marathon men sub 2:10.00 and women sub 2:30 for 1997-2009, japan ethiopia, kenya, europe

When I first saw your thread title I thought 2:30 was too slow for the women but there does indeed seem to be parity when you look a the numbers.

The European and Japanese men... Wow! what the hell has happened?

And are these performances or performers (individuals)?

Good work.

Notice how in 2000 and 2001, when the EPO test became available, the number of European and Kenyan men who ran sub 2:10 dipped noticeably, then went back up in 2002 and 2003.

Seems the fashion for the marathon, started in the early 70's, is dropping at last. I wonder, with the creaky aging running boomers now paying the price for all those 26's, whether younger runners are looking at the marathon and passing. CW these days seems to be that it's risky long term, and its not that great an achievement anyway.

Notice how in 2000 and 2001, when the EPO test became available, the number of European and Kenyan men who ran sub 2:10 dipped noticeably, then went back up in 2002 and 2003.

Well, the number of European men "crashed" from 11 in 1999 to 10 in 2000. I'd hardly say you can take that as irrefutable proof. Even for the Kenyans, 2001 was their second-highest year to that point. The biggest statistical outlier is how high the number of Kenyan men was in 1999, not how low it was in 2000-2001.

Japan only had ONE sub 2:10 marathoner this year?!?!?! That is staggeringly poor for a nation obsessed with long-distance running, and who often put all their eggs in the marathon basket.

I am constantly being told on this board that Japan has their training methods (ie, Lydiard style training) down so well that we should all follow their lead. I am also told that their great marathon success proves that when athletes train hard (like Jpn athletes do), that it proves that they can compete with the best east africans, and therefore the east africans are not more talented.

But I guess "they" were wrong. Because..

2009 sub 2:10 performers:

Eth/Ken 91

Jpn 1

What an utter disparity.

www.666energy.com wrote:

Notice how in 2000 and 2001, when the EPO test became available, the number of European and Kenyan men who ran sub 2:10 dipped noticeably, then went back up in 2002 and 2003.

Then they discovered microdosing and everything got back to normal.

as of today january 22nd 2010 ethiopia already has 10 men under 2:10:00, which would be there 3rd best year ever and their is still 49 weeks to go, including the 2 biggest marathon months april and october, ethiopia depth is catching up with kenya in the marathon.

here is how these places did in 2010

ethiopia men

36 men under 2:10

depth still increasing

ethiopia women

36 under 2:30 (most sub 2:30 women any year by any country)

another big increase

kenya men

72 men under 2:10 (most sub 2:10 ever any year by any country)

kenya women

15

japan men

1 man under 2:10

japan women

13 under 2:30

europe men

1 man under 2:10

europe woman

27 woman under 2:30

all time top 100 scoreboard (100th fastest time is 2:07:19)

1. kenya 62

2. ethiopia 13

3. marrocco 4

3. japan 4

5. south africa 3

6. USA and 3 other countries with 2 each

all time top 100 women scoreboard (100th fastest time is currently 2:24:55

1. japan 19

1. ethiopia 19

3. china 15

4. kenya 13

5. russia 10

6. germany 3

7. USA is tied with 3 countries with 2 each

rommania woman also have 3 in top 100.

USA in 7th tied with 6 countrieswith 2 each (i made a mistake typing 3)

Interesting on the increase in depth in the marathon. I think this corresponds to the increase in number of big dollar marathons vs. the stagnant to declining number of elite track meets and the smaller dollars associated with them.

Run 13:00 and maybe come away with $1000 for the effort, and struggle to make other elite meets with capped fields and limited money.

Run 2:07 in a second teir marathon and win $50,000 and set yourself up for nice appearance fees for the next couple of years.

Not a hard choice for most Kenyans and Ethiopians to make.

Instead of growing up wanting to be like Henry Rono or Mirtus Yifter, they want to be like Wanjuri, or Tergat and Geb in their later years.