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Lead Stories: Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Ryan Hall: Post-London Recap “It’s Just the Beginning”
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #8)

Posted April 18th, 2008 at 7:00 PM by Ryan Hall

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics, Elite Athlete Blogs, Ryan Hall

Welcome to the official blog of top U.S. distance runner Ryan Hall as he begins his quest for Olympic gold! Check back every other Friday for Ryan’s latest entry at http://ryanhall.thefinalsprint.com/

As has become my custom before all my best races, my travel to London was crazy. Before breaking an hour at the Houston Half-Marathon it was a monster snowstorm that left us in a ditch and literally snowed in, before London last year it was nearly missing my flight as I realized that the train from San Diego would not drop me off at LAX like I had thought (although my tardiness did result in me getting the last available seat on the plane…in first class), before the Olympic Trials it was the fires and smoke that made for a juggle in travel arrangements and then an earthquake to shake things up just hours before our flight. So when travel got crazy heading to the London marathon you would think I would be excited to know that a good race was on schedule. However, I had a hard time seeing it that way.
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Lel Is Youngest Man Ever to Win Five Majors

Posted April 15th, 2008 at 1:11 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

The good news just keeps coming for Kenya’s Martin Lel. The 29 year-old leader of the 2007/2008 World Marathon Majors points series has become the youngest man ever to win five Majors events: London three times and New York City twice.

Lel, who sprinted away from compatriot Samuel Wanjiru at the Flora London Marathon last Sunday to win in a course record and personal best 2:05:15, is also the first man to achieve this career milestone before age 30. The previous youngest five-time winner was Khalid Khannouchi, running for both Morocco and the United States, who was 30 years 295 days when he won his fifth lifetime Major at the 2002 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.
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Ryan Hall Story at RunnersWorld.com

Posted April 15th, 2008 at 9:30 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

While I was in London I wrote a special story on Ryan Hall’s race for RunnersWorld.com.

You can read it at the shortened link, below. Just scroll down slightly and you’ll see my byline.

http://tinyurl.com/5fr3qk

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Lel Takes London Record in History-Making Race

Posted April 14th, 2008 at 10:20 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Like a bull at a rodeo, the men’s field at the 28th Flora London Marathon bolted out of the gate with reckless abandon. The athletes who were strong enough to hang on were rewarded with personal and national records, while others were thrown to the street, their hopes of victory incinerated by the fast pace.

But when the dust had settled at the grand finish line on The Mall, race director David Bedford’s bold experiment in aggressive pacemaking yielded –by several measures– the fastest men’s marathon of all-time, with three men cracking 2:06:00, and six men breaking 2:07:00, for the first time ever in a single race. Those times came after a breathtaking 62:12 first half which left some of the world’s best marathoners well off the pace.

“It was crazy,” said last year’s runner-up, Abderrahim Goumri, of the 14:21 (downhill) first 5-K.

But the fast pace, coupled with a cold and drenching rain which fell from the 18th through the 23rd miles, did little to knock defending champion Martin Lel (Pictured above) off of his game.
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Ryan Hall Takes Fifth at 2008 Flora London Marathon

Posted April 14th, 2008 at 5:46 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News & Results, Marathons

U.S. marathon phenom Ryan Hall (Big Bear Lake, Calif.) on Sunday ran 2:06:17 to finish fifth at the Flora London Marathon, the opening race of the 2008 World Marathon Majors series. Martin Lel (KEN) successfully defended his title running a new course record of 2:05:15, American Khalid Khannouchi’s mark by 23 seconds.

Hall’s time makes him the second fastest American all-time for the marathon behind Khannouchi.
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2008 London Marathoners Assault Alltime List

Posted April 13th, 2008 at 7:36 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons

The 2008 Flora London Marathon produced 5 of the 22 fastest marathon times of all time, including the 5th, 6th and 7th fastest of all time (Martin Lel’s 2:05:15, Samuel Wanjiru’s 2:05:24 and Abderrahim Goumri’s 2:05:30). Not too far back were Emmanuel Mutai and Ryan Hall with the 17th and 23rd fastest times of all time, Mutai running a 2:06:15 and Hall just two seconds back in 2:06:17. Hall’s performance makes him the 2nd fastest American of all time, only 38 seconds behind Khalid Khannouchi’s 2:05:38 and the fastest American born marathoner of all time. Hall also became the 3rd fastest non-African marathoner of all time, behind only Brazil’s Ronaldo da Costa (2:06:05) and Japan’s Toshinari Takaoka’s (2:06:16). Hall also becomes the 17th fastest marathoner of all time. Here are the top marathers off all time:

