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Reflections & tales from a life of adventure faith & Family
The Boston Marathon was run today. the 11?th edition i think and therefore one of the oldest marathons in the world. Kinda weird to see a marathon ran on a Monday but i’m sure theres some reason for that.
Anyways there was a few world record of 2hrs 3mins & 2 sec (3.02:03) WOW!!! and this gets better… it lowered the old record by a whopping 58 secs. The winner was Geoffrey Mutai. Congratulations, thats amazing. Can someone say “will humans run under the mythical 2hr mark for the marathon?… it appears to be only a matter of time.
Is this the new magical time & distance that the worlds elite runners will aspire to? Similar to that of being the 1st human to run under 4minutes for a mile. Which was achieved almost 60 years ago in 1953 by one Rodger Bannister. A record that many believed was beyond a human ability and would never be broken.
BUT WAIT, hold the press, or should i say blog
The record was NOT ratified. Yes really!!! because of an unfair advantage. “Because Monday’s race had a strong tailwind on a downhill course, Mutai’s run is not recognized by track’s international governing body as a record.”
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/more/04/18/boston.marathon.ap/index.html#ixzz1JvbnECC3
Oh come on, are you serious. This guy just busted his butt to run this time and its deemed ineligible. i dont understand. i get the whole arguement about the wind being too strong. But the course being too much of a downhill course and thus creating an unfair advantage. Are you serious!!! Please explain this to me… when then IS a marathon course not too hilly and or just enough? And what about if its really hilly do they take 30 seconds off your finishing time or credit you with 1minute less that what you crossed the line with. Especially when EVERY marathon course IN THE WORLD is different. No two are the same.
I get the wind advantage argument, how that may create an unfair advantage. It applies in the 100 meters track event and that makes sense. But then again 100meters is 100 meters its the same sort of track, way its laid out, number of lanes (in most cases) and even running surface. I get all that
But the hilly course argument i dont get. i feel sorry for Boston Marathon organizers who i’m sure are well aware that the course (on its current )they designed most likely will never have a world record set because they made it with too many downhills and thus created an unfair advantage. I wonder when the ‘powers that be’ that create these rules and regulations last ran a marathon.
Marathons hurt, they arent fun, and the speeds that these women & men run them at is in my opinion a work of art. At least Boston Marathon has a long history and that alone draws thousands of runners each year. And i’m sure the $200,000+ dollars for winning will help calm Mutai’s disspointment.
Paul Humphreys Adventures 
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