London elite field - Bekele, Tola, Kamworor, Assefa, Jepchirchir

Tigist Assefa

now we're talkin

Actually, I'm underselling that women's field: Assefa, Kosgei, Yehualaw, Jepkosgei, Jepchirchir, Chepngetich! Damn, that's a race.

Brian Schrader is running. If he runs the Olympic standard could/would he be our 3rd spot?

Would it unlock a spot for our 3rd man in waiting?

* Shrader

And- could there be someone to take Kipchoge's spot?

I think they'll send him no matter what after all the hype. But should they?

Calling it now - Bekele for the win, as he needs his Olympic spot [if not now, when?].

Mateiko to finish at least top 3 - lots of strong half marathons, and stuck with Kiptum much of the way in Chicago (this race will be at least a bit slower than Chicago)

Cairess to be the top Brit

I'd love Bekele to win. It would be my highlight of the year so far. London is often slower than you expect so it's not out of the question if he's still in 2:04 shape.

Cairess should be top Brit, it's all about time for him. I hope Scott or Mahamed can run the OQT as well.

Schrader would guarantee Korir's olympic spot if he ran the OQT.

My thoughts exactly

winning time between 2:02 and 2:04 i am guessing

If all of them show up it’s going to be the best race in a long time, especially in the women’s field. It’d be interesting to see how Assefa does without the male rabbits. Can’t wait.

It is what it is but I'd be pissed if I were Shrader and I ran 2:07:xx and didn't get to go but a much slower guy did.

Mateiko was right with Kiptum at 30k in Chicago @ 2:01:41 pace, and hit 35k still on 2:01:59 pace before dropping out. Give him 2:03:00 pace and there’s a fair chance he survives.

I would call Tola the favorite over Mutiso with Mateiko #3, from an odds perspective. Geremew is a bit of a question mark after being MIA all last year. Dawit Wolde has a fascinating WA profile, having run 3:41/1500 in 2007 and spending most of his career as a 3:33/3:34 guy before running some killer marathons in recent years, including 2:03:48 in Valencia in December.

As amazing as it would be, I can’t honestly imagine Bekele winning this. He’s turning 42 in June - I mean come on, 4th in Valencia in 2:04 was more phenomenal than we have any right to expect. If he places top 5 I would consider it a resounding success. Tough to guess what Kamworor will do but I see him as more likely to sneak onto the podium with another 2:04 than win in a big PR.

Doesn’t make any sense to me. Shrader had his chance at the Olympic Trials and faded after 10 miles and then DNF’d. When he dropped out he was 3 and a half minutes behind Korir. Besides, I see zero reason to expect Shrader to pop a 2:07 in London, but you know who has run 2:07:xx? Leonard Korir.

That said, of course I’d like to see him run well in London.

Why? The trials were a month ago. He had 4 years to plan an attack on how to get to Paris.

If there is only Bekele fan left on earth, then I am him.

If there are no Bekele fans left on earth, then I am dead.

Has Assefa's WR been ratified yet btw?

Jesus, the Bekele camp is starting to sound like the Kipchoge sub 2 camp. it's making the rest of us uncomfortable guys, feels like I'm watching Scott's Tots and I'm not allowed to turn it off

I get it, it's our system, like it or not. And I like the system we have.

Imagine if Kenya had a trials like ours and Eliud finished 6th (I think he was 6th Kenyan in Tokyo)?

How many will run faster than he did in Tokyo in London? Boston?

But I bet they he goes no matter what.

I'm just saying that, although I like our system, it does have its flaws.

Hope Bekele gets the podium and make it to the olympics.
Paris World championship 2003 - Paris Olympics 2024

That's how the story should end for kipchoge and bekele

Here is our article on the field.

letsrun.com

Super Fast London Marathon Fields Announced - Women To Target 2:17:01 Women's-Only WR

LetsRun.com

A record 10 sub-2:18 women have been brought in to go after the 2:17:01 women's-only WR. No other race not named London has ever had more than 4 (London had 6 last year). For the men, a record six sub-2:04 men are scheduled t...

Link:www.letsrun.com/news/2024/03/super-fas...

Below you will find the full fields. I've looked up to see what the top 10 men/women have done in 2023 in terms of marathons and what they've done so far in 2024 in terms of significant results.

