Fast-Paced Marathons

No, the title does not refer to me. I have not run, and do not have much desire at all to run, a marathon. But, I was curious about the make-up of the elite of the elite of men's marathoners. My source is Track and Field All-Time Performances.

The top 25 all-time fastest marathoners are:

• 16 Kenyans
• 8 Ethiopians
• 1 American

Of those top 25 times:

• 3 are less than 2:04
• 12 are between 2:04 and 2:04:59
• 10 are between 2:05 and 2:05:23

The top 2 times are world's best, not world records:

• Geoffrey Mutai, Kenya, 2011 Boston, 2:03:02 (downhill and point-to-point)
• Moses Mosop, Kenya, 2011 Boston, 2:03:06 (downhill and point-to-point)
• Haile Gebreselassie, 2008 Berlin, Ethiopia, 2:03:59 — official World Record

The only American in the top 25 is Ryan Hall at #15: 2:04:58, 2011 Boston (downhill and point-to-point)

The runners who have been in the top 25 the longest are:

• Paul Tergat, Kenya, 2003 Berlin, 2:04:55
• Sammy Korir, Kenya, 2003 Berlin, 2:04:56

The youngest in the list (at the time he ran) is Lelisa Gemechu Feyisa, Ethiopia, #25, 2010 Rotterdam, 2:05:23 — he was 20 year, 2 months, 10 days.

The oldest in the list (at the time he ran) is Haile Gebreselassie, Ethiopia, #3 (WR), 2008 Berlin, 2:03:59 — he was 35 years, 5 months, 10 days.

Frequency on the list:

• 3 times: Geoffrey Mutai (Kenya), Haile Gebreselassie (Ethiopia), and Tsegay Kebede (Ethiopia)
• 2 time: Patrick Makau (Kenya)

Gives us something to aim for, no? LOL!

Run well, y'all,

Bob A

Nairobi