Rotterdam, NYC, Berlin, Boston are they 2nd class?

BillCarr wrote:

its all in your post -- runner is right.

95% is just money, maybe 5% for the lame excuse that the Boston hills hurt too much waa waa waa we might as well run 26.2 on the track.

I'm a bit confused though -- what's wrong with a tactical race, which Boston usually turns into ? In a tactical race, more people have a chance . . . makes it more interesting . . . instead of the carefully orchestrated record attempts we see in London and in Chicago

I didn't get to see much of the elite race at Chicago this year but from what I read, the men's race had 5 guys in contention until mile 23 when Khalid stomped up and down on the other 4. It wasn't like those other guys were paid to lay down and die.

Geoff Smith single handedly kept Boston alive in 1984 and 1985 by racing there. Without his presence in those 2 yeas, Boston would be another road race today. New York's ego gets in it's own way, typical of most events in New York. Chicago treats every runner 1st class, boasts a fast, flat course set up for a personal best (weather permitting) and has the cash to get it done. It is clearly the best marathon event in America.

Joseph Aloysius McV. wrote:

Weldon --

In this thread, "rojo" wrote:

"...I've been meaning to do a feature story with interviews of Pinkowski (Chicago) and Bedford (London)..."

"...The Chicago race was a big event..."

"...If Chicago gets her...""

Joe you've got to be kidding if you expect everyone to refer to the race with its sponsor's name in every message board post. For one it is superrepetitive. Look at an article from USAToday on the FedEX Orange Bowl, they'll use the name FEdEx organe bowl on the first mention but not every time.

2) Have you ever heard Carey P talk about the chicago marathon. He'll say "LaSalle Bank Chicaog Marathon" many times but then in the next 50 sentences when he mentions the race he will occasionally say the "the marathon" and even on occasion gasp "chicago marathon". But the naming rights are mainly meant for the masses not casual conversation.

As a Boston native who now lives in Oregon, it saddens me a bit to see the Boston Marathon's luster diminished somewhat by the fact that the true superstars are focusing on London and Chicago. Don't get me wrong, I think that for the average person on the street, Boston and New York will continue to be considered one of the most prestigious marathons in the world for at least the next ten years. The smartest thing that Boston ever did was to institute fairly demanding qualifying times, making the act of qualifying for that great event the goal of countless marathoners. And I'm not sure whether Chicago will ever have the level of fan invovlement/community support that Boston and New York enjoy. No one who has run past Wellesley College on Patriots Day will ever forget it. I think that level of community support that Boston and New York enjoy will always make those marathons prominent in the minds of most (non-elite) marathoners.

But still, it would be great to see KK dueling Haile Gebresilassie over the hills of Newton. I hope that the BAA will try to do what it takes to make that (or something like it) happen. I do think that there is a risk of long-term damage to the prestige of the race is London and Chicago continue to draw the very best marathoners. I suspect that this is just a matter of money, although the fact that Boston times are ineligible for official "world record" status (due to the net elevation drop) may also hurt.

Whoever said that Boston almost slid off the map as an elite event in the 80s was absolutely right. I don't think there is nearly the same danger of that happening now. But I do hope that the BAA strives to compete with London (its most direct competitor) and Chicago.

"Joe you've got to be kidding if you expect everyone to refer to the race with its sponsor's name in every message board post."

Not kidding. I do it, habitually, in casual conversations too. And I don't even care for the race (to borrow a phrase from Ryan Grote, everythign west of the Delaware River is savagery, and 7:30 AM is no time for a sports event).

It's a cheap and easy way to show a sponsor that you appreciate their contribution. And IIRC, ABN-AMRO's chairman

has a reputation as a cost-killer and a nut for shareholder value...he will pay close attention to expenditures for any potential rebranding of LaSalle Bank. Make your choice.

Chicago is not going to get Naoko-san for a while.

She is running the Tokyo Women's Marathon (November 17) because it is one of the 3 Qualifying Races designated by the JAAF for the World Championships next year (Osaka and Nagoya being the other two)

So, if Naoko wins the Tokyo race, apparently she will automatically make the Paris team, which might rule out a Chicago visit, and then of course in 2004 you have the Olympics. She will have to do one of 4 or 5 things to make the Japanese olympic marathon team: (1) Medal at Paris (2) Re-set the WR (4) Run and win at Tokyo/Osaka/Nagoya.

In my best estimation, the Athens team will be Naoko, Reiko Tosa and Yoko Shibui, but you have about 3-4 athletes knocking on the door. Reiko Tosa will most likely run Osaka in order to qualify for Paris. Yoko Shibui apparently wants to step down to the 10km for Paris, then back up to the Marathon for Athens....

Jason

If you think that a marathon is "2nd Class" just because they cannot afford Khannouchi, Tergat, Haile G., Paula Radcliffe or any of the "true superstars," you are totally wrong.

There are many races in the world, such as Berlin, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Tokyo, Fukuoka, that are very important. A struggling athlete, can breakthough at these competitions and make a name for himself/herself. Look at Josephat Kiprono, Ronaldo DaCosta, Takayuki Inbushi, and now, Raymond Kipkoech....all super athletes, all will be forever connected to the Berlin Marathon.

Boston and NYC will always be great races, and no amount of "inserting foot-into-mouth" by Mr. Steinfeld will take away the mystique and prestige of the Boston and NYC Marathons. To run a fast time at Boston or NYC, rather than Chicago or London, is truly magificent.

Jason