight left and right. 7 x 19 = 133 corners (57 which are greater than 90*). Modern super high stack super shoes are optimized for going in a straight line, very fast. Alphaflys don't like cornering sharply. I have no doubt Eliud can handle it but it will be fatiguing to some degree. The Ineos 1:59 corse still had more gradual turns/loops at either end. Next% also will be interesting on this course. Let alone all the other super shoes.

Add in rain and a wet surface...

It will still be absolutely amazing to watch regardless.

Another Dime for the Cursed Jar wrote:

The course has 7 corners, 3 of which are sharp 90* or more, 2 of which are slightly under 90* and the final two a slight left and right. 7 x 19 = 133 corners (57 which are greater than 90*). Modern super high stack super shoes are optimized for going in a straight line, very fast. Alphaflys don't like cornering sharply. I have no doubt Eliud can handle it but it will be fatiguing to some degree. The Ineos 1:59 corse still had more gradual turns/loops at either end. Next% also will be interesting on this course. Let alone all the other super shoes.

Add in rain and a wet surface...

It will still be absolutely amazing to watch regardless.

No rain forecasted atm

Also, have you actually watched the video?? Only 3 corners per lap, one at 90 degrees, the other 2 less than that. They will be running tangents, it's all fine. Have you watched the Prague Half? Same kind of a circuit, produced a 58:38 while there were 65-70 and sunny. Wr under threat surely

Where are you getting your weather forecast from?

Weather.com gives a 60% chance of rain on Sunday. and an hour-by-hour is not available yet.

If it doesn't rain... I expect really fast times, too.

Rubio wrote:

Where are you getting your weather forecast from?

Weather.com gives a 60% chance of rain on Sunday. and an hour-by-hour is not available yet.

If it doesn't rain... I expect really fast times, too.

It will probably rain on sunday, but not during the races.

Darksky, the most accurate platform around, very detailed

Kipchoge FTW in 02:02:02 .

Boring and too many turns.

yep, supershoes will suck. they should wear vibrams

asdffjkfk wrote:

This course will be slow af. If the leaders try wr pace at the start they gonna crash and burn.

Have you seen what Jemeli tried in Frankfurt: at 10k was at sub 2.14 pace

I live in London and have run this route every lunchtime for the last 5 years.

There are fairly sharp turns, and lots of them, constantly, with camber & drains, probably on a wet surface too. The Mall can be quite slippy in the wet due to the surface.

Anyone who's run Valencia Marathon can vouch for the speed of a course with few corners.

Plus the boredom aspect

And then there's the possibility of the remnants of Storm Alex kicking around

If it is like a cross country cross then it will suit Bekele even more. I hope there are enough hills so we can see carnage(like Boston) with people who are allergic to running on surfaces which are not pancake flat. Bekele is also suited to hills with his cross country background. Look at the trail of destruction he left behind him in the Bern 10 miles just 2 years ago in 2018, the year where he literally did no training and still left the entire field devastated

For all those who are blubbering....

1) The course is not that fast. Two 90 degrees turns and that dip on Horseguard Parade where you lose and you gain those 5m straightaway. It is not gentle.

2) They have been running the Westminster mile over the years on that loop and if am not mistaken they only managed to break 4' once (just)

3) The tarmac on the Mall is not fun to run on when wet

4) And the forecast is about 50/50 as of today. Today is raining heavily here and tomorrow is expected the same. So who knows on Sunday morning....

They have chosen the loop because they can make a bubble around it not because is fast. As somebody said they should have gone to Battersea Park is they wanted to have a fast race (and much better tarmac)

IF it rains... how do the outsole of Alphafly/Next% performs in wet surface?

Is Mule Wasihun entered?