This is a great field. Will this be the first time that Boston has had a better men's field than London? In terms of Big Names, all that's left are fading stars like Bekele and Farah and maybe someone like Kamworor. Kelvin Kiptum?
Was wondering same thing. Best guys left as far as I can tell:
Assuming at least 2-3 of these guys will run Tokyo or another Spring Marathon. If they got 5 of the top 6 and Kamworor/the old guys, you'd probably still favor Boston but it'd be an argument. I don't think Kandie, Rhonex Kipruto or Jacob Kiplimo are on the table because that might change things slightly.
Yes, that about covers it with no Cherono available. Could add Titus Ekiru and Nageeye, but there's not many names to hang the race on. I wonder if London will just go all-in on the women this year - Kosgei, Chepngetich, Jepchirchir, Assefa, Yehualaw, Gidey, Ayana all in one race
This is a great field. Will this be the first time that Boston has had a better men's field than London? In terms of Big Names, all that's left are fading stars like Bekele and Farah and maybe someone like Kamworor. Kelvin Kiptum?
Was wondering same thing. Best guys left as far as I can tell:
Assuming at least 2-3 of these guys will run Tokyo or another Spring Marathon. If they got 5 of the top 6 and Kamworor/the old guys, you'd probably still favor Boston but it'd be an argument. I don't think Kandie, Rhonex Kipruto or Jacob Kiplimo are on the table because that might change things slightly.
interesting conversation
a couple more names: Vincent Kipchumba and Titus Ekiru
a couple more names: Vincent Kipchumba and Titus Ekiru
Yeah and High Hopes rightly pointed out Abdi. Though he might be inclined to do the NN event as defending champ and a home race.
London definitely should go for a clash of the titans type thing for the women. There's a lot of star power not in Boston. On the men's side, they can still have a sub-2:03 race with the names left.
Serious? You think Kipchoge can’t handle hills? Ever been to Kapsabet ?
Of course Kipchoge can handle hills. My post was a half-joking one, related to what Do Nascimento did in NYC marathon. It wasn't about Kiphchoge's hill skills.
I'm not sure why people care about what pros will be at a race. I finally qualified for Boston after 10+ years of trying and just don't care who is up front. I look at marathons as about the people running for fun and getting fit. Frankly I'd rather they stop even paying prize money or appearance fees and make the races about the normal runners.
Then why bother coming to Boston? I see you liked the challange of qualification for the race. You had been trying because your running friends have done it? You like the history of Boston as how old it is, the course, but not really that has been attracting best runners in the World? I'm curious why you kept trying for 10 years to come to Boston. What you said "I look at marathons as about the people running for fun and getting fit" doesn't really fit BQ challenges you experienced.
Btw, congrats finally qualifying and racing there this year (with so many great runners!)
I like the challenge of having to qualify for the race. I want to run at least a half marathon in all 50 states and Massachusetts was always going to be the Boston full only if I qualified.
I have no idea who won any of the half or full marathons 8ve done because I don't care. I'm more impressed with the guy that lost 200 pounds and takes 5 hours but did it than someone running a 2 hours fast marathon. I just don't care.
Think 3 might be the better number, but either way Kenya would be the heavy favorite. Missing some of Ethiopia’s best and have Kipchoge, Chebet and Kipchoge who could go 1-2-3 or at least all be top 5.
Assuming at least 2-3 of these guys will run Tokyo or another Spring Marathon. If they got 5 of the top 6 and Kamworor/the old guys, you'd probably still favor Boston but it'd be an argument. I don't think Kandie, Rhonex Kipruto or Jacob Kiplimo are on the table because that might change things slightly.
Yes, that about covers it with no Cherono available. Could add Titus Ekiru and Nageeye, but there's not many names to hang the race on. I wonder if London will just go all-in on the women this year - Kosgei, Chepngetich, Jepchirchir, Assefa, Yehualaw, Gidey, Ayana all in one race
If those seven women start in London, I'll have 3 questions. Will at least 5 finish, and in which order? And, will they be through halfway in sub 67.25?
Scott Fauble will retire without ever “going for it”. Say he’s happy with his efforts bc he “knows his fitness” or something, talk sh*t about the guys he passed in the last 10k where “the race actually starts” - finish 10th or 11th, and retire with a PB of something totally forgettable just like his personality. It’s like he doesn’t want ppl to root for him. Go open a burrito shop or whatever his thing is.
