OFFICIAL 2014 LONDON MARATHON UPDATE THREAD

From BBC Sports:

Brendan Foster wrote: "Why would Mo Farah want to take on guys like Wilson Kipsang in the marathon in the future? These guys are just so strong. I hope Mo stays on the track, runs the shorter distances and defends his title in Rio. I just think this is too much of an unknown territory for Mo."

Full props to Kenya .. 1st and 2nd n both men's and women's marathon. Nice work, folks.

Mo needs to forget the Marathon. Sit down with some media executives and put some track races together in a package that is easy to promote and attract some money to the track -or failing that a series of 5k and 10k races in major cities. Hour of prime tv on a Friday night. Maybe Branson could help him out... Does that and I see him in a whole new light. Public has no interest in the sport of running? - well make them interested. Certainly enough people turned out to see Mo today. Not his job? Well looks like more chance of delivering on that than being a force at Marathon.

+2

Announcier wrote:

Honestly I dont think Mo will bring much heat to the track this yr.. it'll be the same old boring sit and kick if anything.. not surprised he's milking his image right now

So how does this block of marathon pursuit, affect his track ability and performance in the next two years? Is what I'm curious about? does he gain mental and physiological tools adding to his training and racing formidability, or might he regress a bit?

Funny thing seeing white british (elite?) guys still cannot beat Paula Radcliffe's London time :-)

dkny64 wrote:

might be rcs wrote:

Mo finishes, missing the "sure thing" UK record by over a minute 2:08:21

Will he faint?

Hey, give the devil his due - he finished, which was more than I was expecting. I believe that makes hims the only person ever to break 3:30 in the 1500m and 2:10 in the marathon.

True enough.

I am just bashing on the idea that Salazar can coach an elite marathoner to his potential. He can't.

If Ryan Vail would have beaten Mo, that would have been awesome!

Congrats to Steve Way! 2:16:27 (15th overall and 3rd brit). Guy's turning 40 in a few months and doesn't run professionally.

Announcier wrote:

Honestly I dont think Mo will bring much heat to the track this yr.. it'll be the same old boring sit and kick if anything..

In what? A Diamond League (ie paced) 5000? Probably not.

Hopefully he takes that marathon base and finally puts down the fast 5/10 his fans seem to think he can do.

bquake wrote:

Funny thing seeing white british (elite?) guys still cannot beat Paula Radcliffe's London time :-)

apart from Chris Thompson 2.11.19

Ten years ago, even five years ago this would have been a good debut, but this is disappointing. If you're 31 and can't at least be in the 2:06 range for your first marathon then that's not a good indicator. There are too many young guys who are running sub 2:05 now. Marathoning is not the same as it was. He needs to stay on the track where he belongs. He's not yet broken 60 in the half so the chances of him being a stud marathoner are small.

Message:

I think what we should really take away from this is not how over-hyped Mo is (although he is), but how impressive KB's debut was. This should put one of the ACTUAL all-time greats into perspective.

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and it was, Kenny got balls and has the papers for a really fast marathon.

Mo just cached in a lot of money and now has a marathon trauma.

He could transform his trauma in good marathonning in the future.

I don't think that Mo showed rael marathon potential but he is still the best at the 5 and 10 k. respect for him.

I really think that GEB was f*cking up the front and that faster times would be ran if the first 5k was slower.

The Red Panda wrote:

From BBC Sports:

Brendan Foster wrote: "Why would Mo Farah want to take on guys like Wilson Kipsang in the marathon in the future? These guys are just so strong. I hope Mo stays on the track, runs the shorter distances and defends his title in Rio."

Smart.

UK/US runners like Farah and Rupp can get rich on the track, while Africans need to go to the roads for money.

Wise move for Farah and Rupp to stay in the "B-race" that the Olympic 10,000 is now.

But white british (elite?) guys are clean... (not saying Paula wasn't - although others would given the period she competed in... and Nike).

Mo ran a very solid debut...why bash him? If before the race you were to say he would be within one second of Geoffrey Mutai or Emmanuel Mutai not many here would have believed it....but there you go.

Only that he was hyped to the galaxies and we have receipts of respected media predicting a win or at least having him mixing it up with the big boys with the British record a given.

Hard truth: He's nowhere near the best of of all time on the track (doesn't have the times) and most certainly not even in Paul Tergat's league, let alone Geb and Bekele . KB is the boss and smoked the field at the marathon on his first attempt. Compare that with Mo who's 0-3 on the road.

Message:

The Red Panda wrote:

From BBC Sports:

Brendan Foster wrote: "Why would Mo Farah want to take on guys like Wilson Kipsang in the marathon in the future? These guys are just so strong. I hope Mo stays on the track, runs the shorter distances and defends his title in Rio."

Smart.

UK/US runners like Farah and Rupp can get rich on the track, while Africans need to go to the roads for money.

Wise move for Farah and Rupp to stay in the "B-race" that the Olympic 10,000 is now.

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false statement. not a B-race at all. but this kinda races are usually unpaced and more tactical skills then strenght and endurance are needed. then again a win is a win.

Was Dibaba's time the fastest women's debut marathon?

Just from looking at her splits, she's got a great future ahead of her, she picked up a few seconds in the 2 km.

Will she double in 10000m and marathon in '16? I don't see anyone being able touch her in the 10000m within the next few years.