Top 10 men's marathons ever run/not for its time (limit 1 per athlete)

Merga's last 400m or so in Beijing was pretty remarkable

So your range only consists of races that took place during your own life time...?

The Rocket. wrote:

Here is my list (all conditions considered)

1. Sammy Wanjiru- 2008 Gold/Olympic Record in Beijing 2:06:32

2. Haile Gebrselassie- 2008 Berlin Marathon- 2:03:59 World Best

3. Paul Tergat- 2003 Berlin Marathon- 2:04:55 World Best

4. Jaouad Gharib- 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics- 2:07:16

5. Duncan Kibet- 2009 Rotterdam Champion 2009- 2:04:27

6. James Kwambai- 2009 Rotterdam 2:04:27

7.Khalid Kannouchi- 2002 London World Best 2:05:38

8. Martin Lel- 2008 London Marathon Champion- 2:05:15

9t. Cosmas Ndeti- 1994 Boston Marathon- 2:07:15

9t. Robert Cheriyout- 2006 Boston Marathon- 2:07:14

Am I forgetting any great performances?

Merga died in the final 2 km of that race if I remember correctly, but yeah his performance today and that one certainly put him on the bubble.

I said in the subject heading "ever run/not for its time". So as far as I know these are them. But, yes, you are right. I do have a limited view of the marathons long, great history. So please feel free to add top performances that deserve to be on this list. Thanks in advance.

A 2:07:43 by Tesfaye Jifar in NYC in 2001 has to rank pretty highly, on a course like that.

I'd have to give this more thought but here is my instant impression.

#1- Jim Peters

#2- Abebe Bikila

#3- Derek Clayton

#4- Haile Gebrselassie

Steve Jones soloing a 2:07:13 with a 61:42 split at the half in Chicago in 1985

The Rocket. wrote:

Here is my list (all conditions considered)

1. Sammy Wanjiru- 2008 Gold/Olympic Record in Beijing 2:06:32

2. Haile Gebrselassie- 2008 Berlin Marathon- 2:03:59 World Best

3. Paul Tergat- 2003 Berlin Marathon- 2:04:55 World Best

4. Jaouad Gharib- 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics- 2:07:16

5. Duncan Kibet- 2009 Rotterdam Champion 2009- 2:04:27

6. James Kwambai- 2009 Rotterdam 2:04:27

7.Khalid Kannouchi- 2002 London World Best 2:05:38

8. Martin Lel- 2008 London Marathon Champion- 2:05:15

9t. Cosmas Ndeti- 1994 Boston Marathon- 2:07:15

9t. Robert Cheriyout- 2006 Boston Marathon- 2:07:14

Am I forgetting any great performances?

How bout Sammy Korir, 2003 Berlin, 2:04:56 only 1 second behind Tergat's WR, and he was just a pacer who decided to keep going!

How bout Tergat edging out Ramaala at NYCM a few years ago?

How bout German Silva turning the wrong way at the end of NYCM and losing his lead, only to sprint and reclaim the lead and the victory?

How bout Salazar edging out Beardsley on a hot day in Boston? They ought to write a book about that.

Ron Hill at Edinburgh!

Uh- shorter at mexico 1972?

Rodgers at Boston 1975?

Carlos Lopes 38 winning the Olympics

No Gezahegne Abera beating out Baldini, Tergat and two others by less than a second in London?

Dixon vs Shaw New York 83??

Derek Clayton Fukuoka 67/68ish

Zatopek Helsinki 52

Kannouchi - London (not sure of year, but when he held out Tergat and Geb the two most hyped new marathoners ever when he was out of shape)

feeder wrote:

Dixon vs Shaw New York 83??

Derek Clayton Fukuoka 67/68ish

Zatopek Helsinki 52

Kannouchi - London (not sure of year, but when he held out Tergat and Geb the two most hyped new marathoners ever when he was out of shape)

You mean Dixon vs. Smith ( Geoff Smith GBR ) 83.

1981 - NYC - Salazar

1982 - Boston - Salazar

1979 - Boston - Rodgers

1978 - Boston - Rodgers

1980 - NYC - Salazar

1974 - Thompson - Euro Champs

Good list. For my money, Bikila destroying the field in Tokyo '64. Won by over 4 min. Clayton's Fukuoka comes second. Over 2 min off WR. Wow.

Pretty sure Shorter was in Munich in 1972, not Mexico