Ryan Hall doesn't believe a 2 hour marathon is outside of his own capabilities

Given that many marathon runners run their best times in their 30's, Hall's best may yet be to come. Sub 2? I don't know about that one. Once someone else does it, others will surely follow, and maybe Hall could be one of them. But shaving another 12 seconds per mile from his Boston race seems like a pretty huge stretch.

How could God NOT show up, Ryan?

He's got the right mindset. If he was saying he had no chance to break 2:00 and it was outside of his capabilities, I'd be more worried.

It was established LONG ago that Ryan Hall is crazy. Something like this says nothing new about him. I could see him running (non-wind-aided) PRs for several years to come though.

No, that would just be realistic. There's no shame in not throwing out absurd goals. Galen Rupp is probably aware that he will never break 26:00 in the 10k, but that doesn't say anything about his mindset.

his voice/persona is so weird, like a different gender from a different dimension.

50 MPH tailwind, course with optimum downhill slope for a marathon, running in Spiras, etc. Anything is possible.

He should focus first on consistently breaking 1 hour for a half marathon first before talking about sub 2 marathons. This is absolutely stupid to think someone who runs 2:08 can run a sub 2:00

I am not really convinced anyone can do it. The difference between 2:05 and 2:10 is quite a bit. The guy who won NYC was running on a whole new level compared to 2:09 and 2:10 guys. The 2:00 guy will have to take it up another 2 notches in his gear than the 2:05 guy.

i think he can do it. humans seem to put limits on our selves. the Kenyans and Ethiopians continually blow all of or minds with their WRs because they know and believe they can do it.

This type of narcissist will believe anything. Canova helps fuel this crazy talk.

I don't think there is anyone on the scene right now or in the pipeline who can break 2 hours, in fact I don't think it is going to happen for a very-very long time. Someone who is fully committed to the marathon, but has the track speed to run a sub 26:50 10Ks and consistent 58x halfs has the capability to run a 2:02.

I think in 2005 when KB won the WXC long and Short, ran 12:40 in the 5K and 27:17 in the 10K, I think he could have run around 2:02 if he adjusted his training for it. Sammy was heading towards a 2:02 in my opinion if he could have maintained his focus. Sammy ran a 2:06 solo in 78 degree temps and on a course with sharp turns and won Chicago in 2:05 when he wasn't fully fit. Both of these guys were only in their mid 20s when they were at the top of there game and perhaps that's when we could have seen a 2:02 marathon. - The 2:03s that we are seeing is about where the marathon should be, to be in line with other events, but a sub 2 hour marathon would have to be someone better than Samuel Wanjiru and Kenenisa Bekele, which kind of makes the whole discussion kind of silly when you really think about.

Hall's 59x half marathon from a couple of years ago say's a 2:05 might be in his future, a 2:04 is not out of the relm of possibilities, a 2:03 is doubtful, a 2:02 is highly unlikely and a sub 2 hour marathon is absolutely impossible.

Hall is a 2:06-2:08 marathoner. He will always be a 2:06-2:08 marathoner because of comments like this. Yes, I know Hall ran 2:04:58 at Boston this year, but it was wind aided...for everyone(maybe God does love everyone equally?)!

So, is Hall saying that if God is not busy doing other important things like saving lives, he might show up to one of Hall's marathons and help him to run a 2:00 marathon because God appreciates great athletic achievements?! I believe in God. I also believe God can make things happen. I also believe that God gave Hall the athletic ability to run a faster marathon than he has...but, God is not going to do it for him!

Pay attention Ryan!!! Maybe God is using me as a messenger of sorts to let you know that you need to get your head out of your ass, get a coach, train harder, race smarter, improve your 5000m to half-marathon ability, and then you will most likely see some legitimate(non wind-aided) improvement in the marathon.

He's proven himself to be a 2:06:30 runner. Finding 6 more minutes at his level and at his stage of his career, would require some help from God.

2:00 marathon? Nooooo problem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__Uv7DjCHN8&feature=channel_video_title

No Problem.

I said it before, I will say it again: G. Mutai and M. Mosop were scared in Boston, just like everyone else. They had no idea how to run a race with a 25mph tailwind.

If there ever is going to be another Boston tailwind like this, it will happen. probably not Ryan Hall though.

Why does anyone even pay attention to such crazy talk. Hall is a great marathoner who will never come close to 2:00.

If we are going to talk about Hall and 2:00 we should also be talking about Centro and 3:20 or Rupp and 26:00.

All this means it that Ryan Hall plan to run St. Georges one day.

I think this is sort of like the thread about what percentage of trials runners think they have a chance to make the team.

It divided up between those people who think that on a given day anything is possible and that hope keeps them trying to get better, and those people who have a strictly realistic view of their possibilities based on past performance and racing conditions. I don't think one approach is necessarily right or wrong - human psychology is different and different approaches work for different people.

Hall is one of those guys who thinks on a given day anything is possible and it seems to work for him. Other runners, like the Hansons and their runners, have a philosophy based on predicting what they think their capabilities are on a given day as accurately as possible and sticking to that, which has worked well for them.

Different strokes for different folks.