I think they were all clean for the Sub 2 hours. For 3 different people to break the record and be within less than 1 min of each other (I think 3 different shoes, not sure) I think it's natural. They were all moving quite fast and the day wasn't even "perfect" as far as temperature goes (a bit on the warmer side). I'm optimistic though. We'll see.
I wonder how much the pure belief drives these new marathon numbers. Like you said, the fact that someone has now done it, more and more people believe they can shoot for it. Love the insight and great article!
So true and yet no one will remember him as much as Sawa. Our definition of a winner is skewed. He broke 2:00:00 which has been a goal in running for a long time. Seemed impossible 10 years ago. But he lost the race. Fast forward 10 years. If he never wins a major, he will be considered a loser. It’s crazy
Sorry for copying one of my notes in here, but it's for full context:
Last Sunday in London, Sabastian Sawe did something humans have been chasing for decades: he ran a marathon in under two hours. Legally. In a race. 1:59:30. The internet, understandably, lost its mind.
Two weeks earlier, in Milan, a 90-year-old Italian named Giuseppe Damato ran 42.2 kilometres in 4 hours and 30 minutes — smashing the M90 world record by nearly two hours. Two hours. He started running at 73, after a cycling accident. He trains by running to the cemetery to visit his late wife. It's an 18km round trip.
The following week, he set the M90 half-marathon world record. For good measure.
Sawe's achievement has been covered everywhere. Damato's? Mostly in Italian running forums and a couple of Canadian running magazines.
I keep asking myself which feat I find more impressive — and I genuinely don't know. Sawe did something that redefined what a human body can do at its absolute peak. Damato did something that quietly redefines what a life can look like at 90.
Maybe the real question is: what does it say about us that only one of them made the front page?
Not a direct answer but having Italian in-laws (both now passed) who were not athletes at all, it amazed me how fit they were in body at least. Mum, at 94, was touching her toes with flat hands. Still worked in the veggie garden, not as much or as often, but certainly as needed. They didn't go into aged care, they lived out their days in the family home.
What Giuseppe did is freakishly amazing and he'd been "training" for this his whole life.
I need a new pair of shoes for Gold Coast. Maybe Sabastian Sawe can send me his? (I don't care what size he is!) 🤣
Serious question @SteveMagness: clearly the shoes make a difference but there is research to say highly cushioned shoes can weaken foot and bone structure. I wouldn't want to run my next marathon in Dunlop Volleys but is there a line somewhere, or a balance to this issue? Or is the barefoot, zero drop shoe and its philosophy not as critical as some may present?
I totally agree with you on all the points but Talbi told that the runners ahead of him weren't consuming much which means for all of them it isn't 100 gram of carbs per hour.
Talking about belief. Below are John Korir words.
The secret to winning marathons is just to train hard & believe in yourself. No one should tell you that you can't make it. You just believe in yourself & train HARD- John Korir before 2026 Boston Marathon. You surely have to have your mind 101% in it with some delusional self belief in yourself.
This is quite difficult to know as there is no concrete monitoring of all the top athletes running under 2:05 or even 2:10 that what was their target and how much they consumed on the race day. So, we have some sort of rough example of what it is. Talbi told that they were just taking a sip and not more than that. So, I took it from there and this is quite a skewed approach to interpret things I know but even then it is difficult to know what are they consuming. On the trail side there is much more transparency and concrete tracking in the front of the field to know what the elites are doing on the fueling side.
Thanks a lot Steve for telling me about Sawe's fueling for London Marathon.
Incredible. Also that's the best $50k a sponsor has ever spent.
Truly amazing. I want to believe it’s natural but every time something unbelievable happens we get let down. I’m praying they are clean.
I think they were all clean for the Sub 2 hours. For 3 different people to break the record and be within less than 1 min of each other (I think 3 different shoes, not sure) I think it's natural. They were all moving quite fast and the day wasn't even "perfect" as far as temperature goes (a bit on the warmer side). I'm optimistic though. We'll see.
I wonder how much the pure belief drives these new marathon numbers. Like you said, the fact that someone has now done it, more and more people believe they can shoot for it. Love the insight and great article!
Unreal
Excelente análisis 👌💯
And Kejelcha goes 1:59:41 on his DEBUT marathon! Insane.
