Robert Arthur Fowler was a Newfoundland-born long-distance runner who was recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set a world's best in the marathon on January 1, 1909 with a time of 2:52:45.4 at the Empire City Marathon in Yonkers, New York. Robert Fowler (United States) set the men's marathon world record of 2:52:45.4 in Yonkers, United States on January 1, 1909. It stood 42 days, until James Clark's 2:46:52.8 on February 12, 1909. Wiki link