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Read other letters about this article
Mr. Edward McClelland claims that Americans have gotten slower at running marathons, "an average of 45 minutes slower over the last 25 years."
What garbage.
He appears to derive this number from the Chicago Marathon. Yes, the average finishing time has dropped, but he also writes, "the Chicago Marathon field has increased tenfold, to 45,000."
What is the average time of the top 10%. to match the 4500 who ran about 43 minutes faster 15 years ago? Or the top 20%?
Have America's elite marathoners really gotten slower? Or are the just as fast? Sure, the rest of the world has gotten faster. But have our best really gotten slower? Have our top 1000 really gotten slower?
Has the greater interest in marathonning really hurt the sport? Has it resulted in slower time?
This article is dishonest and below Salon. I expect better.
