I have lived in Doha for 5 years and I have run in my fair share of heat while here. During the last week of September/first week of October it is still around 92-95 at the LOWEST time in the day! At that time of the year to get in a long run, I have to split 1 hour outside and 1 inside - I usually get up at 4:30 so I can be out the door at 5:00. When I check my phone at that time, the temperature is usually around 94 with 50-75% humidity which yields a "perceived temperature" of about 105...after doing an hour outside at a modest pace, I am exhausted and the second half of the run isn't easy. I feel sorry for the poor marathoners who will be asked to run here, I don't see how it will work. As somebody who is typically in 16:00 5k shape or so, I don't think I could crack 17:00 at that time of year, and I've had years to acclimate to the weather...it's going to be brutal.
2014 Prediction: I live in Doha - The 5k, 10k and Marathon will be disasters
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Editor's note: This thread was started in 2014 when Doha was awarded the 2019 World Champs.
I have lived in Doha for 5 years and I have run in my fair share of heat while here. During the last week of September/first week of October it is still around 92-95 at the LOWEST time in the day! At that time of the year to get in a long run, I have to split 1 hour outside and 1 inside - I usually get up at 4:30 so I can be out the door at 5:00. When I check my phone at that time, the temperature is usually around 94 with 50-75% humidity which yields a "perceived temperature" of about 105...after doing an hour outside at a modest pace, I am exhausted and the second half of the run isn't easy. I feel sorry for the poor marathoners who will be asked to run here, I don't see how it will work. As somebody who is typically in 16:00 5k shape or so, I don't think I could crack 17:00 at that time of year, and I've had years to acclimate to the weather...it's going to be brutal. -
Maybe they'll move the marathon to an indoor track, a "marathon on the track".
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I call bs wrote:
http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/OTBD/2014/9/1/MonthlyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA
The OP is full of it.
You have just proved his point -
For the World Cup Doha is claiming their stadiums will have cooling systems to get the temp down to 68 degrees. I'm assuming that is their answer for T&F events. Of course whether that is feasible or not is an open question. And obviously it doesn't solve the problem for the Marathon.
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I call bs wrote:
http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/OTBD/2014/9/1/MonthlyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA
The OP is full of it.
The lowest temperature recorded in Doha in the last ten Septembers is 78. Yikes. -
The marathon is rumored to be run at night with lights around the course.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/athletics/night-time-marathon-doha-qatar-host-4649380 -
It's still going to be no lower than 80 degrees...should be cool to see people grinding out a marathon like that
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it goes to show how powerful money is. it's silly to have the world champs in doha, and it's silly to have the world cup in qatar for similar reasons. yet there you are.
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Not a worry, it will be air conditioned in the luxury suites the IAAF officials will be staying in.
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that table says the AVERAGE dewpoint is 73 degrees in Doha in Sept - that is about the WORST day in the Northeast USA, where humidity is a problem.
A 5k to marathon with a dewpoint in the 70s is cray cray - it's like having a meet at altitude.
just looked at this for the first time - results from the only altitude OG - Mexico City '68. There were WRs or ORs in every event from 100-1500 and very slow times in everything from 5k-marathon.
I'd expect something like that in Doha - fast sprint times and weird, slow distance races.
no idea on the throws/jumps.
I suppose since the sprints make the headlines, it will be ok for the sport.
Can we see the doha selection as another problem of east african supremacy in the sprints? it doesn't really matter to the IAAF which east african distance runner wins the 5k-marathon. The change in dollars and headlines would be the same.
but fast times and more interesting personalities in the sprints - that can get on the news.
put another way - the 100 meter final will be on the news. The 5000 meter final will not.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1968_Summer_Olympics -
here are the mexico city times:
3:35 (OR)
14:05
29: 27
2:20
in the marathon 2:23 won bronze. amazing. -
Not sure what the big deal is. So what that it'll be hot? The athletes will deal with it and that will be that.
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Qatar promised to air condition the entire world cup. maybe they will do the same for track and marathon :)
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agip wrote:
put another way - the 100 meter final will be on the news. The 5000 meter final will not.
Actually, distance races might actually get more press if they are a disaster. Runners dropping like flies would be a headline. -
internet protected mode off wrote:
Not sure what the big deal is. So what that it'll be hot? The athletes will deal with it and that will be that.
I agree so long as the selection process is such that runners more adept at running in hot, humid conditions are selected over time trial specialist in perfect conditions.
In other words, hold the trials in Houston in early June. -
IAAF sucks. Here we go again, officials more concerned about the almighty $$$$ rather than the athletes. T&F athletes need to form a union to stop such idiotic madness.
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The buffoons that run the IAAF are more concerned with their stay in VIP Hotels than the actual track meet and the performances of the athletes.
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Can anyone explain why Doha wants this?
They must have a way to cool the stadium or they will never get anymore meets.
I can believe the marathon is being thrown under the bus. I mean World Champs marathons have never been treated as if they were as important as Olympic marathons by the runners. -
I bet it won't be nearly as bad as 2007 in Osaka. Very humid, only one guy under 2:17 for the marathon.
