The Best American Marathoners Ever

How do we determine the best American marathoner ever? That's the task I sat down to answer with an Excel sheet, an internet connection, and some good ol' fashion brainwork. I decided to create a gender neutral scoring system, where each runner would earn points based on their achievements. I broke it down into nine categories:

Olympic performances: This is the ultimate achievement in marathon running. On one day every four years, every country enters their three best and the winner can truly say he was the best in the world.

Gold = 60 points
Silver = 40 points
Bronze = 20 points

World Championships: The Olympics "Lite". Americans haven't competed as seriously in this, but we have had some success. Since not all countries send their best, I've discounted the points.

Gold = 30 points
Silver = 15 points
Bronze = 10 points

Major Marathon Wins: What's a major marathon? Boston, New York City, Chicago, London, Berlin, and the Olympic Trials. That's it. I also divided the races into two categories before and after 1990. With so many Africans competing after 1990, the races are simply tougher to win. For each win in a major marathon:

Pre-1990 = 7 points
Post-1990 = 15 points

Other Marathon Wins: Did they run, and win, a bunch of other marathons? That's gotta count for something, right? For every non-major marathon victory:

2 points

World Records: Any runner who sets a world record has achieved something that no other runner in history was able to accomplish. Breaking that mental barrier alone is worth a bonus. Any runner that set a world record earned:

50 points

World All-Time List: This is a fun one. Where does the runner's PR rank all-time? I gave major bonuses to being in the top-10, and awarded some form of points to anyone in the top 1000. This is based on all performances, not just PRs, so Haile Gebrselassie's races all count against them. Basically, the faster people run, the more it hurts the fastest people on this list...unless it's them!



Quick Trivia: Which American broke the World Record for the marathon in 1962?

Mouse over for the answer!

1st = 100 points
2nd = 90
3rd = 85
4th = 80
5th = 75
6th = 70
7th = 65
8th = 60
9th = 55
10th = 50
11-20th = 40
21-50th = 30
51-100th = 20
101-250th = 10
251-500th = 5
501-1000th = 1 point

American Records: Anyone who was ever "the fastest ever" American runner earned a bonus in my system. It's worth half a world record:

25 points

US All-time List: Again, similar idea to the World List, but modified for the US only.


Quick Trivia: Who are the current American Record holders?

Mouse over for the answer!

1st = 30 points
2nd = 20
3rd = 15
4th = 14
5th = 13
6th = 12
7th = 11
8-10th = 10
11-20th = 5 points

Sub-2:10/2:27 performances: It turns out that 2:10 for men and 2:27 for women are right around the top 1000 all-time. I counted how many performances each athlete ran under that threshold. For each performance, I awarded:

5 points

A couple more points to make here. First, all performances had to be run as an American citizen. Any race run while representing a different country was excluded. Sorry Mark Plaatjes, that's just the way it's gotta be. Second, my source for most times/performances was All-Time Athletics, an awesome resource for track fans. Third, I'll be updating this list after major marathons, so positions could change!

Personal Record: 2:21:21
US Rank: 2
All-time Rank: 27
Olympic Performances: 1st (1984)
Marathon Wins: Boston (1979, 1983)

By almost any measure, Joan Benoit was the greatest American marathoner ever. She set the world record of 2:21:21 at the Boston Marathon in 1983, a time that 25 years later is still ranked 27th all-time. Then, she followed it up by winning the gold medal in the inaugural women's Olympic marathon in 1984.

Despite her relatively short career, she did nearly all you could do as a marathoner. And she's still the greatest for her age after breaking the US 50+ age record at the US Olympic Trials, running 2:49:08.

Personal Record: 2:19:36
US Rank: 1
All-time Rank: 9
Olympic Performances: 3rd (2004)
Marathon Wins: Chicago (2005), London (2006)

Deena Kastor is far and away the class of American marathoning today. With big victories at Chicago in 2005 and London in 2006, she is the only current marathoner to have won a major marathon race outside of the Olympic Trials (which she also won). She is also only the second American woman to medal at the Olympics, earning a bronze in Athens, 2004.

Her personal best, the 9th fastest marathon all-time, is nearly 10 minutes faster than any of her competitors, and is more than 6 minutes faster than the 3rd fastest American all-time. Though a favorite to medal in Beijing, she had to drop out with a foot injury at the 5k mark.

Personal Record: 2:05:38
US Rank: 1
All-time Rank: 26
Olympic Performances: n/a
Marathon Wins: Chicago (1997, 1999, 2000, 2002), London (2002)

Khalid Khannouchi is certainly the fastest American marathoner ever, having run the 26th fastest marathon all-time (and broken the world record twice). He also dominated some major marathons, with four Chicago victories and a world record performance to win the 2002 London Marathon.

