Ryan Hall: "Excited to Run the Boston Marathon"

Published by Athletics Illustrated on April 17, 2014

Ryan Hall, America’s fastest marathon runner will be racing the 2014 B.A.A. Boston Marathon, Monday, April 21^st feeling fit and healthy, for a change. Hall told Athletics Illustrated, “I am really excited to be heading to Boston totally healthy and I am thrilled to race having put in a full 12 weeks of marathon training, which is the typical length of my buildup.”

Hall owns a marathon personal best of 2:04:58, which he achieved at the 2011 edition of the race. Hall’s time is faster than the official American record that is held by Khalid Kannouchi, who ran as fast as 2:05:38 during the 2002 London Marathon. Boston is considered an aided course according to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), as it offers up a point-to-point course and a net drop greater than the allowable amount – a total decent from start to finish of 137 metres or 450 feet. Hall’s officially recognized best is 2:06:17, which was achieved during the 2008 Virgin London Marathon, where he finished fifth overall behind Kenyans Martin Lel who won in 2:05:15 and Sammy Wanjiru with his 2:05:24, Abderrahim Goumri from Morocco in 2:05:30 and Kenyan, Emmanuel Mutai just two seconds ahead in 2:06:15.

He was the very first American runner to break the 60-minute barrier for the half-marathon distance. His half-marathon personal best time is 59:43, which he achieved at the Aramco Houston marathon in January of 2007. In comparison, two weeks ago during the Paris Marathon legendary Ethiopian athlete Kenenisa Bekele debuted in the distance and finished in 2:05:03, to set a new course record. Bekele has yet to run the half-marathon distance under the 60-minute barrier. Like Hall, he recently returned to competition after battling injuries and a few sub-par performances.