malmo wrote:
The OP vastly overestimates his knowledge of weather. It was neither hot nor humid. 64 degrees and 55 DP. Start time 7am. Absolutely great running conditions.
1-You are underestimating the fact that I know Buenos Aires weather very well because I lived there. Brojos can check that. And It wasn't 64 degrees. 66 at least. And peaks over 70s during the race.
2-Forget about me. You're underestimating what the runners said. Cristian Pacheco (2:11) said it clearly to ESPN 1 minute after he finished. Miguel Barzola (7th in 2:16) said it too. See again the video. I can translate some quotes for you.
Kipserem (2:06 low PB) was a DNF after 30k, Another of the Kenyans (Godfrei Kosgei, bombed after 25k and finished in 2:14).
Three Peruvians attempting at least the 2019 Panamerican Games-qualification standard (2:16), (Raul Machacuay, Jean Pierre Castro and Max Belisario) failed after 1:03.xx at half mark. Machacuay, a 2:13 athlete, finished in 2:24.
For the argentinians: They also wanted to achieve the Pan Am standard, so they put two track specialists as pacers for the first half. Federico Bruno (3:38 in 1500m and 2:15 in the marathon) and Javier Carriqueo (3:38 in 1500m-13:26 in 5000m).
Mastromarino (2:15 PB) was on pace for 2:15.xx until the 30k, but after that he bombed and finished in 2:20. And he medaled in 2015 Toronto Pan Ams with similar conditions.
Luis Molina (2:15 PB) was also on pace for 2:16 after half (1:07.xxx) but was a DNF. Miguel Barzola (2:15 flat PB) was very happy at the end. He said on the interview that in this race did his best strategy. Being conservative until the 30k, in 2:19 pace. He never used this approach in other Marathons like London, Rotterdam or Valencia, because he felt that he was in 2:13 shape.
There were 25 athletes entered with sub 2:20 PBs. That isn't normal in South America.
So clearly, it was a hard race after the 25k, for almost everybody on the elite field, minus Pacheco (2:11) and Ayala (2:13), with even splits, and the unknown Emmanuel Saina Kipkemboi and his 28:21 between 25k and 35k (1:59.xx pace).
You probably think that this topic is a clickbalt. But it's not. I repeat. This was equal to 2:03.xx in faster courses like Berlin this year, or Frankfurt, Doha, or a hurricane-aided Boston in 2011.