California’s Ryan Hall is the favorite to win the Olympic Trials Marathon on Jan. 14th, but he’s not going to tell you that. He’s not going to tell you how many miles he’s running, any details of his workouts, or if he has a race plan come race day. The 28 year-old man to beat is playing coy, but he will tell his goal - “to get everything out of me that God has put in me.” And that’s bad news for everyone else racing, because what “God” has put in him this past year is a 2:04 and a 2:08 marathon. One can wind adjust that 2:04 however they want, but those times are the two fastest by an American going into the trials, by over a minute. 

 

Ryan Hall is not the most decorated American marathoner running, that would be Meb Keflezighi, but on the right day, he’s the best we have. The men who’ve beaten him Meb(NYC ‘09), Ritz(Olympics ‘08), and Trafeh(Houston ‘11), all go into the race with question marks: Meb’s on a short rebound with just 69 days between the New York City Marathon and the Trials in Houston, and he’s been dealing with injuries to boot. Ritz, perpetually injured, hasn’t raced further than 5k in over a year. He’s also yet to find the same success in the marathon as he’s had in shorter distances. And Trafeh, though coming off a fast 1:01 half in China, is unproven in the marathon, having dropped out of his London debut back in April. 

 

The possibility of a Galen Rupp debut is also not throwing Hall off.  “I don’t spend any time thinking about the other guys. I pray for them and wish the best for them…” And they‘re probably going to need it. 

 

Short of details, he says his training has gone as well as he could have hoped. “I haven’t missed one workout due to sickness or injury, so that is all you can hope for going into a marathon.” As for mileage, “I never add up my mileage anymore, so I couldn‘t tell you what it is, but I will say it‘s somewhere as in the same neighborhood as previous to Chicago and Boston. Taking one day off per week really reduces my weekly volume. I think the mileage game can hurt you more than it can help you sometimes.” 

 

And for a tune-up race, Hall says he never considered one as, “God never put the thought in my mind.”

 

The densely religious Hall has become a bit of an anomaly in the U.S. marathon game. Since leaving the Mammoth Track Club in a widely criticized decision in October of ‘10 to become self-coached and train alone, he has incorporated a day off per week to avoid the burnout that forced him out of the 2010 Chicago Marathon. So far, the moves have worked.  He’s run two of his three fastest times and remains a major marathon podium threat, as well as dominant among the Americans(which counts for something, regardless of what Phil Hersh thinks). 

 

It’s his consistency that makes him such a favorite. Since smashing the AR in the Half in ‘07, Hall has become a pure marathoner. He hasn’t run slower than 2:10 in his last 5 races. No Americans at this point are close to his level of talent. He’s split faster half’s in 6 of his marathons than 2/3 of the Trials entrants half qualifying times. His 1:02:56 first half split from Chicago would rank him 10th(Boston would put him 3rd). A fast early pace suits him best and if he takes the race out in anything close to 14:30, as he‘s capable, we could see a lot of carnage on the roads of Houston, and it would make sense for him to do that - he’s the only one who’s proven he can hang on to it.

 

But the favorites not showing any cards. “My plan is to stay close to God and to listen to the body He has given me.” Hall said. “He hasn’t given me a plan yet and usually doesn’t, so I listen to Him during the race.” 

 

It’s either going to take someone having a very good day, or Hall having a very bad day for him to not be standing on the middle podium Jan. 14th.  He can play coy all he wants, but we know what he can do. This is his race to lose.
 

“I couldn’t tell you how I am going to run, but it’s going to be fun.” 

 

I think it’s going to be fun to watch. I’ll be standing on the streets of Houston waiting for my high-five. Hall-ellujah!