Dublin Marathon

T Abyu 2:10:XX

Andi Jones 2:40:xx

Abyu 62.50 at the GNR but if he dropped a drop a 2.10 marathon I'd be very surprised.

Ben Fish and Huw Lobb also running Dublin so any news on these guys?

OK, I'm very surprised - if these results are correct and John Brown gets his act together only 1 place up for grabs for the GB olympic team

1 # # 1 SOKOLOV ALEKSEY M 02:09:07 02:09:07

2 # # 18 ABYU THOMAS M 02:10:37 02:10:37

3 # # 14 YIRDAWE DEJENE M 02:11:08 02:11:08

4 # # 7 ABSHIRO TESSEMA M 02:14:22 02:14:22

5 # # 4 ZACHEPA SERHIY M 02:15:12 02:15:12

6 # # 2 OSADCHY DMYTRO M 02:16:32 02:16:32

7 # # 13 MWOBI CYPRIAN M 02:17:44 02:17:44

8 # # 3 KIMUTAI LEZAN M 02:19:31 02:19:29

9 # # 11480 DZIUBA BOGDAN M 02:22:05 02:22:05

10 # # 9 TESFAYE BIRHANU M 02:22:21 02:22:21

11 # # 16 DOMBOJENA ZIVANAI M 02:23:29 02:23:29

12 # # 5 TEIMET STANLEY M 02:24:28 02:24:28

13 # # 15 RYBIN SERGUEI M 02:25:23 02:25:23

14 # # 27 O' CONNOR MICHAEL M Galway City Harriers 02:25:48 02:25:48

15 # # 23 MC LOUGHLIN CIAN M Clonliffe Harriers A.C. 02:26:22 02:26:22

16 # # 24 CROSSAN GARY M35 Letterkenny A.C. 02:26:58 02:26:58

17 # # 4774 FISH BEN M 02:27:03 02:27:03

18 # # 25 MC KINNEY PAURIC M35 Letterkenny A.C. 02:27:30 02:27:30

19 # # 8999 CANTERI MARCO M 02:27:40 02:27:38

20 # # 8 DEMELESH DESSE M 02:28:11 02:28:11

33 # # 111 PARTRIDGE SUSAN F 02:38:33 02:38:33

47 # # 21 JONES ANDI M 02:41:52 02:41:52

no news of Lobb

Looks like a great run.

Wouldn't totally guarantee him a seat yet...Robinson ran great at the WCs and we still need to see what Riley can do..

That said 2:10 is gonna be damn hard to beat.

I can't see Robinson running 2:10 and as good a mate as Pete i'm gonna have to say that 2:10 is out of reach. Thomas is in incredible shape. I would imagine Jonesy went out with Thomas and suffered for it. I thought he had a 2:14 in him for sure. He deserves it but obviously wasn't to be this time.

Abyu 30.52 at 10km and 64.50 half in a group of 8.

Jones 31.25 and 67.30 with no company (he must have missed a gravy stop after half way and ran out of fuel).

How many brits have ran quicker than 2.10.30 in the last 10 yrs, Brown and Steinle? Therefore to think 3 guys can do it in the next 6 months is asking a bit too much so one of Brown, Pete and Robinson are going to miss out on the olympics

Are you saying Pete will never run a 2.10 or that he isn't in shape to do so before next years Olympics? If your saying he will never run that fast then that seems awefully strange to place such limits on him, does he agree with these himself?

I doubt many people thought Abyu could runa 2.10 either...

When I first saw the result I thought 'no way could Aybu run that fast!' but looking at the names behind him, the result seems to be right, and it is an astonishing result from Aybu - and I can only fear that some are thinking he might be on something to run that fast.

Does Thomas ever run on the track and what are his best times for track? He seems to be a pure road runner.

Ghost in Korea

I am totally amazed by this result, as someone who has had many close races with Thomas over the last 4/5 years I never felt he had the ability to run this fast. I don\'t know whether there have been changes in his domestic situation so that he has been able to train more consistently or whether he has been back training in Ethiopia but it seems amazing that a guy who couldn\'t break 30 for 10k just a few months ago and was running lots of 66/67 halves could come out and run 2.10. His GNR run was pretty amazing 66.25 in \'07, 62.40 in \'08 shows some improvement!

