One of Running
USA's next living legends...?
Ryan Hall, 24, Bear Lake, Calif., ran the fastest time
for an American making his first appearance in a marathon, finishing
seventh Sunday in the London Marathon in 2 hours, 8 minutes,
24 seconds.
Hall was in the lead group until
the final 1 1/2 miles. Only then did his inexperience show,
missing out on a four-man sprint finish won by Martin Lel, Kenya,
in 2:07:41. Hall finished 18 seconds behind
marathon world record holder Paul Tergat and 30 seconds behind
two-time world champion Jaouad Gharib.
"I dreamed about being with those guys for
23 miles and I did that today and I took my swing," Hall
said. "Hopefully I'll be a bit stronger next time
and run a bit smarter."
Hall led the field past the 35-kilometer (21.75-mile)
mark.
"They surged and got a gap on me," Hall
said. "For a while, I thought I was going to catch back
up. But then my legs started tightening up and it started to
get tough. I was just trying to make it to the finish."
Hall beat the previous American
debut best held by Alberto Salazar and Alan Culpepper. Salazar
won the New York City Marathon on his debut in 1980 in 2:09:41,
at the age of 22. Culpepper matched that time when he finished
sixth at the Chicago Marathon in 2002 when he was 30.
"It's pretty exciting," Hall
said. "I always wanted to be compared to these
guys."
China's Zhou Chunxiu won the women's division
in 2:20:38 with Ethiopia's Gete Wami second in 2:21:45.
Here is an excerpt from Ryan's diary in Runner's World:
April 18, 2007
It's Time To Slay The Dragon
What a week it has been! So much has happened
it feels like it has been two weeks since I last wrote. I am
writing from a beautiful flat just outside of London overlooking
Bushy Park, where Meb and I have been doing all of our training
since our arrival on Thursday. What a trip it was getting over
here. To make a very long story short I basically went from
thinking I was going to miss my flight to reclining in first-class
after being bumped up when all the seats were taken in coach
after my late check-in. What a blessing that was! It was funny
because I was just talking with Deena about what it is like
to fly first-class and I was telling her that I always wanted
to. It is a different world in first-class. After dinner I slept
until breakfast. I hardly missed any sleep at all. So I arrived
in London well rested and ready to go.
My adjustment to the time change is taking longer
than I remembered, so I am glad that we made the effort to come
over about 10 days early. I am also reaping the benefit of Deena's
experience here last year. I am staying at the same place she
stayed before going to the meet hotel, training in the same
parks, and eating at the same restaurants. It has been really
nice to simply walk into a good training situation.
My legs have been feeling good. I am ready to
go. Now it is just a matter of getting to the line. I have never
anticipated a race as much as the London marathon. I love the
whole marathon experience. I love that you pour yourself into
something, beating your body until it can't take any more, and
then you rest, and wait, and wait, until you are completely
recharged and then there is just one final 26.2 mile trial ahead.
I feel like I am about to slay the dragon that I have been preparing
the last four months to fight. And then in the end you just
get out there and take your swing.
It has been hard to not think too much about the
race. I lay awake at night and picture myself running out there.
I know that it is going to be the hardest thing I have done
at this point in my running career. But I am not thinking about
Tergat, or the pace I will have to run, or the pain that I must
endure and overcome, what I am attempting to do is focus completely
on running with passion and joy.
Anytime I have had a really great race I wasn't
thinking about overcoming some seemingly insurmountable obstacle,
I wasn't thinking at all, I was just doing. In Mammoth, when
I do my tempo runs early in the morning, with the mountains
majestically shooting up all around me, I find the peace that's
so important to success in this sport and in life.
Highlight of the week: Being surprised by my wife
who arrived a day early in London. It makes a world of difference
having her here.
Low-point of the week: Trying to stay awake in
the middle of the day and then sleep through the night, especially
the first couple of days. I must admit that I have been pretty
moody as a result.
Flora London Marathon Website:
http://www.london-marathon.co.uk/site/
