London 2009 splits and pacing

London 2009 - splits, pacing and live results

Check out the post race report, and a comparison between Wanjiru's London win and Gebrselassie's 2:03:59 at our Race Report Post HERE

Below are the splits and a graph of the pacing used in the 2009 London Marathon, which was won by Sammy Wanjiru in a new course record of 2:05:10. Second went to Tsegaye Kebede in 2:05:20, third to Jaouad Gharib a further seven seconds back.

Join us later for a full recap of the race, and how it actually unfolded. I just need a couple hours to recover, and watch the last part of the race. But it's on the way!

Men


Women

Don't forget to join us for the post-race analysis and a more detailed breakdown from the race. I just need an hour or two to recover, watch the last part of the race again, but check in later!

Ross

Last word

I just have to get a word in about the commentators and coverage - they couldn't pronounce names (invented letters in names - it wasn't "Yamauchi", but Yamamuchi, and "Tadese" became "Tadusu". Wanjiru, Kebede, he got them ALL wrong). That is embarrassing and unforgivable. You know as a commentator that you'll have to say these names, so learn them before the coverage starts.

Also, they didn't know the athletes, didn't appreciate the pace or the nuances of the marathon race. In particular, the male 'anchor' was very poor - he didn't know what he was looking at 90% of the time, he was clearly guessing at distances and times, and failed to add value to the pictures. Very disappointing. Where were Brendan Foster, Steve Cram and the experts?

As for the picture, we got to see prolonged coverage of the women's race, where, quite frankly, little happened for long periods. It was, to be blunt, a boring race, with the exception of the brief challenge by Yamauchi. The broadcaster obviously is obliged to dedicate a certain part of the day to each race, but it was very frustrating to watch this mediocre race when the men were racing at 2:02 pace for the first half and then surviving in the second.

So apologies to those who love to watch women time-trialling the last 10km of a race, but when Wanjiru, Kebede and Gharib are racing head to head and we get to see such dull images of the top 15 women coming in...well, is it any wonder that athletics and road-running lags behind other sports for popularity?

So congratulations to the broadcaster, you've successfully cheapened your own product. I notice that the theme song to the show "Biggest Loser" was playing at the finish line as the women's top 15 came in (and you showed all of them). How appropriate for everyone, who lost out on a quality broadcast.