Longest Span Between First and Last Sub 3 Hour marathons

Certification in '72 was not as fastidious as now probably, and unless the course was over a mile short, it's still a sub 3.

Ed Whitlock could have done sub 3 55 years apart.

Have you run a sub 3 for 5 straight decades? There is a list for that too! I would think your first sub 3 would count!

naia champ is legit.

Plenty of archived results to back up his races.

I thought the same thing about Whitlock- I dug around but couldn't find any sub 3's when he was younger.

36+ years, that's great. Congratulations. interesting list -- how about Joan Benoit Samuelson 30 years for sub-2:50.

I've got a long ways to go -- 2:49 at Ocean State (Rhode Island) in October 1982 to 2:43 at B & A Trail March 2009 = a little over 26 years. Very doubtful I could keep it up to 2020.

Dave Haaga

currently at 23 years and 9 months between first and last...

if i can get one more it will be 27+ years.

won't make the 5-decade club, but i will make the 4-decade club, in both senses: calendar decades: 80's, 90's, 00's and ages: 20-teens and 20's, 30's, 40's, and 50's

mangled that last part - let me try again

won't make the 5-decade club, but i will make the 4-decade club, in both senses:

calendar decades: 1980's, 1990's, 2000's and 20-teens

and ages: 20's, 30's, 40's, and 50's

I'm currently at 19 years 8 months between my first and last sub 2:40. Unfortunately my first was in 1990 so unless I run a sub 3:00 at the age of 71 I won't be a member of the 5 decade club. I am hoping to make it 20 years between my first and last sub 2:30 this fall. It won't be easy but I should be close. Congrats to all of you on the awesome streaks!

naia champ wrote:

I thought the same thing about Whitlock- I dug around but couldn't find any sub 3's when he was younger.

I didn't run my first marathon until I was 45 (2:58) having only just resumed running when 41. My first serious marathon was when I was 48 (2:31), even then I was concentrating on middle distance racing. I only got realy interested when I approached 70. Ed

I ran my first sub-3:00 in December, 1976 at the Melbourne Marathon (now Space Coast) at age 19 in 2:34... even got lost on the course and ran an extra five minutes or so! My last sub-3:00 so far is 2:59:53(cut that close) at the January, 2008 Disney Marathon at age 50. So that is 31 years and one month apart. The five decade sub-3:00 club officially is recognizing the five calendar decades, of which I have four. I may try and gear up for this fall. I do have the five age decades - teens - 2:34, 20s - 2:22, 30s - 2:34, 40s - 2:45 and 50s - 2:59:53.

Bushman wrote:

naia champ is legit.

Plenty of archived results to back up his races.

Bushman are you Ralph?

Never ran before. Trained 6 months and ran Ocean State on October 29, 1978 in 2:52.

Ran Mystic Places on October 27, 2002 in 2:58.

24 years.

I tip my hat to those of you who are over 30 years!

I was once a sub 2:30 guy, I have 39 years straight of running marathons.." 1972 to 2010" one more hopefully and call it good at 40 straight years..

My first sub-3 was age 16 at the Manitoba Marathon in Winnepeg in 1981--2:46, I think. Then Grandma's in Duluth the next summer in 2:39.

And then a bit of a gap...my next and by far the most satisfying sub-3 was 2:58 this past spring at the National Marathon.

Inspiring stuff to hear about all these other old work horses.

1976 NYC 2:41:14 age 18

2003 Portland 2:57:06 age 45

27 years.

First sub 3:00 January 1978 2:56 Paul Masson Marathon

Last sub 3:00 December 2004 2:51 CIM

have a sub 3:00 in 1970s, 1980's, 1990's and 2000's

have a sub 3:00 in 20's, 30's, 40's and 50's

not likely to get a sub 3:00 in 2010's or 60's as last close effort was 3:04 in 2007

Nice thread!

My first sub 3hr was also my first marathon in Philly in 1981 (2:57). A lot of sub 3's after but not below 2:50.

Then...got slow and trying to get the mojo back. I don't think I was under 3 in the 2000's...need to check... but I'm 50 now and have a goal to get it back under 3...

BTW, that's impressive...