Elite women
Tigst ASSEFA (ETH, 2:11:53 WR) - 2:11:53 WR in Berlin in her only race of year.
Brigid KOSGEI (KEN, 2:14:04) - DNF London, 4th NYC (2:27:45), 1st Abu Dhabi (2:19:15).
Ruth CHEPNGETICH (KEN, 2:14:18) - 1st Nagoya (2:18:08), 2nd Chicago (2:15:37)
Tigist KETEMA (ETH, 2:16:07) - Did very little on track/roads - 4:08 1500, 15:17 5000. Won Dubai in 2:16:07 in January in debut record.
Almaz AYANA (ETH, 2:16:22) - 7th London (2:20:44), 2nd Valencia (2:16:22)
Megertu ALEMU (ETH, 2:17:09) - 2nd London (2:18:37), 3rd Chicago (2:17:09). 69:23 at 2024 RAK Half.
Peres JEPCHIRCHIR (KEN, 2:17:16) - 3rd London (2:18:38), 1st World Half, withdrew from NYC. 67:19 at RAK Half this year.
Joyciline JEPKOSGEI (KEN, 2:17:23) - 12th Boston (2:24:44), 4th Chicago (2:17:23). 64:29 for 1st in Barcelona this yr.
Yalemzerf YEHUALAW (ETH, 2:17:23) - 5th London (2:18:53), 5th Worlds (2:26:13)
Sheila CHEPKIRUI (KEN, 2:17:29) - 4th London (2:18:51), 2nd Berlin (2:17:49). 66:47 in half this year.
Tsige HAILESLASE (ETH, 2:22:10)
Susanna SULLIVAN (USA, 2:24:27)
Manon TRAPP (FRA, 2:25:48)
Becky BRIGGS (GBR, 2:29:04)
Alice WRIGHT (GBR, 2:29:08)
Anya CULLING (GBR, 2:34:45)
Rachel HODGKINSON (GBR, 2:34:46)
Helen GAUNT (GBR, 2:35:38)
Mhairi MACLENNAN (GBR, Debut)
Lucy REID (GBR, Debut)

Elite men
Kenenisa BEKELE (ETH, 2:01:41) - DNF London. 4th Valencia (2:04:19).
Mosinet GEREMEW (ETH, 2:02:55) - 2:04:41 for 3rd in London. Pulled out of NYC before start.
Alexander Mutiso MUNYAO (KEN, 2:03:11) - Won Prague in 2:05:09 and 2nd in Valencia in 2:03:11. Ran 59:17 on Feb 4 this year.
Tamirat TOLA (ETH, 2:03:39) - 3rd London (2:04:59), DNF Worlds, 1st in NYC (2:04:58) as late a). Ran 59:47 on Feb. 24th at RAK Half
Dawit WOLDE (ETH, 2:03:48) - 4th Rotterdam (2:05:46), 17th Chicago (2:11:33), 3rd Valencia (2:03:48)
Kinde ATANAW (ETH, 2:03:51) - DNF London. 2:08:27 in Shanghai,
Leul GEBRESILASE (ETH, 2:04:02) - 4th London (2:05:45), 3rd Worlds (2:09:19). Only 61:24 at RAK Half.
Geoffrey KAMWOROR (KEN, 2:04:23) - 4th World XC, 2nd London (2:04:23). Pulled out of NYC
Seifu TURA (ETH, 2:04:29) - 6th London (2:06;38), 5th Chicaco (2:05:29). 60:39 at RAK Half this year.
Daniel DO NASCIMENTO (BRA, 2:04:51) - 4th Hamburg (2:07:06), 33rd Valencia (2:08:40)
Addisu GOBENA (ETH, 2:05:01)
Milkesa MENGESHA (ETH, 2:05:29)
Henok TESFAY (ERI, 2:07:12)
Emile CAIRESS (GBR, 2:08:07)
Callum HAWKINS (GBR, 2:08:14)
Hassan CHAHDI (FRA, 2:08:19)
Mahamed MAHAMED (GBR, 2:08:40)
Brian SHRADER (USA, 2:09:46)
Weynay GHEBRESILASIE (GBR, 2:09:50)
Andrew HEYES (GBR, 2:13:52)
Alexander LEPRETRE (GBR, 2:15:01)
Hiko Tonosa HASO (IRL, 2:15:01)
Norman SHREEVE (GBR, 2:16:17)
Alex MILNE (GBR, 2:16:30)
William MYCROFT (GBR, 2:17:02)
David BISHOP (GBR, 2:17:06)
Adam BOWDEN (GBR, 2:17:18)
Kieran WALKER (GBR, 2:17:30)
Alexander LAWRENCE (GBR, 2:17:41)
Daniel HAMILTON (GBR, 2:17:59)
Dominic JONES (GBR, 2:18:15)
Fraser STEWART (GBR, 2:18:34)
Tom FRITH (GBR, 2:18:35)
James HOAD (GBR, 2:18:38)
Ryan THOMSON (GBR, 2:18:46)
Martin HOARE (IRL, 2:18:57)
Charlie SANDISON (GBR, 2:19:22)
Paulos SURAFEL (GBR, No Time)
Daniel MATEIKO (KEN, No Time)
Jacob ALLEN (GBR, Debut)
Kieran CLEMENTS (GBR, Debut)
Marc SCOTT (GBR, Debut)
Sean TOBIN (IRL, Debut)

Fantastic to see Callum Hawkins back om the start line after a difficult spell. Hope he runs well.

To a lesser extent also Mosinet Geremew who's disappeared for couple of years.