In Pursuit of the Sub 3 Hour Marathon

There is an interesting thread posted on the world famous letsrun.com message board - Any > 50 year olds under 3:00 for the marathon?

I've done it twice since turning 50- a 2:59 on a hilly Okinawa course at 50 and a 2:56 in Vancouver at 54.

Now, at 55 I am giving it another shot a week from Sunday. Interesting numbers below from a letsrun reader on sub 3 hour runners in England- note the drop off after 55. I wonder how the US stacks up?

• 300 Brits aged 40-44 have run sub-3.00 for the marathon in 2008
• 164 aged 45-49
• 70 aged 50-54
• 16 aged 55-59
• 3 aged 60-64
• fastest 65 year old has run 3.09

According to marathonguide.com, only 1.7% of all U.S. marathon finishers in 2007 broke 3 hours.

I count 43 guys in the 50-59 group at Boston 2008 under 3 hours- impressive!