“A 1:59:59 marathon would require a searing pace of 4 minutes 34 seconds per mile, seven seconds faster than the pace of the current world record. It would require 85 to 90 percent of a runner’s maximum aerobic capacity — twice the capacity of an average man — and a sustained heart rate of about 160 to 170 beats per minute.” The NYT takes you to the Dead Sea to check in on one scientist’s quixotic quest to propel a runner past the two-hour barrier. (I can’t even lace up my sneaks in 4 minutes 34 seconds.)