So true and yet no one will remember him as much as Sawa. Our definition of a winner is skewed. He broke 2:00:00 which has been a goal in running for a long time. Seemed impossible 10 years ago. But he lost the race. Fast forward 10 years. If he never wins a major, he will be considered a loser. It’s crazy
Poor guy, run under 2 hours and didn’t even win.
Well, Kejelcha is also the only guy to be able to claim that he’s ONLY run under 2 hours for the marathon. 😇
Sorry for copying one of my notes in here, but it's for full context:
Last Sunday in London, Sabastian Sawe did something humans have been chasing for decades: he ran a marathon in under two hours. Legally. In a race. 1:59:30. The internet, understandably, lost its mind.
Two weeks earlier, in Milan, a 90-year-old Italian named Giuseppe Damato ran 42.2 kilometres in 4 hours and 30 minutes — smashing the M90 world record by nearly two hours. Two hours. He started running at 73, after a cycling accident. He trains by running to the cemetery to visit his late wife. It's an 18km round trip.
The following week, he set the M90 half-marathon world record. For good measure.
Sawe's achievement has been covered everywhere. Damato's? Mostly in Italian running forums and a couple of Canadian running magazines.
I keep asking myself which feat I find more impressive — and I genuinely don't know. Sawe did something that redefined what a human body can do at its absolute peak. Damato did something that quietly redefines what a life can look like at 90.
Maybe the real question is: what does it say about us that only one of them made the front page?
Not a direct answer but having Italian in-laws (both now passed) who were not athletes at all, it amazed me how fit they were in body at least. Mum, at 94, was touching her toes with flat hands. Still worked in the veggie garden, not as much or as often, but certainly as needed. They didn't go into aged care, they lived out their days in the family home.
What Giuseppe did is freakishly amazing and he'd been "training" for this his whole life.
Hi Bill,
Great to e-meet you here. It sounds like your in-laws did what we are supposed to do: daily activity, fresh food, and – probably – community.
Yes, I agree: amazing. And thus so disappointing that it was hardly mentioned anywhere, it least in the media I consume.
Cheers from Australia, S
Cheers, Sven, also in Australia (Perth)
Nice! The first impression I got of Australia on my very first visit was Perth … and I loved it. That was in 1998 … oh my …
I need a new pair of shoes for Gold Coast. Maybe Sabastian Sawe can send me his? (I don't care what size he is!) 🤣
Serious question @SteveMagness: clearly the shoes make a difference but there is research to say highly cushioned shoes can weaken foot and bone structure. I wouldn't want to run my next marathon in Dunlop Volleys but is there a line somewhere, or a balance to this issue? Or is the barefoot, zero drop shoe and its philosophy not as critical as some may present?
Gotta feel a little for Kejelcha!
Hypothetical Interviewer: “So, which do you think was a greater achievement? Smashing the world record, or winning?” 😒
And, I’d imagine, seeing Sabastian Sawe just ahead but not being able to make inroads!
Still, like the 4-minute mile way back, how many will now break the 2-hour marathon this year?
I totally agree with you on all the points but Talbi told that the runners ahead of him weren't consuming much which means for all of them it isn't 100 gram of carbs per hour.
Talking about belief. Below are John Korir words.
The secret to winning marathons is just to train hard & believe in yourself. No one should tell you that you can't make it. You just believe in yourself & train HARD- John Korir before 2026 Boston Marathon. You surely have to have your mind 101% in it with some delusional self belief in yourself.
Sawe consumed 115g/hr.
You can’t tell how much someone is consuming unless you know the content of their drinks.
This is quite difficult to know as there is no concrete monitoring of all the top athletes running under 2:05 or even 2:10 that what was their target and how much they consumed on the race day. So, we have some sort of rough example of what it is. Talbi told that they were just taking a sip and not more than that. So, I took it from there and this is quite a skewed approach to interpret things I know but even then it is difficult to know what are they consuming. On the trail side there is much more transparency and concrete tracking in the front of the field to know what the elites are doing on the fueling side.
Thanks a lot Steve for telling me about Sawe's fueling for London Marathon.
You also need to know how much they are drinking and actually swallowing.