The Greatest Marathon Race Ever?

1 LEL, MARTIN (KEN) M25 2:05:15

2 WANJIRU, SAMUEL (KEN) M20 2:05:24

3 GOUMRI, ABDERRAHIM (MAR) M30 2:05:30

4 MUTAI, EMMANUEL (KEN) M30 2:06:15

5 HALL, RYAN (USA) M25 2:06:17

6 MERGA, DERIBA (ETH) M25 2:06:38

7 KIFLE, YONAS (ERI) M30 2:08:51

Yep.

Indeed!

http://www.letsrun.com/photos/2008/londonmarathon/images/Lel-WanjiruR_London08.jpg

2002 London marathon. Phenomenal watching three heavyweights go at it like that.

Khalid taking the WR down even further, and the two guys he beat were at the time the two best 10K runners in history.

Then the two guys would go on to become the next two world record holders in the marathon

I'm confused...it was a fast race, I thought you like slow jogs with sprint finishes?

Gotta be the Salazar/Beardsley dual at Boston. It's not all about time. You did say RACE!

Horatio wrote:

I'm confused...it was a fast race, I thought you like slow jogs with sprint finishes?

Hahahahahaha....

I like them BOTH, Horatio. Slow with a fast finish (because it was Boston on a windy day!) does not = take the $ away.

Tergat, Berlin, 2003.

EOT.

I'm gonna go with Haile's 2:03:58. To me that was the greatest marathon I have ever witnessed.

I'd say Paul Tergat's 2:04 was the 2nd best.

No way any London mary can be considered. Arbitrarily fast (short?) course, rabbits, etc. It's not a race. No one really considers London to be racing. Big bucks = top talent, but not good racing.

London 1981. Beardsley vs Inge Simonson. Stride for stride for miles. Declared a tie.

hmmmm ok wrote:

London 1981. Beardsley vs Inge Simonson. Stride for stride for miles. Declared a tie.

Pussy Brits. Make the call!

London 2008 would be a contender, so would the Beijing Olympic marathon.

Thinking back there are some great races... I might go with Rod Dixon winning NYC in 1983.

2008 Men's Olympic Marathon

Gutsiest marathon ever run. PERIOD!

Skuj wrote:

I think London 2008 takes the cake.

Discuss.

I think it's safe to say this was a major overstatement.

Union Jackass wrote:

hmmmm ok wrote:

London 1981. Beardsley vs Inge Simonson. Stride for stride for miles. Declared a tie.

Pussy Brits. Make the call!

You make the call:

Lost Runner wrote:

I think it's safe to say this was a major overstatement.

1 LEL, MARTIN (KEN) M25 2:05:15

2 WANJIRU, SAMUEL (KEN) M20 2:05:24

3 GOUMRI, ABDERRAHIM (MAR) M30 2:05:30

4 MUTAI, EMMANUEL (KEN) M30 2:06:15

5 HALL, RYAN (USA) M25 2:06:17

6 MERGA, DERIBA (ETH) M25 2:06:38

7 KIFLE, YONAS (ERI) M30 2:08:51

Show me a deeper race that was this close.

That's what I thought.

Horatio beat me to it, but I will join him in saying:

YOU ARE TOO HUNG ON TIMES SKUJ!!!! Lel won easily really, Gourmi had dropped back well before the finish..... you are just blinded by the flashy times.

I nominate Boston 2009, women's version:

1. Salina Kosgei KEN 2:32:16

2. Dire Tune ETH 2:32:17

3. Kara Goucher USA 2:32:25

4. Bezunesh Bekele ETH 2:33:08

5. Helena Kirop KEN 2:33:24

6. Lidiya Grigoryeva RUS 2:34:20

THREE down to a sprint finish (well, almost 4, Merga was bearing down on them!) ! ONE second separating the top two, SEVERAL more under 2:35. Kara crying at the finish, and at the press conference, and at the interviews, and at dinner....you get the idea. Tune dropped dead after her heroic 2:32 (wind exhaustion).

Now THAT was a race. You take your london 2:05's and shove them!!!!!!!!

Sir Lance-alot wrote:

Horatio beat me to it, but I will join him in saying:

YOU ARE TOO HUNG ON TIMES SKUJ!!!! Lel won easily really, Gourmi had dropped back well before the finish..... you are just blinded by the flashy times.

Says the guy who is complaining that the woemn at Boston were really slow. I'm really confused now Lancy. Which one is it?