Last Barrier of Modern Athletics

[MrMattBig]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/12/sports/eliud-kipchoge-marathon-record.html

 

Absolutely insane!

[+ purplekow]

Computerized marathon but it will be done under race conditions soon enough.

[mike carey]

Computerized marathon but it will be done under race conditions soon enough.

Exactly, it has demonstrated that the idea that it couldn't be done in under two hours was wrong, not that two hours had any special significance. Interestingly (to me) when this was discussed in the Sunday morning sport panel here, one of the panelists noted that at the Athens Olympics in 1896 the race was won in 2 h 58' 50" and that was over 40km (25 miles). The current distance is that of the 1908 games, where it was the distance from Windsor Castle to the spot on the track in front of the Royal Box at White City Stadium. The distance wasn't standardised until 1921.

[+ azdr0710]

not a member of the NY Times here, so can't read it......why won't it be listed as a world record?.......this "computerized marathon" thing?.....what is that?

[MrMattBig]

not a member of the NY Times here, so can't read it......why won't it be listed as a world record?.......this "computerized marathon" thing?.....what is that?

It was not under sanctioned race conditions (relating to total elevation changes and turns) and had very precise pacing cars and runners that would not be present in a race.

It was tried in a similar way a few years back but fell over a minute short I believe. Regardless, it was still solely his body that made this time.

To run at a pace of 4:35 minutes for just over 26 miles...mind blown.

[mike carey]

not a member of the NY Times here, so can't read it......why won't it be listed as a world record?.......this "computerized marathon" thing?.....what is that?

It was 'staged', as he was running he was following a car that was projecting the target position of where he needed to be to stay on a two-hour pace. He also had several teams of multiple pace-makers running with him. They weren't co-competitors but rather they were there purely to assist him..

[+ purplekow]

Yes they switched in seven runners at a time who were positioned by a computerized image denoting spots on the ground which would allow the runners to maximally decrease in wind resistance for the main runner. There was a pacer car which blocked wind and kept time. A computerized image also marked the shortest route around curves and over the course in general. It was a perfected race with a course designed with minimal hills, curves and no other competitors and the only other runners stationed to minimize wind resistance. All factors probably only minimally increased the performance, but enough incremental improvements to get the time down below 2 minutes. In addition a runner would supply him with nutrient enriched liquids to drink, in a manner designed to minimize lost time.

Edited October 14, 2019 by purplekow

[mike carey]

Two hours!

[+ oldNbusted]

[+ nycman]

He drafted the entire way.....meh.