Ryan Hall, 27, and not getting any younger...NOT the great white american hope

Last time I checked, the WR is 2:03:59, so he doesn't need to be a "2:03/04 guy" to be competitive. Only one guy has ever broken 2:04 and that was by one second. 2:04 or 05 low would be very competitive on the world stage.

It is obvious to anybody (except maybe Rojo) that despite what he told the press, he changed the game plan before toeing the line and ran it as a tempo. Maybe in the past few days he wasn't recovering as fast or maybe he felt a slight injury creeping up. He ran this race for the money and did not race it.

P.S.

Expect a very impressive marathon out of him (2:07 ish). He ran MP today.

The Waterboy wrote:

I guess I meant more in response to the Wanjiru comment. Why shouldn't Wanjiru be able to run up to his capability in the marathon after a 59 and change half, if again, Haile ran a 10000m so fast prior to his record?

1. Because it's a 10k, much less stressful than a half.

2. Because 27:06 is really not that fast for Geb.

He loves running, but doesn't seem to like racing. I think his wife is the opposite, from what I've heard.

Brain Check wrote:

Willy K wrote:

... 27 is NOT aging... tell that to Haile

Is Haile the norm?

Next time please do a quick brain check first.

Is Ryan Hall the norm?

Nobody knows what the norm is. Idiot.

Brain Check wrote:

Willy K wrote:

... 27 is NOT aging... tell that to Haile

Is Haile the norm?

Next time please do a quick brain check first.

Is Ryan Hall the norm? Is any <=2:06 marathon runner "norm?" Try that Brain Check if you think the difference between haile's aging and ryan's is 10+ years

someone else wrote:

The Waterboy wrote:

I guess I meant more in response to the Wanjiru comment. Why shouldn't Wanjiru be able to run up to his capability in the marathon after a 59 and change half, if again, Haile ran a 10000m so fast prior to his record?

1. Because it's a 10k, much less stressful than a half.

2. Because 27:06 is really not that fast for Geb.

Geb geared training completely towards the 10k for the Olympics. He did not do marathon training and train through the Olympic final.

Brain Check wrote:

Willy K wrote:

... 27 is NOT aging... tell that to Haile

Is Haile the norm?

Next time please do a quick brain check first.

And, your analysis of the ages of the last 10 world record holders for the marathon yields what results?

Just relax, he's got 3-5 more years (or more). Why do threads about everything have to be so negative? Every thread I read these days is naysayers mad that Obama is in charge and the Tea Party isn't?

agreed the celebration was horrible and uncalled for. thats karma comin back at him.

fitness wrote:

He had his 59:43 3 years ago (age 24), and his 2:06 2 years ago (age 25). I'm not knocking ANY of his performances, but it must be said...he is not the great white american hope that everyone thought he would be. I can't see him actually "competing" with any of the top tier guys with times like: 2:12:33, 2:09:40, 2:08:41, that he has put up. Great times, but nowhere near 2:03/2:04.

His 63:55 only reinforces the fact that his frail body is aging and can't keep up with his age 23/24 year old body. He might put out another 2:05.high/2:06 within a year or two (at most) but I can't see him going under 60:00 again or running a 13:10 5km. In my book he is done.

One question for you. Haile G is at least 37 (many think he's over 40). It's a fact that he broke 13:00 16 years ago in 1994. Age hasn't slowed him.

Hall is by no means done at 27. I certainly agree with you that today's performance was very disappointing but the fact of the matter is he's by far the best American born athlete currently in terms of proven marathon performance.

As a coach, I find his bombs in the half marathon to be very confusing.

But let's wait and see what happens in Chicago.

Perspective is important in this sport. Everyone gets excited about Solinsky when he finishes 6th, 7th, 5th and 3rd in Europe. Well Hall was 4th in the Boston marathon this spring.

goat boy wrote:

His career went downhill after his foolish arm waiving, screaming, childish celebration at the 08 trials. Thank God he hasn't had another opportunity to embarrass himself and his family with such stupidity again. It was worse than any NFL touchdown celebration. Horrible.

why because he was living the dream of any athlete- to go to the olympics? im sure you would hate to go to the olympics and wouldnt celebrate even a little. that was the greatest race of his life so far and had every right to conduct a genuine celebration

He looked like a two year old celebrating. He needs to follow the line 'act like you've been there before'

Coach Newton said it best when talking about Sebastion Coe.."the more competitive you get the more people expect you to break a world record everytime out". The poster was dead on when he mentioned when Hall ran his 1:04, everyone was bashing him..than goes and run faster than any American ever has at Boston running 2:08 a couple months later. One week everyone bashes Webb for running 1:52, the next they sweet talk him for running 1:48 and the next applauds him for running 3:36. It's cumulative and most of the time results don't come overnight. Hall is on a different plain than the rest of us but even he is human! a 63:55 is NOT a dissapointment (only a handful of men in the US can even run that time people), guarantee his mileage is STILL high and is he has not begun is full taper. To bash runners of this caliber because they are not setting AR, course records or PR's every race out isn't very smart. Hall will be fine.

63:55 is a huge dissapointment. that puts him on the lines of 2:15 for a marathon. this whole idea of having a bad half marathon is an indicator that you're in shape for the marathon is crap. its simple, if you have a bad race leading up to your peak race the likelyhood of racing well is lower. its simple people

You could only think that he will run 2:15 if you are hopelessly naive or just a Hall hater. There is 0% chance he will run 2:15.

stuck with match.com wrote:

63:55 is a huge dissapointment. that puts him on the lines of 2:15 for a marathon. this whole idea of having a bad half marathon is an indicator that you're in shape for the marathon is crap. its simple, if you have a bad race leading up to your peak race the likelyhood of racing well is lower. its simple people

you're the naive one for thinking its impossible for him to run a 2:15. why is that so hard to cope with? 63:55 = 2:15, OMG big shock that i said he could run a 2:15. The point is he is past his peak. there is not a chance in hell that he can even run 2:08 much less 2:06

It does makes sense to play this one close to the chest. He is less than three weeks from Chicago and that race is going to be fast. London fast. It may very well be the best time/course/field marathon Hall runs since London '08. And, Hall already has the AR for the Half. There was no going after guys who have nothing to lose. For Hall, everything he has done is invested on 10/10. Keep it light and easy....race with the fast boys next time!

I feel sorry for bitter people like you who are slaves to some running calculator. There is no way even if he is past his prime that he will go from 2:08 at Boston to 2:15 at Chicago in less then a year. You are very naive. It is impossible.

stuck with match.com wrote:

you're the naive one for thinking its impossible for him to run a 2:15. why is that so hard to cope with? 63:55 = 2:15, OMG big shock that i said he could run a 2:15. The point is he is past his peak. there is not a chance in hell that he can even run 2:08 much less 2:06