Best Male Marathon Runner of the 1980's?

Cymru am byth wrote:

Legend of Jonesy wrote:

"Best" is always questionable but everyone favorite should be Jonesy.

The 1993 World Marathon champion Mark Plaatjes recalls a training session he did with Rob de Castella and Steve Jones:

“I remember the first time I did a workout with Steve and Deeks. We did a hill workout. After the first one there was Steve, hunched over at the top of the hill, vomiting. I looked over at Rob and said, “is he all right?”, “Oh yeah, that’s just Jonesy,” Deek said. And after each hill, Steve was there vomiting. He just runs so hard”

Jones was an animal who put everything on the line.

I wonder why he didn't run in the 1987 WC or 1988 OG?

For the 88 Olympic question, At first they didn't select him, so he signed up to do NYC. And while on vacation in the states and beginning harder training for NYC, he got a phone call from his sister(?) (if I recall right it was his sister). His sister was like congrats you're on the team. He didn't know this when he got the phone call. He felt he did not just want to go to the Olympics just to go. He only wanted to go if he felt he was a contender. And the timing of everything, he declined it. He tells it better in this podcast.

what are you talking about? wrote:

Cymru am byth wrote:

Jones was an animal who put everything on the line.

I wonder why he didn't run in the 1987 WC or 1988 OG?

For the 88 Olympic question, At first they didn't select him, so he signed up to do NYC. And while on vacation in the states and beginning harder training for NYC, he got a phone call from his sister(?) (if I recall right it was his sister). His sister was like congrats you're on the team. He didn't know this when he got the phone call. He felt he did not just want to go to the Olympics just to go. He only wanted to go if he felt he was a contender. And the timing of everything, he declined it. He tells it better in this podcast.

https://player.fm/series/running-rogue/episode-52-how-to-be-a-running-badass-with-steve-jones

Wow. Interesting story. I'm not sure he would have won as it was a hot race with a very competitive field.

He potentially could have broken the field if he went out hard.

Thread derail...

Does anyone have a link to the NBC coverage to the '88 mens marathon? I had it on VHS but have lost it over the years. Believe it or not it was a good telecast with limited personal-interest stuff save Douglas Wakiihuri. I would like to watch again to hear Frank Shorter say that Gelindo Bordin had been dropped and wasn't coming back. A lot of the cats mentioned in this thread were players.

VHS wrote:

Thread derail...

Does anyone have a link to the NBC coverage to the '88 mens marathon? I had it on VHS but have lost it over the years. Believe it or not it was a good telecast with limited personal-interest stuff save Douglas Wakiihuri. I would like to watch again to hear Frank Shorter say that Gelindo Bordin had been dropped and wasn't coming back. A lot of the cats mentioned in this thread were players.

I can only find the Australian and British coverage. I think a lot of people wrote Bordin off when Salah attacked.

Craig Mottram wrote:

Black Caviar wrote:

DEEEEEEK

Deeks had the best marathon time for 3 separate years in the 1980's as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWjwP8Gj-B4

Geoff Smith said he is better than Robert De Castella though!!!

Loping Along wrote:

Jonesy and Deek bombed more than once. Lopes basically had an unblemished Marathon record once he got serious about it.

Lopes could have broken the 10000m WR.

Why did he pace Mamede in 1984 for his WR? I'm sure if it was the other way around Lopes could have ran 27:10.

Lauda wrote:

Loping Along wrote:

Jonesy and Deek bombed more than once. Lopes basically had an unblemished Marathon record once he got serious about it.

Lopes could have broken the 10000m WR.

Why did he pace Mamede in 1984 for his WR? I'm sure if it was the other way around Lopes could have ran 27:10.

He must have felt sorry for Mamede having nothing much to show for his ability.

It was frequently mentioned that they didn't really like each other despite being in the same club and training together.

Lopes also let Mamede win the National CC championships in '85.

Poor little Fernando wrote:

Lauda wrote:

Lopes could have broken the 10000m WR.

Why did he pace Mamede in 1984 for his WR? I'm sure if it was the other way around Lopes could have ran 27:10.

He must have felt sorry for Mamede having nothing much to show for his ability.

It was frequently mentioned that they didn't really like each other despite being in the same club and training together.

Lopes also let Mamede win the National CC championships in '85.

Yeah I heard Lopes came 2nd on purpose in the Portuguese XC in 1985 to get the pressure off him and onto Mamede. Then goes to win the WC XC with a great performance.

Jonesy was a gutsy classy runner but when ranking him against others of that era, you can’t overlook the fact he did not perform in the major championships. The one that he should have won, the European , he threw away by going off too quick in ferocious conditions. As regards Lopes, he was Olympic champion as well as world record breaker which totally surpasses Steve’s performances. He did not pace Mamede to the world record 10k !!! He took the pace on to drop him. There was no love lost between them as you mention.

Man of war wrote:

Jonesy was a gutsy classy runner but when ranking him against others of that era, you can’t overlook the fact he did not perform in the major championships. The one that he should have won, the European , he threw away by going off too quick in ferocious conditions. As regards Lopes, he was Olympic champion as well as world record breaker which totally surpasses Steve’s performances. He did not pace Mamede to the world record 10k !!! He took the pace on to drop him. There was no love lost between them as you mention.

It still seemed to be an arranged record attempt.

Man of war wrote:

Jonesy was a gutsy classy runner but when ranking him against others of that era, you can’t overlook the fact he did not perform in the major championships. The one that he should have won, the European , he threw away by going off too quick in ferocious conditions. As regards Lopes, he was Olympic champion as well as world record breaker which totally surpasses Steve’s performances. He did not pace Mamede to the world record 10k !!! He took the pace on to drop him. There was no love lost between them as you mention.

Jones dying in 1986 EC.

It appeared prearranged.

Royal Air Force wrote:

Before reading the list... Jonesy... quickly entered my mind.

Although never a medalist ('84 and '88 top-10 finishes) or WR holder Juma Ikangaa is worthy of an honorable mention. Won NYC in a CR, won Fukuoka, several runner-ups at Boston. He may belong ahead of Dinsamo who's best work was late in the decade and into the '90's

Juma Ikangaa had one of the most consistent records in the marathon. Underrated runner.

Danny Archer wrote:

Royal Air Force wrote:

Before reading the list... Jonesy... quickly entered my mind.

Although never a medalist ('84 and '88 top-10 finishes) or WR holder Juma Ikangaa is worthy of an honorable mention. Won NYC in a CR, won Fukuoka, several runner-ups at Boston. He may belong ahead of Dinsamo who's best work was late in the decade and into the '90's

Juma Ikangaa had one of the most consistent records in the marathon. Underrated runner.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juma_Ikangaa

De Castella defeating Ikangaa in the 1982 CG marathon is one of the greatest Australian sporting moments.

Amazing comeback.