Mantz will be top American.
Fauble just isn’t good enough to be better than 10th or 11th. Shows you how good Rupp has been. Especially as marathoners become faster, like they are. Plenty of professional athletes have solid careers with no wins and are forgettable. Think of offensive linemen…
his just not talented enough to be winning/ placing on the podium at major marathons. Neither are you. Why does that frustrate you?!
Think 3 might be the better number, but either way Kenya would be the heavy favorite. Missing some of Ethiopia’s best and have Kipchoge, Chebet and Kipchoge who could go 1-2-3 or at least all be top 5.
Think BAA did a good job here -- they gave the bag to Kipchoge but also went out and got guys who have done well on non-time trial courses. If Kipchoge is human in April, a bunch of guys who know how to run the Newton hills + roll the last 8k could make for a compelling race.
Chebet won Boston/NYC in 2022. Kipruto ran a 14:06 5k from 35k-40k to win Boston in 2021. Desisa has won Boston twice, NYC once, and took gold at Doha in 2019. Kitata beat Kipchoge & won London in 2020 + was 2nd @ NYC this past year. Albert Korir won NYC in 2021. Augustine Choge is also way down the list. Love the flyer on him.
If Kipchoge doesn't run away from everyone, we could see him in a big pack in the last 10k of the race.
((also credit to BAA for the long list of American men + women & not just the sub-2:12/sub-2:30 runners. there's a lot of 2:15-2:20 & 2:40-2:45 runners they're giving a shot to.)
Kipchoge lost because of a pandemic. Normal years, it's hard to beat Kipochoge. It took Wilson Kipsang a world record to beat Kipchoge. Lesisa Desisa knows that he has no chance against Kipchoge, so would he try to change to London instead? At least without Kipchoge there, Desisa has a chance.
Think 3 might be the better number, but either way Kenya would be the heavy favorite. Missing some of Ethiopia’s best and have Kipchoge, Chebet and Kipchoge who could go 1-2-3 or at least all be top 5.
Scott Fauble will retire without ever “going for it”. Say he’s happy with his efforts bc he “knows his fitness” or something, talk sh*t about the guys he passed in the last 10k where “the race actually starts” - finish 10th or 11th, and retire with a PB of something totally forgettable just like his personality. It’s like he doesn’t want ppl to root for him. Go open a burrito shop or whatever his thing is.
Mantz will be top American.
Fauble just isn’t good enough to be better than 10th or 11th. Shows you how good Rupp has been. Especially as marathoners become faster, like they are. Plenty of professional athletes have solid careers with no wins and are forgettable. Think of offensive linemen…
his just not talented enough to be winning/ placing on the podium at major marathons. Neither are you. Why does that frustrate you?!
The pinnacle of Fauble's career would be making an Olympic team, I expect that's his aim rather than running a time. Saying that, it might be worth his time to go to Chicago this year instead of New York. It's usually a weak field where Americans have a decent shot at placing top 5, which is an auto-qualifier for the Olympics
Yes, that about covers it with no Cherono available. Could add Titus Ekiru and Nageeye, but there's not many names to hang the race on. I wonder if London will just go all-in on the women this year - Kosgei, Chepngetich, Jepchirchir, Assefa, Yehualaw, Gidey, Ayana all in one race
If those seven women start in London, I'll have 3 questions. Will at least 5 finish, and in which order? And, will they be through halfway in sub 67.25?
On the last question, I'd say "yes." London organizers pride themselves on times over anything else. They'd love to have a WR set on the course and could include a substantial bonus for doing so. The larger question there is whether the will allow male pacers to enable that record attempt. I think they might this year, in part because British athletes want them as well to hit the OQT
Fauble just isn’t good enough to be better than 10th or 11th.
his just not talented enough to be winning/ placing on the podium at major marathons.
The pinnacle of Fauble's career would be making an Olympic team, I expect that's his aim rather than running a time. Saying that, it might be worth his time to go to Chicago this year instead of New York. It's usually a weak field where Americans have a decent shot at placing top 5, which is an auto-qualifier for the Olympics
Don’t forget this is a job for them and these are professional athletes. For someone like Fauble, he makes his living from a base salary from his sponsor, appearance fee, and the bonus for being ‘top American’. If he isn’t fit enough to win, he has the biggest incentive to take top American and the prize purse that comes with that. Wouldn’t make sense to ‘go for it’, and end up fading and losing out on a payday.