Sacramento Running News

Lloyd Levine

By Lloyd Levine

Derek Yorek ran and finished the 2015 Boston Marathon. He is not an elite athlete. Outside of his family and friends it is unlikely anyone had ever heard of him.  But on Monday, April 20th, 2015, shortly after 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time), he did something amazing, something incredibly improbable, something that makes road running the most democratic of sports.

On Monday, April 20th, 2015, shortly after 10:00 a.m. Derek Yorek LED the Boston Marathon for several minutes. Yorek ran with and in front of Wesley Korir, Lelisa Desisa, and Meb Keflezighi, the winners of the 2012, 2013, and 2014 Boston Marathons.

In what other sport could a “non-elite” line up and compete against the best the sport has to offer?

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Lloyd Levine

By Lloyd Levine, Special to the SRN

(Editor’s Note: This is a follow-up to two recent, data filled articles that Lloyd Levine wrote on the status of American marathon running. You can find them here.)

The Olympic Trials have come and gone, and on the Men’s side we had what is being touted as a “record breaking” race.  Unfortunately, the records that were broken were soft and old.  The race was interesting and exciting, but rather than illustrate a resurgence in U.S. running, it illustrated how far behind the rest of the world the United States really is.

(A personal note: I do not mean to be negative, just realistic.  I am a fan of running. I love running and watching races.  I love Kenyan runners, Ethiopian runners, and U.S. Runners, as well as runners from many other countries.  I like good races, fast races, and good stories. I would love to see the U.S. be competitive with the rest of the best runners in the world.  I am not anti-American runner; I am pro-realism.)

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Lloyd Levine

By Lloyd Levine, Special to the SRN

Quick! Name the second fastest (ever) female U.S. Marathon runner.  The answer will probably surprise you.

Recently, I wrote about Ryan Hall and the state of men’s marathon running in the United States.  Given that, it seems only fair to look at the status of women’s marathon running in the U.S. as well.  The women don’t have a Ryan Hall type figure (i.e. fast times but no wins) who draws praise, and scorn in equal measures, but the status of women’s marathon running in the U.S. is not much different from that of the men. There are a few women marathon runners who draw praise and generate excitement but, except for Deena Kastor, have little to show in the way of meaningful results or times. Additionally, like the men, there is really very little depth in the talent pool.

Most serious marathon runners in the United States probably know that Deena Kastor holds the American Record, but do you know who the second and third fastest are?  After analyzing the 1,875 (which is how many times the 2:30 mark has been broken) fastest women’s marathon times of all time it appears that the United States has only had two, legitimate, top-level marathon runners, Deena Kastor and Joan Benoit–who is still the second fastest U.S. woman of all time, despite having run her best time 1985. (Editor’s Note: The list, updated today, now includes 1,917 names but the analysis of the standing of the US women has not changed materially.)

Deena Kastor and Joan Benoit are the only U.S. women to have won major marathons, posted times competitive with the best in the world, and won Olympic medals.  Deena Kastor has a PR of 2:19:36, good for 11^th place on the all time list (and fifth on the all time list of women not named Paula Radcliffe). Deena won the bronze medal in the Athens Olympics, and has won London and Chicago (as well as many other top finishes).  Joan Benoit has a PR of 2:21:21, won the Olympic Gold medal, held the world record, and won numerous marathons.

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Lloyd Levine

By Lloyd Levine, Special to the SRN

Ryan Hall seemingly draws more criticism than praise with each successive marathon he completes.

At the press conference after the 2011 Chicago Marathon, Phillip Hersh of the Chicago Tribune touched a nerve by saying to Ryan Hall, “Just being the best in the U.S. doesn’t mean much anymore.”  It seems that Hersh was feeling a bit let down by Hall’s performance in the race.

While Hersh’s question was uncalled for and unwarranted, I can understand why he, perhaps, felt let down.  Ryan Hall teases us with his results, talent and reports of his training exploits. Based on all of that people expect him to win, or at least contend for a win every time he runs.

Hall is the most talented U.S. born marathon runner in decades (and to a degree, being U.S. born matters in this discussion as the running community seems desperate for a U.S. born runner who can compete with the Africans).

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