And yet more stats to pore over: 2008 stats for the top men’s and women’s marathon performances in this country. These are provided courtesy of TheProfessor on the RunningTimes forum.
Next month, MarathonGuide.com publishes its annual review of statistics for marathons in this country, the USA Marathon Report, covering 2008. Here’s a link to the 2007 edition so you can see what’s coming.
Races Like a Girl 
The Rotterdam marathon is a time limet of 5:30 houre!.
The Amsterdam marathon have a 6 houre limet.
The New-york marathon a 9 houre limet.
So the marathon finishes in New-york is higer than in Rotterdam or Amsterdam.When you walk 9 houre it is 4,68 km/hour!!!.
The most america marathons have a hige time limets!..
Why is that?.
In the Netherlands a lot off runners run no marathon because of the (half) marathon time limet.
You must stop the race when you can not run the half marathon time in 2:40 houre..
Rinus.
Have you seen pictures of the average American, Rinus? That should answer your question as to why our time limits are so generous.
Although for NY, the longer time limit may be to offer allowances to members of the Achilles Track Club — a group for disabled runners. But that’s just a guess on my part. As a humorous aside, there was a guy who “ran” the NYC marathon a few years ago in a full 1920’s diving suit, complete with the huge metal and glass helmet. I think it took him over 24 hours to finish.
It’s interesting that in Holland they cut off marathoners if they don’t reach the half by a certain point. I’m not sure how I feel about that, given that I used to be a 2:08 half marathoner.
@Julie, “Have you seen pictures of the average American, Rinus?”
Not so many times and you (julie)are not average, i think!.
But what you say states enough, and thank you.
Not every marathon in Holland have a half marathon limet and runners run the Rotterdam marathon longer, but than is the marathon close for time, medaille and spectators..
Some times they use a broom wagon(bezemwagen) so you must stop the marathon and step in the car.
The broom sweeps the marathon clean from slow runners but not literally of course ;-).
Julie,thanks for your response and have a good run wekend.
Rinus.
http://www.rinusrunning.punt.nl