As a naturalized citizen, Khalid ran many great performances as a Moroccan. But because I'm only evaluating those races Khalid ran as an American, he actually loses some points compared to where he'd be if we evaluated his entire career. Still, they wouldn't be enough to catch Joan Benoit given that Khalid never ran in the Olympics. He was the alternate for the US team in Beijing, but did not get to run.

Personal Record: 2:10:30
US Rank: 25
All-time Rank: n/a
Olympic Performances: 1st (1972), 2nd (1976)
Marathon Wins: Fukuoka (1971-1974), US Olympic Trials (1972, 1976)

Frank Shorter was really the first of the world class American marathoners and helped to start the running craze of 1970s America. The winner of the 1972 Olympic marathon, he finished second to Waldemar Cierpinski in 1976 (but it is widely believed he was the first "clean" runner to cross the line).

Despite being one of the best Olympic distance performers ever and an American Record holder, Shorter's personal best ranks just 25th all-time in the US. He never won Boston or New York City, mostly because he maintained a very successful career on the track during his prime marathon running years. Still, his Olympic performances and dominance of the distance during his time put him #4 on this list.

Personal Record: 2:55:18
US Rank: n/a
All-time Rank: n/a
Olympic Performances: 1st (1908)
Marathon Wins: n/a

Johnny Hayes is probably the most controversial person on this list. In the 1908 Olympics, Dorando Pietri of Italy entered the stadium first, but collapsed three times before being carried across the finish line by spectators. At around that time, Johnny Hayes ran into the stadium and crossed the finish line...in a world record time.

The race was awarded to Pietri until the US officials protested that Pietri received support (which he did). Hayes was awarded the victory, and now he's immortalized in the 5th position on this list.

Personal Record: 2:09:27
US Rank: 9
All-time Rank: 925
Olympic Performances: 40th (1976)
Marathon Wins: Boston (1975, 1978-80), New York City (1976-79)

Bill Rodgers was the best American marathoner of the late-70s, taking over the spot from Frank Shorter. He set the American Record twice, won Boston and New York City four times each, and won a total of 22 marathons! He ran in the 1976 Olympics but missed a chance to win a medal in 1980 when the US boycotted the Games.

Bill's personal best of 2:09:27 was an American Record when he ran it, and it now ranks 8th on the US all-time list. The longevity and consistency of his career make him the 6th best American marathoner ever.

Personal Record: 2:08:51
US Rank: 4
All-time Rank: 606
Olympic Performances: 14th (1984)
Marathon Wins: New York City (1980-82), Boston (1982)

Alberto Salazar had a short but explosive marathon career. In 1980 he won his first of three New York City marathons and set an American debut record at the time. In 1982 he won his first and only Boston marathon over Dick Beardsley in the epic "Duel in the Sun" captured in the book of the same name by John Brant.

Despite his short career, he ran under 2:10 four times, and his 2:08:51 personal best was an American Record at the time and ranks him 4th all-time in the US. Had his career been longer he may have passed Bill Rodgers on this list, but as it is, he stays at number seven.

Personal Record: 2:14:28
US Rank: n/a
All-time Rank: n/a
Olympic Performances: 6th (1960)
Marathon Wins: US Olympic Trials (1960)

Leonard "Buddy" Edelen was America's best marathoner of the early 1960's. He set the American Record in Fukuoka in 1962, running 2:18:57, and later became the first man in history to break 2:15 when he ran 2:14:28 at the Polytechnic Marathon in England. The record stood for just under one year.

Buddy won the US Olympic Trials in 1960 by over 20 minutes, but could finish no better than 6th at the Tokyo Olympics. Despite a relatively short career, he makes it onto this list in 7th place. His life and career are captured in the book "A Cold Clear Day" by Frank Murphy.

Personal Record: 2:09:15
US Rank: 8
All-time Rank: 896
Olympic Performances: 2nd (2004)
Marathon Wins: New York City (2009)

Until New York City 2009, Meb was always a bridesmaid never a bride. Known more for his American Record at 10k, his marathon career was filled with 2nd place finishes. He won the silver in Athens behind Italian Stefano Baldini, he took second at New York City in 2004, and he finished 3rd in Boston in 2005. During that brief stretch of time he may have been the best marathoner in the world, but he didn't chase times on fast courses like London, Berlin, or Chicago. After suffering through two years of injuries, the 34 year old Meb ran his best marathon race in New York City to win his first marathon major.

With his Olympic medal and NYC Marathon victory, he climbs into the ranks of the top ten. And with the newfound strength he's exhibiting now that he's injury free, he may just have a little more room for improvement.

Personal Record: 2:04:58
US Rank: 1
All-time Rank: 15
Olympic Performances: 10th (2008)
Marathon Wins: US Olympic Trials (2007)

Ryan Hall took the marathon running world by storm in 2007. After setting the American record at the half-marathon distance (59:43), Ryan ran the fastest American debut marathon at London in 2:08:24. He then rose to the occasion at the US Olympic Marathon Trials in New York City and crushed the field in a Trials record 2:09:02. Then, to solidify his position as the best American marathoner today, he ran--at that time--the 25th fastest time ever (and fastest by an American-born runner) when he clocked 2:06:17 at London in 2008.

