“At the 2011 New York marathon, all age groups 25 and older were won by non-American men, and foreigners won half of all women's age groups that year. Predominantly, it was Europeans who took home that year's age-group award, a Tiffany & Co. crystal plate. This raises a troubling question: Are Europeans faster than Americans? Some Europeans think so. "Generally, the standard of running is lower in the U.S.," said Roger Biggs, a 65-year-old Brit who has run dozens of marathons on both continents, more often winning his age group in the U.S. Yet on both sides of the Atlantic, running experts suspect that America's weak age-group showing at the New York race may in part reflect a lack of zeal. "Americans are soft," laughed Lesley Higgins, a New York Athletic Club runner and former college track star. All across America, running clubs are offering instruction on how to walk large parts of marathons. But small participation in Europe means that anyone joining the sport is likely to be surrounded by serious competitors. "In Europe, you're either a smoker or you're super fit," said Robert Johnson, a founder of LetsRun.com, a website by and for elite runners. At the professional level, the widespread impression that neither continent can keep pace with Africa is true on the men's side: African men have won 12 of the past 15 New York marathons, with America's last triumph coming in 2009 and Europe's in 1996. But European women have won seven of the last 15 New York marathons (eight if you count Russia), compared with Africa's six wins. No American woman has won the New York marathon since 1977. 10.31.13 wsj”
