— a Monster Marathon Weekend —
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Volume 10, No. 20 April 18, 2011 — A Monster Marathon Weekend — by Sean Hartnett with radical mid-race surges that set them tany said of her second marathon attempt, London, England, April 17—Mary Kei- clear and to lofty positions on the all-time “and I knew Lillya Shobukhova was there. tany and Emmanuel Mutai scored their lists. If I wait until late in the race I know that she first World Marathon Majors wins in grand Keitany started the day content to run in has a very strong sprint and I don’t have a fashion as they rocketed away from the a large lead pack that managed the open- sprint, so I must go at 20K.” MARK SHEARMAN And go she did, hitting full stride rip- ping off 5K segments of 16:11, 16:00 and 16:14 that included a eye-popping 5:00 for mile No. 16. The aggregate 15K between 20 and 35 netted 48:25— 2:16:12 pace the likes of which only Paula Radcliffe ha brought to the event. Keitany admitted, “I was just trying to push the pace so the other ladies did not get me.” Not a chance, despite slowing a tad over the final 7K, the 5-foot-3 Kenyan stopped the clock in 2:19:19 to become the biggest woman in Kenya rising to =No. 7 on the all time list. She also be- came member No. 10 of the sub-2:20 club. Keitany had good reason to fear Sho- bukhova as the reigning Chicago champ closed strong to lower her Russian re- cord to 2:20:15, edging NYC winner Edna Kiplagat who dropped her PR to 2:20:46. A few minutes back the flood gates opened as a whopping 18 women Emmanuel Mutai finished under 2:28. • • • briefly took over The men’s race followed a similar the world lead with script as the opening half was covered his PR 2:04:40 in in a tepid 1:02:45 with nine competitors bunched into the lead pack. A few surges London did little to shake up the lead group as the pacers delivered the pack to 30K in 1:29:22 (2:05:42 pace). A minute later, after digesting his fluids from the 30K aid station, Mutai hit his accelerator and almost instantly pulled 15 meters clear of the field. De- competition in the London Marathon. The ing 20K in 67:00—2:21:21 pace. Content fending champ Tsegaye Kebede tried to Kenyan duo’s triumphs were most remark- no more, Keitany hit the accelerator and hit match the pace but soon grimaced with a able in the speed in which they dispatched the stride that produced her WR 65:50 half massive side stitch and was dropped along London’s usual deep Olympic-caliber fields in February. “I was more confident,” Kei- with Jaouad Gharib, Bouramdane Abderra- -144- April 18, 2011 LONDON MARATHON London, April 17— 1. E. Mutai (Ken) 2:04:40 PR (WL) (4, 5 W) (sub-2:05 club member No. 9) (14:35, 14:50 [29:25], 15:02 [44:27], 15:02 [59:29], 14:47 [1:14:16], 15:06 [1:29:22], 14:16 [1:43:38], 14:28 [1:58:06]); 2. Lel (Ken) 2:05:45; 3. Makau (Ken) 2:05:45; 4. dos Santos (Bra) 2:06:34 PR; 5. Kebede (Eth) 2:07:48; 6. Gharib (Mor) 2:08:26; 7. Bouramdane (Mor) 2:08:42; 8. Safronov (Rus) 2:09:35 PR; 9. Bat-Ochir (Mgl) 2:11:35 NR; 10. Shelley (Aus) 2:11:38 PR; 11. Röthlin (Swi) 2:12:44; 12. Cordero (Mex) 2:13:13; 13. Lehmkuhle (US) 2:13:40; 14. Merrien (GB) 2:14:27 PR. LONDON women 1. Keitany (Ken) 2:19:19 PR Mary Keitany's 2:19:19 (WL) (=4, =7 W) (sub-2:20 club made her the tenth member No. 10) (16:16, 16:38 [32:54], 16:56 woman to break the [49:50], 17:10 [1:07:00], 16:11 2:20 barrier [1:23:11], 16:00 [1:39:11], 16:14 [1:55:25], 16:42); 2. Shobukhova (Rus) 2:20:15 NR (11, 15 W); 3. E. Kiplagat (Ken) 2:20:46 PR (15, 22 W); 4. Bekele (Eth) 2:23:42; 5. Bayisa (Eth) 2:23:50; 6. Akaba (Jpn) 2:24:09 PR; 7. Mikitenko (Ger) 2:24:24; 8. Augusto (Por) 2:24:33 PR; 9. Kebede (Eth) 2:24:34; 10. MARK SHEARMAN Konovalova (Rus) 2:25:18; 11. Tafa (Eth) 2:25:24; 12. Nojiri (Jpn) 2:25:29 PR; 13. Fujinaga (Jpn) 2:25:40 PR; 14. Zhu (Chn) 2:26:28; 15. Abitova (Rus) 2:26:31; 16. hime and Abel Kirui. from 20K and had problems at the finish. Matsuoka (Jpn) 2:26:54 PR; Surprisingly only Martin Lel and Patrick This time I decided to not be in front until 17. Pérez (Mex) 2:27:02; 18. Kiplagat (Hol) Makau were able to stay close to Mutai’s the pacemakers finished their work at 30K.” 2:27:57; 19. Pavey (GB) 2:28:24 PR; 20. Ogi break. Lel was a last minute replacement This inspired one of the sharpest breaks (Jpn) 2:29:52; 21. Nasukawa (Jpn) 2:30:00; for Sammy Wanjiru and was taking on his ever seen in a major marathon as Mutai 22. Damen (GB) 2:30:00 PR; first race since the Beijing Olympics as a scorched the ensuing 5K in 14:16, punctu- 23. Lewy Boulet (US) 2:31:22; 24. string of cruel injuries sidelined him. ated by 4:29 and 4:32 clockings through Shigetomo (Jpn) 2:31:28 PR; 25. Partridge (GB) 2:34:13 PR; 26. Zhou (Chn) 2:34:29. Makau managed to carry on after crash- miles 21 and 22. Mutai recalled, “When I (best-ever mark-for place: 3, 8–20) ing violently to the pavement just past half- looked back I could see that Lel was fol- way, losing 40 meters and gaining nasty lowing and I called for him but he said I am scars on hands and knees. not able, so I tried to push for the win and Mutai—who finished 4th, 4th and 2nd the better the course record.” past three years in London and 2nd last fall Despite soloing the final 12K, Mutai in New York City—admitted, “For me the blitzed the second half in 61:55, finishing in focus was on finding a way to win. My 2:04:40, clipping 30 seconds off Wanjiru’s dream was to win a World Marathon Major London record and moving to No. 5 on the and improve my time.” all-time list. © 2011 Track & Field News.All rights Early in his career Mutai had been a Lel and Makau battled all the way home reserved.This newsletter may not be re- printedor retransmitted in any formwithout knee-jerk racer responding or instigating with Lel able to muster his trademark sprint express written permission. nd early moves. “I learned from New York to take 2 as two of Kenya’s elite mara- www.trackandfieldnews.com where I was very strong but was at the front thoners clocked 2:05:45. -145- April 18, 2011 VICTOR SAILER/PHOTO RUN SAILER/PHOTO VICTOR photos Ideal Boston conditions pushed Geoffrey Mutai to the fastest marathon ever; a frontrunning Desiree Davila almost pulled off an upset win on the women's side. BOSTON MARATHON 2:29:06; 14. Skvortsova (Rus) 2:29:14; 15. 115th Boston Marathon, Hopkinton-to- (US) 2:20:48 PR; 24. Payne (US) 2:21:01 PR; 25. Bradosky (US) 2:21:11 PR; Pushkareva (Rus) 2:29:20; 16. Grandt (US) Boston, April 18 (point-to-point aided course 2:29:54 PR; 17. Zyusko (Rus) 2:34:22; not eligible for records; tailwind)— 26. Delaney (US) 2:22:05; 27. Taylor (US) 2:22:19 PR; 28. Sousa (Por) 2:22:21; 29. 18. Houck (US) 2:34:28 PR; 19. Zakharova 1. G. Mutai (Ken) 2:03:02 NR (1, 1 W—old (Rus) 2:35:47; 20. White (US) 2:37:32 PR; fastest 2:03:59 Gebrselassie [Eth] ’08); Krah (US) 2:22:24 PR; 30. End (US) 2:22:30 PR; 31. Pool (US) 2:23:30; 21. Hubbard (GB) 2:38:12 PR; 22. Kennard 2. Mosop (Ken) 2:03:06 PR (2, 2 W); 3. (US) 2:38:12; 23. Piers (US) 2:39:23; Gebremariam (Eth) 2:04:53 PR (8, 10 W); 32. Tate (US) 2:23:58 PR; 33. Hartshorn (US) 2:24:09 PR; 34. Manning (US) 2:24:12 24. Enman (US) 2:39:55; 25. Smith (US) 4. Hall (US) 2:04:58 PR (1, 1 A—old fastest 2:41:37 PR; 26. Knudson (US) 2:42:42 PR; 2:05:38 Khannouchi [NBal] ’02); PR; 35. Gomez (US) 2:24:18; 36. Ross (US) 2:24:32 PR;… 38. Hensley (US) 2:25:12;… 27. Flament (US) 2:43:37 PR; 28. McHale 5. Cherkos (Eth) 2:06:13 PR; 6. Cheruiyot (US) 2:43:46; 29. Beck (US) 2:44:03 PR; (Ken) 2:06:43; 7. Kimutai (Ken) 2:07:10 PR; 40. Jillson (US) 2:25:52 PR. (best-ever mark-for-place: 1–5, 7–9) 30. Pishny (US) 2:44:40 PR; 31. Grindall 8. Chimsa (Eth) 2:07:39 PR; 9.