By Duncan Larkin
© www.photorun.net
On April 19, 1897, 15 men wearing unforgiving leather boots set out with the intention of winning the first running of what would become the world’s oldest annual marathon: the Boston Marathon. Over a century later, the Boston Marathon has blossomed into one of the world’s most majestic sporting events. This year, over 25,000 runners from 84 countries across the globe will line up at the now-famous starting line in the town of Hopkinton, Massachusetts. Of the 25,000 runners, nearly 2,000 will run the marathon to raise over ten million dollars for the Boston Marathon’s 24 official charities.
What will unfold when the starting gun goes off and who will cross the finish line as the winner of the 113th running of this storied race? Take The Magic Step writer Duncan Larkin provides a preview of the top runners facing this challenging course.
Who to Watch for and Why at This Year’s Boston Marathon
Men:
Evans Cheruiyot (Kenya—2:06:25): The seventh-born of a family of nine and a mechanic by trade, Evans Cheruiyot comes from humble origins. But he happens to be one of the fastest marathoners in the world. Evans prefers flat courses which certainly doesn’t describe Boston. But he won the Chicago Marathon in 2008 with a time of 2:06:25 hours—his PR. And in that race he took the lead in the 24th mile, showing that he might come off Heartbreak Hill with enough reserve to carry the day. It will be interesting to see how he copes with the late-race hills at Boston.
Robert Cheruiyot (Kenya—2:07:21): Not related to Evans Cheruiyot or Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, Robert Cheruiyot is a relative unknown marathoner who shocked the world when he finished first at the 2008 Frankfurt Marathon in his debut. In that race, he had to purchase his own airline ticket and run sub-2:14 hours to get reimbursed. This confidence and ability to surprise the field should serve him well on the Boston course which caters well to confident runners.
Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot (Kenya—2:07:14): Winning the Boston Marathon four times (2003, 2006, 2007, and 2008) and owning the course record (2:07:14 in 2006) makes Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot the current “king” of Boston and the clear favorite to win the race. Boston is his home turf. No other runner in the field is as experienced with the course. Look for him to run the race conservatively at the start and then drop the hammer in the second half. This strategy has worked well for him in the past.
Ryan Hall (USA—2:06:17): It’s been 26 years since an American man won the Boston Marathon. But this year could end that drought. These high expectations lay on the skinny shoulders of Ryan Hall who has the fastest-seeded time in the whole field. He currently owns the American half-marathon record and won the 2008 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. But to win Boston won’t be easy for Hall. All his fast times have come on flat courses in cool conditions, so it remains to be seen how he will fare at Boston. But a relaxed Hall showed great confidence at the Boston Marathon Press Conference on Friday, April 17th and with cooler temperatures predicted for Monday, the Boston fans, who will be lining the course and rooting for their fellow American, might get their wish.
The Boston Marathon provides a challenging course—sometimes with inclement weather conditions. © www.photorun.net
Stephen “Baba” Kiogora (Kenya—2:08:24): Baba Kiogora has been a top finisher at Boston before. In 2007, he finished third overall. He is, by far, one of the most experienced marathoners in the field—having finished in the top ten in numerous major marathons going back to 2004. Last year, he had a breakthrough race when he came in third at the Frankfurt Marathon and improved his personal best to his current seed time: 2:08:24. Baba is a tough runner and a brilliant strategist. Despite the fact that his marathon personal best is two minutes slower than the top contestants doesn’t mean he isn’t someone to discount from seeing atop the medal podium.
Benjamin Maiyo (Kenya—2:07:09): Benjamin Maiyo is running his third Boston Marathon. In his other two appearances (2006 and 2007), he finished in the top 10. In the 2006 race, he took the lead pack on course-record pace, but was reeled in by a more-experienced Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot. He has also run marathons in Chicago, Dresden, Rotterdam, and Los Angeles. Look for him to heed the lessons he learned in 2006 and to go out conservatively at the start.
