1:59...

[jazzcyclist]

I was under the impression that someone of "your background" would see that "western mainstream (media)" is by no means the be all and end all.

I agree with you on this. When it comes to social and political issues I look far beyond the MSM for information, but I'm not as meticulous when it comes to sports. I don't know as much about mountaineering and cricket as I do about track and field and college football and I'm okay with that.

And without being too rude hopefully, I am not interested in "hoi poloi" being all excited about this sub 2 marathon - their flavor of the day/hour. I was under the impression that most people posting on this site, were pretty knowledgeable about TF, and were primarily interested in TF.

That's my impression too.

[G.Ahearn]

Agree 100%. For the general public, 2 hours has been broken. When it really happens, no big deal. Part of the reason I wasn't too crazy about this stunt.

[KDFINE]

I was under the impression that someone of "your background" would see that "western mainstream (media)" is by no means the be all and end all. Fact: Hillary had never been in the Himalaya before 1953, meaning no peak higher than perhaps 15,000 feet - just about half Everest's summit. Fact: Tenzing had often been on Everest, and with the Swiss Expedition in 1952, reached within 1000 ft of the summit.

And without being too rude hopefully, I am not interested in "hoi poloi" being all excited about this sub 2 marathon - their flavor of the day/hour. I was under the impression that most people posting on this site, were pretty knowledgeable about TF, and were primarily interested in TF.

Hillary had been to the Himalayas twice prior to 1953 and was above 20,000 feet both times. He was on the Everest reconnaissance expedition of 1951 that discovered the southern route. I'm not about to again read his book "High Adventure" today, but he mentions collapsing "with relief on a little ledge at 20,000 feet" (p. 33). In 1952 he was on an expedition to Cho Oyu, where they climbed an unnamed adjacent peak of about 22,000 feet.

[26mi235]

10 years. Not Kipchoge or Beleke, but the next great marathoner. I do think the psychological barrier broken today will help. As others have mentioned, the proliferation of sub-4 miles after Bannister reinforces that notion. It could also be argued that the circumstances of Bannister's barrier-breaking run were almost as artificial as today's, by the standards of the day.

Bannister deserves props, but the notion that it was 'unbreakable' at that point seem almost ludicrous to me. A decade earlier, during war conditions, two guys had 1500m times that were worth under 4:02. If unnecessary things had not hindered others pushing for it, Bannister might not have even been the first, much less being the prime reason that others then broke it. I assume that this is pretty well known by those here, but maybe not.

Also, I now rate Kipchoge's mark as only the second best of the weekend, inferior to the 2:14:04, run in breezy conditions.

[DrJay]

After reading the front page story about the NIKE shoes, well, I want to see what he can do in a pair of Tiger Jayhawks, or maybe give him a little more cushioning, NIKE Elites.

[Conor Dary]

I'd like to see Kipchoge run a marathon in these...I did...

[Conor Dary]

Ironically the first shoes Phil Knight sold at Blue Ribbon Sports...

[Powell]

I'd like to see Kipchoge run a marathon in these...I did...

Or in full armor, like Philippides did

[jazzcyclist]

We should have Christian Coleman run on a cinder track wearing leather spikes while we're at it.

[gh]

Omar McLeod don't need no stinking spikes!