Boston 1981, Winning times were similar, But back in 50th place Matsuo of
Japan went 2:18:45. The last sub 2:20 was Gerry Deegan of Ireland in 64th.
The last sub 2:20 this year was Mark Coogan in 19th place. But in 1981 I
considered myself in bad shape and only participated in the race with a
2:26:46 in 191st place too far back among Americas to count or even score on
the Greater Boston team. That time in 2001 would have been about what Danny
Reed ran for 35th place overall and 7th American.
Those are the numbers. That difference IS cultural. The interesting
question is why.
Tom Derderian
----- Original Message -----
From: Mcewen, Brian T <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2001 2:41 PM
Subject: RE: t-and-f: Re: London Marathon...Kenyan Marathon Dominance?
> 20 years ago Boston also had an Asian winner (but Seko was from Japan),
his
> winning time was within 10 seconds of Bong-Ju. The 2nd and 3rd place
times
> were very similar to 2001 (Virgin and Rodgers in mid-2:10's) ... the big
> difference was that in 1981 the top-thirty depth was a LOT better. Mostly
> white guys in that top-thirty too.
>
> Africans dominate the marathon? Sure they do. I just don't want to have
to
> keep hearing about it every two weeks.
>
> Jon is right ... they dominate. Steve is right ... there are lots of
> reasons this is true.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Monday, April 23, 2001 2:25 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED];
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: t-and-f: Re: London Marathon...Kenyan Marathon Dominance?
>
>
> Let's line up Shorter, Rodgers, Virgin, Meyer, Lindsay,
> Bjorkland, Durden, Wells, Beardsley, et al - most of whom competed at the
> same time at an elite level - at the starting line in Hopkington and the
top
> ten would take a decidedly American look even today. Throw in whatever
> pharmeceuticals are currently in vogue and who knows what the
possibilities
> would be.
>
> The countries of the British Isles can do the same.
>
> The problem is probably less a genetic issue than an interest as a
> competitive event issue at least in the US and the Celtic states.
>
> Steve S.
>
