Kelkile Gezahegn should win this, 23yo and ranked 10. Sixth in Dubai last year and won Ljubljana in Oct in 2.07.29. PB when third in Rotterdam in 2018 in 2.05.56 and also won Frankfurt that year in 2.06.37.
Kelkile Gezahegn should win this, 23yo and ranked 10. Sixth in Dubai last year and won Ljubljana in Oct in 2.07.29. PB when third in Rotterdam in 2018 in 2.05.56 and also won Frankfurt that year in 2.06.37.
Last year’s woman’s winner may repeat, but I think she will need to be at or near her optimum. And the dangers for me aren’t the two with the next two fastest times (2.24.xx). It is one of the 8 debutants from last year that I wrote about in depth in my Saitama Marathon thread. The disappointment.
Aussiestatman wrote:
Last year’s woman’s winner may repeat, but I think she will need to be at or near her optimum. And the dangers for me aren’t the two with the next two fastest times (2.24.xx). It is one of the 8 debutants from last year that I wrote about in depth in my Saitama Marathon thread. The disappointment.
Bruktayit Eshetu won last year in 2.23.28 then in April was 8th in Boston in 2.29.10. This last October ran her PB of 2.22.40 for second in Toronto. Has a great history here, winning in 2016 and 18: the latter in 2.24.51. Also third in 2015 in 2.23.51.
Aussiestatman wrote:
Last year’s woman’s winner may repeat, but I think she will need to be at or near her optimum. And the dangers for me aren’t the two with the next two fastest times (2.24.xx). It is one of the 8 debutants from last year that I wrote about in depth in my Saitama Marathon thread. The disappointment.
Gudeta from Toronto
Second to finish should be Hassan El Abbassi, 35yo and ranked 25. PB in 2018 Valencia, second in 2.04.43. Poor 18th in the half here last year then a DNF at Tokyo. Better when seventh at the W/Champs and second in Shanghai in November, just 9 weeks before this.
Aussiestatman wrote:
Aussiestatman wrote:
Last year’s woman’s winner may repeat, but I think she will need to be at or near her optimum. And the dangers for me aren’t the two with the next two fastest times (2.24.xx). It is one of the 8 debutants from last year that I wrote about in depth in my Saitama Marathon thread. The disappointment.
Gudeta from Toronto
Bekelech Gudeta is 22yo and ranked 142. I think Gudeta can run sub 2.24 here. Was expected in her debut in Toronto in October to be much better than the ninth in 2.27.40 that she gave. Five weeks prior in a half in Copenhagen was sixth in 67.21 after finishing in the same placing there the year before 18 seconds quicker. Also two other halfs in 2018 under 68.15.
Third to complete the classic distance may be Tsegay Tuemay, 24yo and ranked 161. PB in April: sixth in Daegu in 2.09.07. Then second in Kosice in October in 2.11.02. Fourth in 2018 in Guangzhou in 2.10.55. Claim to fame as a 17yo in 2013, won a ten mile in Tilburg in 46.06.
Aussiestatman wrote:
Aussiestatman wrote:
Gudeta from Toronto
Bekelech Gudeta is 22yo and ranked 142. I think Gudeta can run sub 2.24 here. Was expected in her debut in Toronto in October to be much better than the ninth in 2.27.40 that she gave. Five weeks prior in a half in Copenhagen was sixth in 67.21 after finishing in the same placing there the year before 18 seconds quicker. Also two other halfs in 2018 under 68.15.
Following is what i have written about her across three of my threads:
I have named them: the best, the quickest, the hidden, overrated v underrated, and the disappointment. What do you think, Vegemite?
Last is the disappointment but i could easily include Zeinaba from last Sunday and find an adjective for her. This one is Bekelech Gudeta, 7th in Toronto in 2.27.40.
Following in my profile from Toronto, where i thought she could finish 4th:
Next female could be Bekelech Gudeta on her debut. Gudeta turned 22 last Friday and is ranked 18. She may have been the only woman to run five halfs last year all sub 70. One of them stands as her PB: sixth in Copenhagen for 67.03. Her best over 10k was in 2016 at Hole, Norway; third in 33.43. I don’t remember seeing a result from a Norwegian road race before.Bekelech was also 6th this year at Copenhagen, here is my profile from there:
Next woman may be Bekelech Gudeta, 21yo and ranked 19. Was 6th here last year in 67.03 then this last April was third in Yangzhou in 69.45.
Third woman should be Shuko Wote Gemeno, 24yo and ranked 117. Placed two placings higher than Gudeta in Toronto in 2.24.28, taking three seconds off her PB from Vienna in 2016 when winning.
Next to finish could be Belay Tilahun Bezabeh on debut, 25yo and ranked 371 as a road runner. Best year by far was 2016 when he almost made the Ethiopian team for the Olympics over 10000 on the track. His time for fourth in Hengelo was 20th best all year, 27.11.83. That year was also fifth in the Utica Boilermaker and 8th in Valencia over the half in 61.51.
Next lady may be Askale Merachi, 33yo and ranked 136. Won Los Angeles last March in 2.24.13 taking 6.05 off her previous best. In October was sixth in Frankfurt in 2.25.03.
Bob Ramsak for ‘World Athletics’ in his preview doesn’t mention Bekelech. And why should he? He is just looking at times. Let’s see how it pans out.
This field is a little deeper than I first thought, especially the women’s. Meanwhile, the fifth to finish among the men may be Benson Seurei, 35yo and ranked 95. Formerly a quality 1500 track runner: back to 2012 when sixth in Monaco right up until 2017 at the World Champs. Didn’t debut at this classic distance until he was 33 and a half. PB of 2.07.37 when tenth in Valencia in 2017. Was fourth at Lake Biwa last March in 2.08.08.
Fifth woman should be Meseret Belete, 30yo and ranked 132. This is only her second attempt at this distance, the first here last year: third in 2.26.56. Her PB at the half is 67.51, eighth in Copenhagen in 2018.
Aussiestatman wrote:
Fifth woman should be Meseret Belete, 30yo and ranked 132. This is only her second attempt at this distance, the first here last year: third in 2.26.56. Her PB at the half is 67.51, eighth in Copenhagen in 2018.
Typo, should read 20yo.
Sixth to complete the course could be John Langat, 26yo and ranked 314. Last October was third in Eindhoven in 2.07.11, his first foray under 2.10, a whopping 3.38 off his previous best.
Next lady may be Muluhabt Tsega, 30yo and ranked 90. PB of 2.25.48 when fifth in Shanghai in 2018. More soon.
Aussiestatman wrote:
Next lady may be Askale Merachi, 33yo and ranked 136. Won Los Angeles last March in 2.24.13 taking 6.05 off her previous best. In October was sixth in Frankfurt in 2.25.03.
At 33yo, how do you improve 10% over two marathons? Smashing Houston course as we speak.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen has a 1989 Ferrari 348 GTB and he's just put in paperwork to upgrade it
Strava thinks the London Marathon times improved 12 minutes last year thanks to supershoes
Is there a rule against attaching a helium balloon to yourself while running a road race?
NAU women have no excuse - they should win it all at 2024 NCAA XC
Mark Coogan says that if you could only do 3 workouts as a 1500m runner you should do these
2024 College Track & Field Open Coaching Positions Discussion
Clayton Murphy is giving some great insight into his training.