How did runners start going sub 2:10 at the marathon?

2:10 was broken the last century in 1967.

The WR is 2:03:03 so well under 2:10

Banana Bread wrote:

The WR is 2:03:03 so well under 2:10

Runner Finish Time Marathon

Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) 2:01:39 Berlin, 2018

Dennis Kimetto (Kenya) 2:02:57 Berlin, 2014

Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia) 2:03:03 Berlin, 2016

i am aware of that . Just curious how runners keeps breaking barriers

Internetsherlock wrote:

I am aware of that . Just curious how runners keeps breaking barriers

It's a function of multiple factors: better training programs, better diet, better climate (less pollution), better lifestyle (no/less manual labour to earn a wage, more free time) better equipment (shoes, tracks) and the psychological factor (once one person achieves something it is no longer impossible).

You can look at this in parallel to life expectancy:

In 1919 the life expectancy of a male in the USA was 53.5 years, the mile record was 4:12.6.

In 2018 the life expectancy of a male in the USA was 77.1 years, the mile record was 3:43.13.

PEDs are a huge factor. Nobody clean has has ever run under 2:05.

Underdoggy wrote:

PEDs are a huge factor. Nobody clean has has ever run under 2:05.

True, but PEDs have also been around for a long time. So yes, you could also add better PEDs to my list.

Look at wikipedia page on marathon record progression. There is a nice chart showing that major improvements in men's record occur when marathon was newly introduced, and around 1960's. Elsewhere is very gradual, almost flat. I attribute the second boom to Lydiard's low intensity, large volume approach (which wasn't the prominent idea earlier in the century, dominated by Zatopek's HIIT-type approach).

So much of the reason is mental and what effect previous records have in terms of allowing contemporary runners to believe is possible. Consider the four minute mile. People started thinking about the possibility of doing it in the 1930s but attempts continually came up short until Bannister did it. There was nothing spectacular about his training. His previous races showed that he had ability but there was no indication that he had more of it than Hagg or Anderson or Santee or several others from around that time. But the time had been a major barrier until Bannister broke it and then many others did. Ten years later a high school kid did it and today it may not even get you into the D1 NCAA meet.

Similarly, Clayton's 2:08:33 was such a barrier in the marathon that no one ran faster for twelve years. It was such an imposing barrier that the question of the course's accuracy, which had arisen immediately after he ran it but were pretty much settled shortly afterward, came up again. Then Salazar ran faster than that at New York and shortly afterward DeCastella did as well and even though it was later discovered that Salazar did it on a short course, DeCastella did not and the record began moving down.

That said, the marathon today is a different event than it was in Deek's and Clayton's era. Courses are designed with an eye toward speed whereas they once were laid out to pass through areas with little or no traffic. Pace making is not only legal but professionalized. There are major cash incentives for running fast times. And there is the PED business.

Wait... People are living longer because they saw someone else living longer?

Better genes. Along with the other factors already mentioned, marathon running spread to populations with higher prevalence of the genes and related physical characteristics that promote fast distance running. This is coupled with somewhat more widespread talent identification among these populations.

So if you're a highly talented Kalenjin or similar, there's a greater chance that you'll get a chance to train for and race marathons than 50-60 years ago.