Ayad Lamdassem - Best 40 year-old marathon runner on planet earth, 2:06:25 (20/02/2022)

Previous best for over 40 was 2:08:46, A.Espinosa, Mexico.

HIs previous track championship record doesn't perhaps give him full credit. Remember him always pushing the pace (including against Mo) before succumbing to the pack in the last few laps, Paula Radcliffe style.

I remember the final of the 10,000m at the European Championships in 2010 against Farah. Lamdassen totally imploded in the last lap after leading all the race and missed a medal that day. I rarely saw such implosion at this level.

No, there was a Kenyan that broke Espinosa's amazing mark... 2:08:42 by Kenneth Mungara.. he actually broke it twice - 2:08:44 in Milan and then 2:08:42 at Gold Coast. Recognized by World Athletics.

runnersworld.com

Kenneth Mungara Breaks His Own Masters World Marathon Record

Kenyan, 41, runs 2:08:42 to win Gold Coast Marathon in Australia.

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Unreal that a 40 year old is as good as Rupp. Who is by far the best American distance runner.

even faster

Well, not technically, but Kiptoo’s combo of 2:06:00 at 39 (pre super shoes) and 2:08:09 at 43 is indeed more impressive. I had no idea he was a 12:53/26:54 guy on the track (at 34 years, to boot).

If you go back 50 years and throw times out the window, Mamo Wolde won the Munich Olympic bronze at 40 years old.

Kiptoo - Super impressive bests, aside from the 1500, but that 1500 was was contested early in his career. I think that around 2009-2011, at his peak, he would have achieved 3:34 -3:35 for 1500 with some specific training, possibly faster.

1500 Metres
3:48.0h
Nairobi (KEN)
06 NOV 2005
1002
3000 Metres
7:32.97
Doha (QAT)
08 MAY 2009
1220
Two Miles
8:29.96
Alexander Stadium, Birmingham (GBR)
26 AUG 2012
1095
5000 Metres
12:53.46
Olympiastadion, Stockholm (SWE)
06 AUG 2010
1234
10,000 Metres
26:54.64
Hayward Field, Eugene, OR (USA)
03 JUN 2011
1235
10 Kilometres
28:03
Marseille (FRA)
01 MAY 2007
1127
15 Kilometres
44:26 *
Istanbul (TUR)
15 NOV 2015
1029
Half Marathon
1:00:29
Azpeitia (ESP)
26 MAR 2011
1167
Marathon
2:06:00
Eindhoven (NED)
11 OCT 2015
12

With all due respect to this Spanish runner, Lamdassem, Rupp is/was a much better runner than him overall over a variety of distances. Take 10,000 m for instance with Rupp at 26:44 and the Spaniard a whole minute slower, that to me is really the litmus test, or one of them, of athletic greatness. Rupp had far better credentials from 1500 m right up to 10,000 m and right up to the half marathon. Not dissing the Spanish runner of Moroccan origin but I don’t think you can compare the two. I don’t think the American was ever concerned with pursuing a super fast time in a marathon but rather his goal was to place in championship races which he did, with a silver at the O.G. 10,000 m in 2012 and a bronze at the O.G. marathon in 2016. Lamdassem is a great runner but the American is in a different superior class.

Kipchoge’s real age is 40. So there is that.

He might be the best 40 year old thonner but he can only enjoy that title for another 4 months when Bekele turns 40

Sticks and bones. This guy should have moved up to marathon 10 years ago.

This will sound more suspicious than it's meant to but it's amazing that he has run this time at the age of 40 - and done that amazing OG Marathon last year - after so many years as a pro where he had been very good but not as good as this. I suppose we can add 2 mins to his marathon time to get a pre 2019 equivalent, all other things being equal. from a Euro POV it will be interesting to see how many top marathoners miss the Worlds and do Munich Euros, given that they can't do both.

Bekele will soon turn 40 and take the record in his first marathon.

oldest looking 37 year-old that I have ever seen....

I saw this in a twittter post.
Majida Maayouf beat Morocco Marathon record by establishing the time:
2:24:09

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