so Rupp is the US's #1 'thon'er, who is #2?

Webb.

The seconded fastest U.S. men's marathoner this year is Given Wilkerson at 2:15:53-369th in the world.

Tyler Pennel, 4th place at Boston

Just a gap then a pile of 2:11-2:13 guys.

How do we even know that Rupp is our #1 without having seen his birth certificate? I refuse to get behind him until I know, for sure, if he is American born or not.

olytun wrote:

The seconded fastest U.S. men's marathoner this year is Given Wilkerson at 2:15:53-369th in the world.

Never heard of the kid...what's his story? Long-time veteran or did he just make it to the big time?

none none wrote:

Just a gap then a pile of 2:11-2:13 guys.

It's Shadrack Biwott...two posters have already answered this question

It's most defiantly centrowitz

vivalarepublica wrote:

Shadrack Biwott. 4th in Boston last year, 3rd in Boston this year. 10th at NYC in 2017, 5th in 2016.

This, for sure.

And yes, lots of funny names in here... lol.

I forgot that Shadrack is the younger brother of Duncan Kibet who once was the Kenyan marathon record holder at 2:04:27 (which made him the then second fastest all-time behind Haile).

http://www.letsrun.com/2009/kiptoobiwott0408.php

fake news wrote:

#1 KK

#2 GR

KK?

Whatchutalkinbout wrote:

fake news wrote:

#1 KK

#2 GR

KK?

Khalid, who is irrelevant in this thread because it’s referring to current marathoners.

2016 Oly trial results:

02:11:12 1 Galen Rupp M76 Portland 05:01 01:06:31 :04:41 :01:50 Negative

02:12:20 2 Meb Keflezighi M1 San Diego 05:03 01:06:32 :05:48 :00:44 Negative

02:13:00 3 Jared Ward M12 Provo 05:05 01:06:31 :06:29 :00:02 Negative

02:14:12 4 Luke Puskedra M3 Eugene 05:08 01:06:32 :07:40 :01:08 Positive

02:14:57 5 Tyler Pennel M15 Blowing Rock 05:09 01:06:33 :08:24 :01:51 Positive

02:15:16 6 Matthew Llano M10 Flagstaff 05:10 01:06:31 :08:45 :02:14 Positive

:15:23 7 Shadrack Biwott M11 Mammoth Lakes 05:10 01:06:32 :08:51 :02:19 Positive

02:15:26 8 Patrick Smyth M82 Santa Fe 05:10 01:06:32 :08:54 :02:22 Positive

02:15:52 9 Sean Quigley M14 Lafayette 05:11 01:06:36 :09:16 :02:40 Positive

02:16:25 10 Nick Arciniaga M9 Flagstaff 05:13 01:06:44 :09:41 :02:57 Positive

02:17:09 11 Timothy Young M21 Fredericksburg 05:14 01:08:14 :08:55 :00:41 Positive

02:17:14 12 Max King M50 Bend 05:15 01:07:32 :09:42 :02:10 Positive

==--==--==

2016 Oly qualifiers:

Meb Keflezighi 2:08:37 A 118th B.A.A. Boston Marathon Boston MA USA 4/21/2014

Dathan Ritzenhein 2:09:45 A Bank of America Chicago Marathon Chicago IL USA 10/13/2013

Luke Puskedra 2:10:24 A Bank of America Chicago Marathon Chicago IL USA 10/11/2015

Jeffrey Eggleston 2:10:52 A Gold Coast Airport Marathon Brisbane AUS 7/6/2014

Ryan Vail 2:10:57 A Virgin Money London Marathon London UK 4/13/2014

Bobby Curtis 2:11:20 A Bank of America Chicago Marathon Chicago IL USA 10/12/2014

Elkanah Kibet 2:11:31 A Bank of America Chicago Marathon Chicago IL USA 10/11/2015

Fernando Cabada 2:11:36 A BMW Berlin Marathon Berlin GER 9/28/2014

Nick Arciniaga 2:11:47 A 118th B.A.A. Boston Marathon Boston MA USA 4/21/2014

Matt Tegenkamp 2:12:28 A Bank of America Chicago Marathon Chicago IL USA 10/13/2013

Matthew Llano 2:12:28 A 42nd BMW Berlin Marathon Berlin GER 9/27/2015

Josphat Boit 2:12:52 A 118th B.A.A. Boston Marathon Boston MA USA 4/21/2014

Aaron Braun 2:12:54 A Chevron Houston Marathon Houston TX USA 1/18/2015

Shadrack Biwott 2:12:55 A Frankfurt Marathon Frankfurt GER 10/26/2014

Jared Ward 2:12:56 A ASICS LA Marathon Los Angeles CA USA 3/15/2015

Jacob Riley 2:13:16 A Bank of America Chicago Marathon Chicago IL USA 10/12/2014

Ian Burrell 2:13:26 A Chevron Houston Marathon Houston TX USA 1/19/2014

Sean Quigley 2:13:30 A Fukuoka Marathon Fukuoka JP 12/7/2014

Tyler Pennel 2:13:32 A Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon/USA Championships Minneapolis MN USA 10/5/2014

Me...I’m the best marathoner in the US.

A lot can happen over the next two years but if I wanted to predict the 2020 Olympic marathon team I would be HIGHLY tempted to put Bernard Lagat in the top 3. I know he will be 45 years old, and will forever be known as a 1500m runner but who knows???

This post just goes to show what a sad state our country is in right now in terms of marathon competitiveness. Even with these elite programs here and there (Hansons, OTC?, Bowerman, Naz Elite, etc.), aside from Galen Rupp, we're gonna have a really really really hard time getting someone even under 2:10 at any race. That is very sad. Maybe it just goes to show how low on the professional sports totem pole distance running has sunk. It also seems as of late that even our brightest college runners and distance athletes on the track aren't doing much in the marathon. They seem to run 2:12 and are good with that, then retire. Solinksky (did he even run one?)? Tegenkamp (c'mon, try it out for more than a year at least dude)? He's technically american now and also old though too, but Bernard Lagat? I would've thought he'd do better than he has even in the half marathon. I just don't see him running well in the marathon.

I guess the other name everyone is forgetting is the Black Cactus - Adbi. He's probably too old now too to touch his PR, but he seems to at least show up.

What are we doing wrong here? Is it a monetary issue? Is it a mental issue where our athletes don't switch to the marathon until their track days are over and our system has burnt them out to a crisp that they can't wait to retire? Is it the training itself?? Are our college systems focusing too much on speed and shorter distances and not enough on the aerobic development needed for a good marathon engine?

The best runners in the world are running 2:03, :04, :05, and the best runners from our country are laughably out in the 2:11/:12/:13 times.

Jared Ward . End of discussion! Next question !

Hounddogharrier wrote:

Jared Ward . End of discussion! Next question !

I agree with that. It sounds as though he was injured coming off of Rio. Hopefully he can put things back together and run a good one over the next couple years. Tyler Pennel is also a good talent. He might have earned a spot to Rio if he hadn't thrown down so hard at mile 16 during the trials. I watched him win the US championships at the TC Marathon a few years ago and he simply demolished everyone in the field going up the Summit avenue climb there. He was really strong over the last few miles. But again with him, he ran that strong marathon and then went back to the track to focus on going sub-4. WTF??? Whhhyyyy???

It's almost like we're talking about the steeplechase. Let's see, here's our best. Next is, uh ...