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Dave Holt
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« on: April 18, 2011, 11:27:44 am » |
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With the amazing racing at Boston today the question is re-ignited, could someone run a sub 2:00 on St. George?
I used to say that it would be very difficult - not "no", but pretty dang tough.
Now... Still difficult, you would have to have a lot of things in place - pacers or good competition, downhill training, weather, etc...; but the answer has to be "YES!"
What do you think?
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Mike Schramm
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Posts: 18
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« Reply #1 on: April 18, 2011, 11:51:13 am » |
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Dave
With the right incentives, pacers, and runners, yes, I do believe it could be done, sub 2 hrs in St. George. Also, Congrats to Paul Petersen with placing of 17th overall, and an Olympic Qualifying time of 2:17.....
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Superfly
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« Reply #2 on: April 18, 2011, 01:51:03 pm » |
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the first half is too hard/ slow. The hills would drop the pace too bad and drain the legs. IMHO
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Dustin Ence
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« Reply #3 on: April 18, 2011, 02:14:44 pm » |
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I think another factor to consider would be elevation.
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Dave Holt
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« Reply #4 on: April 19, 2011, 08:18:48 am » |
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Add on the $1 million that St. George was once rumored to be thinking about throwing in! Then you have that extra incentive.
Clyde you would have to think those monster of the marathon could pull off a 1:03 or so first half and then go 57 don't you?!
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Superfly
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« Reply #5 on: April 19, 2011, 03:11:11 pm » |
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I don't... but that's just me. Others will say it's very doable but having spent so much time on that sucker I just feel those hills really slow you down on the first half and then they work you so hard you wouldn't be able to turn it over on the second. But I'd be happy to see it happen.
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James Moore
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« Reply #6 on: April 19, 2011, 03:29:55 pm » |
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I think it can be done for sure. Kenyans aren't going to have a problem with the altitude. Get a field of both Mutais, Geb^2, Abel Kirui, Makau, Kebede Lel, Wanjiru and of course Merga and Ryan Hall. Kebede Geb^2 Lel and E. Mutai can close like crazy. Wanjiru, Merga and Hall wouldn't be afraid to push the pace in the opening miles. Then think about how Makau might be able to run 55-56 or something for the second half of that course.
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Dave Holt
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« Reply #7 on: April 20, 2011, 01:51:25 pm » |
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Clyde, what do you think would be the fastest those super studs could do on the first half (considering it as part of a full, not a stand alone half)?
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Superfly
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« Reply #8 on: April 21, 2011, 01:28:27 pm » |
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Maybe a 1:06ish.
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Dave Holt
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« Reply #9 on: April 21, 2011, 02:59:58 pm » |
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Maybe a 1:06ish.
Well... I run a 1:10 (back as a young spry fellow) and those guys run 58-1:00 in 1/2's. And I run 1:13-1:15 first half of SGM, so that leads me to believe they could be 10 minutes quicker than me - which would be around 1:03. Now lasting into a 57 for the 2nd half would be where the problems hit! |
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Superfly
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« Reply #10 on: April 22, 2011, 10:05:34 am » |
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When did you run a 1:10 on that course? First half?
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Jeffrey McClellan
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« Reply #11 on: April 22, 2011, 12:08:39 pm » |
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He ran his half pr at the Provo river half in 2008 (broke 1:10 by a few seconds)
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Paul Petersen
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« Reply #12 on: April 22, 2011, 12:58:32 pm » |
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Here's a blog post I wrote about this topic, back in 2007. This was when Paul Tergat was still the world record holder: http://marathongis.com/blog/?cat=14&paged=2Keep in mind that St George can get a tailwind as well. For example, we did have a tailwind, combined with perfect temperatures, in 2007. Eerily many people ran sick PRs that year, many of which have not been touched since. I will assure you that the tailwind had something to do with that! Sub-2 might be possible at St George, on a day with the right temps and favorable tailwind. The runner would have to be good at downhills (but they obviously did not affect the top runners at Boston this year...). I think splits would need to be something like 1:02:00 - 0:57-high. I think the inhibitor is not the "slow" first half, but rather having to break the world record in the half marathon during the second half. The legs may not want to turn over that fast for that long. But who knows. Many people thought that 2:04 would not be broken, and Haile did that despite being past his prime. Get a current 12:505K/26:4010K guy in there, who knows what could happen. |
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Superfly
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« Reply #13 on: April 24, 2011, 02:03:01 pm » |
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Yeah I knew Dave ran that time at the Provo River half but my question was when did he do it on the first half of STG? Much more challenging than the Provo River half... IMHO.
Paul- I agree that yes it isn't just the fact that the first half is challenging. But just as you stated could you run it that fast and then not be hammered to then turn it over on the second. This year at Boston they ran a 1:01 first (I think). That's this year with super conditions at Boston and it's first half is much faster than STG's first half.
But again it would be sweet to see. Maybe if the city of STG puts out that million dollar prize money for the first person who breaks 2 hours we'd get to see it... or at least watch a bunch of guys totally blow up at around mile 22.
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Bonnie
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« Reply #14 on: April 24, 2011, 05:48:57 pm » |
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... or at least watch a bunch of guys totally blow up at around mile 22.
This is different from any other marathon how?  Or do you think they would blow up more spectacularly? I have never run SGM myself, but I have plenty of friends that have, and given their prs there I would most definitely think a sub 2:00 is possible. However, I do agree that many $ would need to be on the line in order for it to happen. |
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