Ninja Elephant
Doctor Elephant
- Feb 16, 2009
- 18,855
Oh blimey, for the time being at least, lets keep the issue of doping in sport on 2 legs.
Are you suggesting that Frankel was never given any of the "good hay"?
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First sub 2 hour marathon
- Thread starter Herr Tubthumper
- Start date
Are you suggesting that Frankel was never given any of the "good hay"?
Far be it for me to suggest any racehorse could ride a push bike around France for 3 weeks in JulyAre you suggesting that Frankel was never given any of the "good hay"?
5-live currently doing a programme called 'drugs in athletics'.
I'm sure it'll be a podcast in the '5-live sports specials' section soon.
I don't know if Kenya got a mention.
Even with drugs this kind of pace almost defies belief. Just over 21kph. Try that next time you're on a treadmill............for a minute, let alone 2 hours
- Thread starter
- #105
Agree. And the chap who broke the record the other week said he was feeling pretty good at 20 miles and decided to go for it. Pretty good is not a term I would use to describe myself at 20 miles.
I've been mulling over this statement for the last 3 hours and I still find it amazing.
Are you actually saying the feat is so impressive that the means to achieve it don't count?
That makes a whole mockery of sport.
You might as well sanction The Science Games.
Winning Le Tour 7 times almost defies belief, that's why a regular cyclist has never done it.
What is the point in breaking a record if it's beyond the reach of people who aren't doping.
What about all those East German Track & Field world records that stood for 30-40 years.
Not to mention the American ones, Flo-Jo and the Balko scandal.
Nope, not that all at all and I would vote for immediate life bans for drugs cheats in any sport. I'm not remotely confident that anti-doping programmes are effective in any sport either. Just surprised the body is capable of that kind of pace at all, for that long (based on my own crappy attempts at running). Hope you found the 3 hours worthwhile though !
Agreed, it'll possibly be done, but at a guess it's 20-30 years away. Needs perfect conditions on the day, the fastest course and a freak performance. In the meantime I'll still be happy with the odd sub-4hr plod !
Bad Ash
Unregistered User
Having a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon_world_record_progression , it does seem to be quite an erratic record. For example from 1988 it stood at 2:06:50 for 10 years until it was broken (by 45 seconds in 1998). In the 16 years since then it has tumbled by over 3 minutes. It 'only' needs to fall by a further 3 to break 2 hours, so dazzer6666's estimate of 20-30 years looks reasonable.
It's more depressing to look at the progression of Brits.......especially males......despite the massive growth in popularity of marathon running, standards have slipped significantly......regardless of what other nations are doing, whether they are clean or not etc, the fact that the UK record was set (I think) in 1987 is a sign we're not doing something right at elite level. The record is only one example, there are lots of other stats on things like sub 2.10s etc.
- Thread starter
- #112
It has become a more serious and widespread sport in the last 20 years hence no meaningful drop in the time then 3 minutes in 16 years. The current fast Berlin course only started in 1990 for example.
- Thread starter
- #113
Wouldnt happen in West Germany.
Ahem.
Apart from three members of the '66 WCF team being doped, and the State providing £Ms of funding. That's the State!
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/aug/05/west-germany-doping-athletes-report
But that's the whole point the body isn't capable of that kind of pace.
I will happily sell anyone some magic beans if they believe 100% that Kenyan and East African athletics is clean.
Cycling has the best and most robust anti-doping programme.
They are currently in a position of 'dominance' over the athletes and their drugs of choice.
I may well be naive in that belief, but not naive enough to believe that balance of power won't, one day, tip the other way.
Also the cyclists are making a concerted effort to 'not be Lance', the negatives far out weigh the positives.
I don't believe that is the case in any other sport, but virtue of the fact you are less likely to be caught.
So why might that be.
I don't know if anyone says 'well they are better because of genetics', but if they do they clearly have never watched 'The Science of Lance Armstrong'.
A 2 hour documentary explaining why LA was so much better than everybody else.
To think they could have saved a lot of time by pointing out it was just down to one of the most sophisticated doping programmes in history. (on a par with Alex Rodriguez).
Possibly, I don't know if the African countries have that degree of sophistication, advances in medical science etc. Got to be more to it than being born in the Rift Valley or Ethiopia.
And Jamaican sprinters ? That'll surely blow one day........
desprateseagull
New member
Doing the 'Bannister' time (just under 4mins a mile) would take 1 hour, 45 mins approx..
A lot would also depend on the route (level, even roads?), altitude, weather etc.
A lot would also depend on the route (level, even roads?), altitude, weather etc.
Blimey.
Beans for sale, come get yer magic beans
Money, should iron out those difficulties.
Not to mention the fact that these scientists still have to work.
East Germany, Russia, America, China.
East Africa is probably second only to the Caribbean as a career destination.
- Thread starter
- #119
Fast times: what will it take to run the marathon in under two hours?
According this article the person has already been born.
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jun/27/sub-two-hour-marathon-ed-caesar
According this article the person has already been born.
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jun/27/sub-two-hour-marathon-ed-caesar
Ah but has the chemist?