01. 2:04:26 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) Berlin, 09/30/2007
02. 2:04:53 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) Dubai, 01/18/2008
03. 2:04:55 Paul Tergat (KEN) Berlin, 09/28/2003
04. 2:04:56 Sammy Korir (KEN) Berlin, 09/28/2003
05. 2:05:15 Martin Lel (KEN) London, 04/13/2008
06. 2:05:24 Samuel Wanjiru (KEN) London, 04/13/2008
07. 2:05:30 Abderrahim Goumri (MAR) London, 04/13/2008
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Kenya’s Lel Smashes Flora London Marathon Course Record

Posted April 13th, 2008 at 7:05 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Special Features, Live Race Coverage

Kenya’s Martin Lel defended his title and smashed Khalid Khannouchi’s Flora London Marathon course record here today, clocking 2:05:15, a personal best. His compatriot, Samuel Wanjiru, stayed with Lel until the final turns before the finish, but was out-sprinted in the last 400m by the World Marathon Majors points leader. He finished second in 2:05:21, also a personal best. Abderrahim Goumri, last year’s runner-up, finished third in a Moroccan record 2:05:30.

American Ryan Hall, who fell back in the middle stages of the race after the blistering 62:12 first half began to take its toll, rebounded in the second half to finish fifth in 2:06:16 (unofficial), becoming the second-fastest American of all-time behind Khannouchi. Kenyan Emmanual Mutai held off Hall in the final sprint to take fifth in 2:06:14 (unofficial). With Deribe Merga taking sixth in 2:06:39 (unofficial), six men broke 2:07, the first time that has ever happened in marathon running.
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Martin Lel Earns Third London Marathon Title; Ryan Hall Sets PR & Finishes 5th

Posted April 13th, 2008 at 7:00 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Special Features, Live Race Coverage

Martin Lel has earned his third Flora London Marathon championship; finishing in 2:05:15. Lel was followed by fellow Kenyan Sammy Wanjiru (2:05:25) and Abderrahim Goumri (2:05:31); marking the first time in history that three runners finished under 2:06.

Lel’s time set a new London Marathon course record; breaking the previous record set by American Khalid Khannouchi.

Although the elite men had been on pace for a new world record, they began to fall off their blistering pace just pass the half-way mark. This early, and almost a historical pace, caused a large divide between the top six finishers and the next large pack of leaders that included Kenya’s Felix Limo.

Ryan Hall, who 2004 Olympic Marathon gold medalist Stefano Baldini dubbed the future of the sport, set another PR with a time of 2:06:17 and finished in fifth place. Hall came in just one second behind fourth place finisher Emmanuel Mutai of Kenya.
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TFS News Briefs Special Edition: London Marathon

Posted April 12th, 2008 at 10:00 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Near-Perfect Weather Forecast For London Marathon
A quick look at tomorrow’s forecast reveals near-perfect conditions for tomorrow’s Flora London Marathon. According to weather.com, the forecast for Sunday at 9:00am (the start time for the women’s race) is Partly Cloudy, 46°F, 20% chance for precipitation, 77% humidity and winds from SW at 8 mph. Of course, perfect weather means fast times, and tomorrow’s race promises to be one of the fastest.
Read more at: [Weather.com]

The Wacky Side Of London
Big marathons tend to attract the wackier elements of running and London is no exception. A woman running on 4 foot stilts will be competing, as will a man dribbling a basketball, a guy in a robot suit and more.
Read more at: [BBC News, UK]

TFS Success Story Gilbert Tuhabonye To Run In London
Burundi runner Gilbert Tuhabonye, who was awarded The Final Sprint’s Success Story Award in December ‘07, is featured in a BBC Sport article in the build-up to tomorrow’s race. As a teen, Tuhabonye survived a horrifying massacre in his village during a civil war in 1993. He is hoping to run a qualifying time and make it to Beijing in what he calls “tremendous message about forgiveness.”
Read more at: [BBC Sport, UK][TFS Podcast]
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London Marathon 2008: Elite Men’s Race Preview

Posted April 11th, 2008 at 2:00 PM by Jared Markowitz

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Even with the upcoming Beijing Olympics, the Flora London Marathon stands out as the most competitive distance race of the year. The 2008 edition features a mixture of accomplished marathon veterans and talented newcomers, all vying for spots on the prestigious London podium.

Leading the way will be defending London and New York champ Martin Lel. Lel won both of his titles last year in sprint finishes over Abderrahim Goumri, who will also be back for more. Lel’s London buildup has gone well, as he moved his camp to Namibia to train with 2007 Boston champ Robert Cheruiyot and avoid the recent violence in Kenya. He should once again be the favorite, although Goumri’s track pedigree (12:50 for 5k) will give him a chance if it again comes down to the last quarter mile.
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