Despite not having won any major marathons except the Olympic Trials, nor finished higher than 10th in an Olympic Games (Beijing), his amazing times--most recently his 2:08:41 performance in Boston--have secured him a solid tenth on this list. There's no telling how high up this list he can climb!

Personal Record: 2:34:48
US Rank: n/a
All-time Rank: n/a
Olympic Performances: 3rd (1924), 12th (1912), 27th (1928)
Marathon Wins: Boston (1911, 1922-24, 1927-28, 1930)

Clarence DeMar makes this list by virtue of his amazing record at the Boston Marathon, where he won an incomparable 7 times. The 19-year time span between victories is also something that will surely never be matched. A three-time Olympian, he only medaled once, taking bronze in 1924.

DeMar was far and away the best US marathoner of his day, winning more than just Boston. While his position in the top-10 seems short-lived--does anyone doubt Ryan Hall will score more points?--he deserves to be remembered as one of the great marathoners in US history.

1. 2:04:58 - Ryan Hall - Boston (2011)
2. 2:05:38 - Khalid Khannouchi - London (2002)
3. 2:08:47 - Bob Kempainen - Boston (1994)
4. 2:08:51 - Alberto Salazar - Boston (1982)
5. 2:08:53 - Dick Beardsley - Boston (1982)
6. 2:08:56 - Abdi Abdirahman - Chicago (2006)
7. 2:09:00 - Greg Meyer - Boston (1983)
8. 2:09:15 - Meb Keflezighi - New York City (2009)
9. 2:09:27 - Bill Rodgers - Boston (1979)
10. 2:09:31 - Ron Tabb - Boston (1983)
11. 2:09:32 - David Morris - Chicago (1999)
12. 2:09:35 - Jerry Lawson - Chicago (1997)
13. 2:09:38 - Ken Martin - New York City (1989)
14. 2:09:41 - Alan Culpepper - Chicago (2002)
15. 2:09:57 - Benji Durden - Boston (1983)
16. 2:10:00 - Dathan Ritzenhein - London (2009)
17. 2:10:04 - Patrick Petersen - London (1989)
18. 2:10:05 - Phil Coppess - Minneapolis (1985)
19. 2:10:06 - Ed Mendoza - Boston (1983)
20. 2:10:15 - Jeff Wells - Boston (1978)
21. 2:10:19 - Tony Sandoval - Niagara Falls (1980)
22. 2:10:20 - Garry Bjorklund - Duluth (1980)
23. 2:10:26 - Craig Virgin - Boston (1981)
24. 2:10:29 - Kirk Pfeffer - Fukuoka (1980)
24. 2:10:29 - Mark Plaatjes - Los Angeles (1991)
26. 2:10:30 - Frank Shorter - Fukuoka (1972)
27. 2:10:36 - Brett Gotcher - Houston (2010) - close enough!

**Ryan Hall's Boston performance is technically not record-eligible, but I am counting it for the purpose of this lens.

Source: All-Time Athletics

1. 2:19:36 - Deena Kastor - London (2006)
2. 2:21:21 - Joan Benoit - Chicago (1985)
3. 2:22:38 - Desireé Davila - Boston (2011)
4. 2:24:52 - Kara Goucher - Boston (2011)
5. 2:26:22 - Magdalena Lewy-Boulet - Rotterdam (2010)
6. 2:26:26 - Julie Brown - Los Angeles (1983)
7. 2:26:40 - Kim Jones - Boston (1991)
8. 2:27:03 - Amy Hastings - Los Angeles (2011)
9. 2:27:10 - Marla Runyan - New York City (2002)
10. 2:27:35 - Francie Larrieu-Smith - London (1991)
11. 2:27:51 - Patti Catalano - Boston (1981)
12. 2:27:59 - Olga Appell - Minneapolis-St. Paul (1996)
13. 2:28:01 - Colleen De Reuck - Chicago (2003)
14. 2:28:15 - Lisa Weidenbach - Chicago (1989)
15. 2:28:18 - Christine McNamara - London (1997)
16. 2:28:34 - Libbie Hickman - Chicago (1999)
17. 2:28:40 - Shalane Flanagan - New York City (2010)
18. 2:28:53 - Maria Trujillo - Boston (1990)
19. 2:29:01 - Deeja Youngquist - Chicago (2003)
20. 2:29:05 - Kristy Johnson - Houston (1993)
21. 2:29:09 - Blake Russell - Chicago (2005)
22. 2:29:32 - Jennifer Rhines - Rome (2006)
23. 2:29:38 - Cathy O'Brien - Los Angeles (1991)
24. 2:29:50 - Margaret Groos - Pittsburgh (1988)
25. 2:29:54 - Jenny Spangler - Columbia (1996)

Sources: All-Time Athletics