Olympic Marathon Catch-22

The gold medal is the pinnacle of this sport. I'm not saying that I would do it but it may very well be worth it. I'll bet Bill Rodgers, Alberto salazar, etc. would trade the money they made racing on the roads for an Olympic Gold medal.

There was a survey done many years ago asking top level athletes: If you were able to take a drug that guaranteed a gold medal but you would die 7-10 years later would you take the drug? A good number of athletes said "yes".

Specific to Ryan Hall, I do not know what he would choose, but winning a gold medal and then having to walk away from that high level of competition would not be the worst thing to ever happen to someone.

I think that several athletes will pull out and blame it on the conditions. That is ignorant and simply an excuse for the athletes that traditionally do poorly in NON time trial type marathons.

The other factor is the ignorance of the public. People are unimpressed with a solid field in a tactical marathon with extreme conditions.

Last year the most competitive marathon in the world was the World Championships with 25 sub 2:08 marathoners on the starting line. That is more sub 2:08 guys than London, Chicago, and New York COMBINED.

IS THAT TRUE?

Marathon Historian wrote:

I think that several athletes will pull out and blame it on the conditions. That is ignorant and simply an excuse for the athletes that traditionally do poorly in NON time trial type marathons.

It is not ignorant at all. It's common sense. The heat during that time of the year is well-known fact. The terrible pollution of that place is an undeniable fact.

marathon realist wrote:

Marathon Historian wrote:

I think that several athletes will pull out and blame it on the conditions. That is ignorant and simply an excuse for the athletes that traditionally do poorly in NON time trial type marathons.

It is not ignorant at all. It's common sense. The heat during that time of the year is well-known fact. The terrible pollution of that place is an undeniable fact.

BUT, THE POLLUTION WILL BE NO WORSE THAN LOS ANGELES IN 1984. That is also an undeniable fact.

Marathon Historian wrote:

BUT, THE POLLUTION WILL BE NO WORSE THAN LOS ANGELES IN 1984. That is also an undeniable fact.

Oh really? Watch me.

The heat will be worse than LA 84. The humidity will be worse than LA 84. The pollution will be far worse than LA 84

Not according to Randy Wilbur. Not according to David Martin. Both say the pollution will be no worse than 1984 LA. The heat will be much worse but not the pollution.

Dont forgett Mexico City. That place is like a bowl and practically harvests pollution. It was in 1968, so you could make the argument that pollution wasnt that bad back then, but lets not forgett that the clean air and water act was passed 10 years later. Ice drillings show the large difference in emissions previous to 1977 (in particular early 1970, late 1960). A 'pedestrian' time of 2:20 won that one!

Marathon Historian wrote:

Not according to Randy Wilbur. Not according to David Martin. Both say the pollution will be no worse than 1984 LA. The heat will be much worse but not the pollution.

Agreed

Who are Randy Wilbur and David Martin? Are they meteorologists?

They were the common link of what Deena and Meb had going for them in Athens. They have both been to Beijing for the purpose of tracking weather. The dvd is phenomenal. They have also covered the course several times.

Anyone that doesn't know them is certainly not qualified to comment on this issue.

Good article

Marathon Historian wrote:

They were the common link of what Deena and Meb had going for them in Athens. They have both been to Beijing for the purpose of tracking weather. The dvd is phenomenal. They have also covered the course several times.

Anyone that doesn't know them is certainly not qualified to comment on this issue.

On the issue of weather? Sorry, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't even need to know who Deena and Meb are to comment on that one. But if you want to illustrate how undeniably cleaner the air is in Beijing, you be sure to post the data for us.

I already knew who they both were. I was attempting to make a point. Thanks for making it for me.

Incidentally, what DVD are you talking about? That I do not know. Or does not being able to read your mind disqualify me as well?

From the article just posted

"Pollution levels on a typical day in Beijing, some researchers say, are nearly five times above World Health Organization standards for safety."

"Some athletes who competed in Olympic test events last year complained that the foul air made it difficult to breathe and caused upper-respiratory infections and nausea. Colby Pearce, 35, an Olympic hopeful in track cycling from Boulder, Colo., said he saw smog floating inside the velodrome in Beijing. His throat became scratchy and he developed bronchitis, he said, because of air pollution.

“When you are coughing up black mucus, you have to stop for a second and say: ‘O.K., I get it. This is a really, really bad problem we’re looking at,’ ” he said."

"The United States boxing team, while competing in China last month, ran in the hotel hallways instead of on the streets because the air was “disgusting,” said Joe Smith, the team manager."

They said much the same about LA- pollution and heat would seriously "damage" even World Class Athletes.

Doctors said they should not run the marathon in LA because of the conditions. It didn't hurt Carlos Lopes too much.

mcordi wrote:

They said much the same about LA- pollution and heat would seriously "damage" even World Class Athletes.

Doctors said they should not run the marathon in LA because of the conditions. It didn't hurt Carlos Lopes too much.

Even though Carlos won that race, I havent seen any of his post Marathon results. What was his career like after the LA olympics?

He set the world record in the marathon at Rotterdam and won the world cross country championships again in the subsequent year. Then he retired as he was 38 years old and had pretty much done it all.

I wish I could do that...