Discovery’s report is based on a 1991 scientific paper by Mayo Clinic anesthesiologist and exercise researcher Michael Joyner, who found that a rise in marathon popularity and therefore wider participant genetic pool, as well as improvements in sports medicine, shoe technology and nutrition have all made the sub-2 hour far closer than ever before. Joyner’s paper, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology , found that it was theoretically possible to run the race in 1:57:58. A follow up paper of his predicted it would happen within 12 and 25 years.

Washington Post, Elizabeth Flock, 11/8/11

Tags: Research, Sports Medicine