Ryan Hall's last 20 miles =2:06:30 pace

Can we all not agree that this was a great performance and suggests that Ryan is a great prospect? He appears capable of a low 2:07 right now and may eventually be capable of faster still.

He should do London again in 2008. These big city marathons are the real deal. Podium finishes and the odd victory in these races will provide better evidence of Ryan's ability than any one-off Olympics in some hot and polluted city. The Olympic Marathon is over-rated. It's a pity Ryan did not run and win the NYCM instead of the Trials. Then perhaps we would not have to spend so much time speculating.

I think 2:07 mid for sure right now!

Hall ran each of the first seven 5Ks of the race faster than the previous 5Ks. He literally accelerated, slowly, for the first 23 miles. He slowed slightly in the final 3 miles but still ran 4:55s.

I agree that Hall's performance was very impressive but lets keep it in perspective. I believe Rob DeCastella ran a 2:09:18 on a Very hilly tough course in 1982. He only bettered that time with his barely sub 208 at Boston. Impressive yet not necessarily a true picture of future success.

Here's some perspective for you. Hall is already better, much better, than Deke ever was.

Letsrun sage wrote:

Here's some perspective for you. Hall is already better, much better, than Deke ever was.

On what basis exactly? By being American?

Deeks held the world record for a few years. He also won Fukuoka, Rotterdam, Boston, a world title in 1983 and was 5th at the '84 Olympics. Hall's record isn't anywhere near that good. Deeks' 2:07:51, by the way, is also faster than Hall's best.

I'm with letsrun sage. Forget the numbers. Seeing the ease with which he dropped the field and the gap he so quickly opened was astounding. This man waltzed to the finish like no one I've seen in 45 years around this sport. He is indeed the real deal.

Ryan Hall is the Larry Bird of running. If he were African, he'd be just another, yawn, decent distance runner.

If Hall runs London in 2008 he will run HARD. Have you run a hard all out marathon? 4 months is not enough to fully recover and be his best.

If a medal is what he wants he won't run a martathon in the spring. If he is going to go for the money like KK did all those years then he will run it. We will see his priorities in another couple months I'm sure.

That said, you guys are talking like there is some guarantee in the marathon or something? Ask Paula, Tergat, Geb or anyone who has really trained their ass off for a competitive marathon, there are no guarantees. Look at Gilmore who was sick the day of the race...shit happens.

So will Hall gamble and put his edds in the marathon basket or will he go for the cash. Its a hard call isn't it?

Kosovo13 wrote:

He can not run 2.06...

Yes, that is one option. Also, he can.

I'm tired of people saying that we make too big a deal about the accomplishments of American runners when they're on par with Africans. If you can't cheer for your countrymen and take excitement and pride in their accomplishments, why even bother with the Olympics? Sure, we (Americans, USians, whatever) care about Hall a lot more than we would if he were Kenyan, but that's because WE'RE AMERICANS and so is he. That's the way it works. If Ryan Hall were a black American, he wouldn't be unknown, he'd be the Tiger Woods of the marathon.

gosouthgohard wrote:

I'm tired of people saying that we make too big a deal about the accomplishments of American runners when they're on par with Africans.

Not everyone reading this is American. Not every African who finishes 7th in a major marathon gets the same number of threads as Hall.

Where are the threads on Ben Maiyo, Abel Kirui and Yonas Kifle?

Why all the fuss? wrote:

Ryan Hall is the Larry Bird of running. If he were African, he'd be just another, yawn, decent distance runner.

Yeah good one, because we all know that Larry Bird was just a "decent" b-ball player.

Letsrun sage wrote:

Here's some perspective for you. Hall is already better, much better, than Deke ever was.

laughable

Letsrun sage wrote:

Here's some perspective for you. Hall is already better, much better, than Deke ever was.

Idiot post of the month!

not a bad race wrote:

gosouthgohard wrote:

I'm tired of people saying that we make too big a deal about the accomplishments of American runners when they're on par with Africans.

Not everyone reading this is American. Not every African who finishes 7th in a major marathon gets the same number of threads as Hall.

Where are the threads on Ben Maiyo, Abel Kirui and Yonas Kifle?

So why don't you start one?

Usher wrote:So why don't you start one?

Sir, I'd like to kindly ask you to leave this message board that was so generously brought to you by an American.