Thomas does pretty much all is training by himself so no one really knows what he does.

Brown and Robinson just have to run the time to get picked,as they have proved themselves at big marathons.

Riley must be gutted - just starting his season and knowing that he'll have to run a 2.10 to go to the Olympics.

if pete is the 1st man back at london and under the time he will go,

some friend! wrote:

Are you saying Pete will never run a 2.10 or that he isn't in shape to do so before next years Olympics? If your saying he will never run that fast then that seems awefully strange to place such limits on him, does he agree with these himself?

I doubt many people thought Abyu could runa 2.10 either...

No that would be putting words in my mouth. We are talking about Olympic Selection and I can't see anyone bar possibly Jon Brown running a 2:10 before or at London. I doubt Jon Brown will either. 2:10 is seriously quick. Pete is more talented than anyone I know and should run it one day. For this year I think 2:12 would be more realistic and that would probably take Robinson's place.

Thomas got intot he group and rolled with it. The winner looked incredibly strong. Wind was net against the runners without a doubt, which makes the leading times even more impressive. Andi was running on his own before 2 miles. Ran solo until he started walking/running around 14 miles. He just trotted it in. Pity. Matt Smith's time in Dublin last year shows the course can throw up some fast times. Fair play to Abyu. Really puts it up to the rest of the Brits. Robinson has the Major Champs results to look like a favourite for a slot, and Brown will only go if he's on form. Riley has it all to do now.

oh my god wrote:

I am totally amazed by this result, as someone who has had many close races with Thomas over the last 4/5 years I never felt he had the ability to run this fast. I don't know whether there have been changes in his domestic situation so that he has been able to train more consistently or whether he has been back training in Ethiopia but it seems amazing that a guy who couldn't break 30 for 10k just a few months ago and was running lots of 66/67 halves could come out and run 2.10. His GNR run was pretty amazing 66.25 in '07, 62.40 in '08 shows some improvement!

Tomas spent most of August training in Ethiopia and was operating at what was for him an unusually high mileage. Before he went out there he wasn't running anything better than area representative standard.

a couple of 5ks in July in 14.54 (narrowly beating Prowse from Blackpool) and 15.22 (11th at Norwich in an entirely domestic field)

To improve to a 62min half and a 2.10 marathon is on the face of it unbelievable but I can offer an explanation as to why I think he improved so much. Tomas actually has been operating on a pretty low mileage for most of his years in the UK. Last summer when he ran 29.05 at Manchester 10k he had been on a regular mileage of 40 per week since London and held this mileage throughout the summer. Tomas was only really doing decent mileage in the lead up to marathons and then using the marathon training as a foundation for a low mileage period of regular racing. Tomas doesn't work full time, he isn't funded or sponsored apart from a puma kit deal and relies on race winnings. From my point of view, Tomas has always had a 2.10 in him, but his development was being halted by racing half marathons three times per month for prize money and keeping the mileage low in the process. A quick glance on the athletics data link above shows he has done 9 half marathons already this year.

Thomas always seemed to run well despite the fact he was racing incredibly frequently, there were several weekends when he was running 2 half marathons. His GNR performance last year suffered because he had run a half in Lincoln the previous day! Maybe a sensible period of training and rest has resulted in this fantastic performance.

And it will pay off for him financially too. By my reckoning that run at Dublin will net him 15,000 Euro's which is more than he could earn doing them 9 half marathons.

Sudden drop in PR at marathon?

Long training trip abroad?

Letsrun posters would normally be the first to suggest PED's!

Good run from him though and a great breakthrough.

Gonna be tough to make the team next year for the Brits. Who would want to select the three?!

"Wind was net against the runners without a doubt"

I beg to disagree as I was there.

However, it was a pretty serious headwind during the last 4 miles and the course is all but easy. That 2:09 of Sokolov amazes me and makes me sad at the same time...