Seems like missing that bottle threw him off his game. My theory: he's a guy who has put all of his faith in meticulous preparation so when something goes wrong, it throws him mentally. I don't think he's had to do much thinking for himself during a race for a long time so he's not adaptable. He's an athlete who has the bet of everything and all of it tailored just for him: shoes, training environment, nutrition. He controls everything before the race starts but this time, something happened that he didn't account for. He'll be back for New York and I think he'll win
Seems like missing that bottle threw him off his game. My theory: he's a guy who has put all of his faith in meticulous preparation so when something goes wrong, it throws him mentally. I don't think he's had to do much thinking for himself during a race for a long time so he's not adaptable. He's an athlete who has the bet of everything and all of it tailored just for him: shoes, training environment, nutrition. He controls everything before the race starts but this time, something happened that he didn't account for. He'll be back for New York and I think he'll win
BTW, check the tape, but he missed a bottle right before he blew up in London 2020 too. Yes, it’s interesting that both today and in that London race, he didn’t just lose, he really fell apart. When it rarely goes bad for him, it goes very bad.
What I don't understand is why the Boston marathon is considered the most prestigious in the world when the greatest runners rarely run it. It's like Tiger Woods deciding to compete in the US Masters for the first time at 38, or Roger Federer only competing at Wimbledon once or twice.
What I don't understand is why the Boston marathon is considered the most prestigious in the world when the greatest runners rarely run it. It's like Tiger Woods deciding to compete in the US Masters for the first time at 38, or Roger Federer only competing at Wimbledon once or twice.
The Boston Marathon is prestigious for the non-elite because it is one of the few marathons that has a qualifying time that has some substance to it (they generally try to set it such that the qualifying times equate to around the top 20% of finishers in other marathoners).
For the elite, it is a World Marathon Major, yet it is rarely attractive to the biggest guns because times are slow, and because the best runners on flat courses are not always the best on Boston's hills (especially the downhills that destroy the legs before the real climbs start miles 16-21). If you're a big gun with a fast PR from a flat course, why risk running slow and losing at Boston when you can just queue it up for London again, knowing that even if you don't win, you will likely still run fast.
THIS 1000% Eliud had literally nothing to gain by running Boston. Why not try and pick up another London win in a pristine environment? Screw the naysayers. I guess Boston must have shelled out a lot to get him to show up. It was obvious he was not in his element and a win would have done almost nothing for his GOAT status (already far beyond challenge for the remainder of life on Earth).
Some men while winning race after race look like machines but no man is a machine. Edwin Moses looked unbeatable then he grew older and beatable. For some, it doesn't take getting old, for some losing means more losing. Steve Ovett wasn't old, 1980 Olympics, 1500m final but he was never the same after that. He set some records but no one was afraid of Ovett after 1980.
THIS 1000% Eliud had literally nothing to gain by running Boston. Why not try and pick up another London win in a pristine environment? Screw the naysayers. I guess Boston must have shelled out a lot to get him to show up. It was obvious he was not in his element and a win would have done almost nothing for his GOAT status (already far beyond challenge for the remainder of life on Earth).
And what does he have to gain winning another snoozefest in London?
Or does he decide discretion is the better part of valor?
Thoughts?
He’ll probably give it one more shot, but his hope of winning all six majors increasingly looks fading just like Bekele’s of a world record did post 2019.
What I don't understand is why the Boston marathon is considered the most prestigious in the world when the greatest runners rarely run it. It's like Tiger Woods deciding to compete in the US Masters for the first time at 38, or Roger Federer only competing at Wimbledon once or twice.
The weaker fields are a recent phenomenon. Boston used to attract more top talent but that became harder when the clarification was issued that point courses like Boston were not record eligible.
Boston used to offer decent prize purses and appearance fees relative to other races but now doesn’t, certainly not compared to London. They have fallen behind on securing large sponsors.
Finally Boston is not an easy course, except for a once in a generation race like 2011 no one is going to run close to world record place, in absence of large appearance fees and prizes, the top international athletes have less incentive to run, not to mention it can be humbling as Kipchoge found out.
As most elites only run twice, maybe 3 marathons a year now, the draw of a fast course like Valencia, Berlin, or even Chicago is makes it harder for Boston to attract the talent it once did.
THIS 1000% Eliud had literally nothing to gain by running Boston. Why not try and pick up another London win in a pristine environment? Screw the naysayers. I guess Boston must have shelled out a lot to get him to show up. It was obvious he was not in his element and a win would have done almost nothing for his GOAT status (already far beyond challenge for the remainder of life on Earth).
And what does he have to gain winning another snoozefest in London?
I do not know the details of Kenya's Olympic games selection rules, but can assume Kipchoge wants to be amongst Top-3 kenyan runners to segure his Paris OG participation. Fast marathon (Berlin or Valencia) would help.
The weaker fields are a recent phenomenon. Boston used to attract more top talent but that became harder when the clarification was issued that point courses like Boston were not record eligible.
Boston used to offer decent prize purses and appearance fees relative to other races but now doesn’t, certainly not compared to London. They have fallen behind on securing large sponsors.
Finally Boston is not an easy course, except for a once in a generation race like 2011 no one is going to run close to world record place, in absence of large appearance fees and prizes, the top international athletes have less incentive to run, not to mention it can be humbling as Kipchoge found out.
As most elites only run twice, maybe 3 marathons a year now, the draw of a fast course like Valencia, Berlin, or even Chicago is makes it harder for Boston to attract the talent it once did.
Well in the spring now it’s Tokyo, Boston or London. Tokyo is definitely 3rd in the pecking order we can say. London still has big money, and on the womens side that really has shown. That being said Boston may be on the upswing it looks like OR it’s more adidas having a real good run of things and getting their athletes to show.
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