Deriba Merga (Ethiopia—2:06:38): In a country full of top-class talent and home of the owner of the marathon world-record, Haile Gebrselassie, Merga may seem a bit overshadowed. Nevertheless, he’s definitely one of Ethiopia’s greatest marathoners. In 2007, he made his marathon debut, running the Fukuoka Marathon. At the 2008 Olympics he came in fourth place. This year, Merga won the Houston Marathon in 2:07:52—setting a course record. He races frequently and has been known for front running so expect to see him leading early in the race, but this may slow him down when the Newton Hills come later in the race.
Daniel Rono (Kenya—2:06:58): Rono ran his incredible PR last year in Rotterdam. There, he came in second place behind William Kipsang. In 2006, he added a major-city marathon win to his resume when he ran a course record in Mumbai (2:12:03). Last year, he surprised the field and placed third at the New York City Marathon. The fact that New York is as tough as Boston makes him well poised to run strongly on Monday.
Women:
Bezunesh Bekele (Ethiopia—2:23:09): Surprisingly, the marathon isn’t Bekele’s forte. A cross-country runner primarily, she represented her country at the 2004, 2005, and 2006 World Cross-Country Championships where she finished in the top 10 each year. She finished fourth in the 2007 World Road Running Championships. In that race, she set the Ethiopian half-marathon record (1:08:07). Bekele has run two marathons—both in Dubai. Her 2:23:09 PR was set in 2008. The fact that she runs well over hilly, cross-country surfaces should help her on the undulating Boston course.
Kara Goucher (USA—2:25:53): Expectations are high for the top American runner from Queens, NY. She ran her marathon PR in her debut at last year’s New York City Marathon and caught the attention of the running world with an amazing third-place performance. In a clear demonstration of her Boston Marathon fitness, she won the 2009 Lisbon Half-Marathon in 1:08:30 last month. Tremendous crowd support for an American running in America’s most prestigious race could help Goucher be the first American woman to win since Lisa Larsen Weidenbach did in 1985.
Lydia Grigoryeva (Russia—2:25:10): Grigoryeva’s two biggest performances in her long career are clearly her win at the Chicago Marathon last year and a win at the Boston Marathon in 2007. She’s also won the Los Angeles Marathon (2006 where she set her personal record). All these big-city wins coupled with the fact that she has run fast in the 10K make her well-suited for Boston.
Atsede Habtamu (Ethiopia—2:25:17): Habtamu is only 21 years old. At the 2007 IAAF World Half-Marathon Championships she ran a 1:08:29. Her marathon debut was in Dubai in January where she ran her impressive seed time for Boston (2:25:17). Because of her age and the fact that she’s only run one marathon, a lack of marathon experience may hamper her efforts, but her half-marathon time predicts she has an outside chance to stand on the medal podium.
Helena Kiprop (Kenya—2:25:01): Kiprop runs fast marathons. Last year, she ran 2:25 in Berlin and Dubai in 2008. That being said, she hasn’t won any large-city marathons and has only broken the tape on one of the seven marathons that she’s run. Because she can run fast, expect her in the lead pack, but she would have to put forth an unparalleled effort in order to cross the finish line first at Boston.
Salina Kosgei (Kenya—2:23:22): Kosgei is one of the most experienced marathoners in the entire field. She’s been running multiple fast marathons for five years. Originally a heptathlete, Kosgei decided to try long distances. She placed 18th at the 2003 World Championships 10K and decided, based on that impressive performance, to try the marathon. She upset the field in her marathon debut at Paris in 2004 (2:24:32). She has more sub-2:25 marathons than anyone in the field. This vast experience will help her judge when to make a move on the challenging course.
Dire Tune (Ethiopia—2:24:40): Like the top-ranked man, Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, Dire Tune doesn’t have the fastest-seeded time, but is the clear favorite because she is a returning champion. (She won last year with a time of 2:25:25.). This past February, she won the Ras Al Khaimah Half-Marathon. There, she set her country’s half-marathon record of 1:07:18. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, she was the only Ethiopian to finish the marathon where she placed 15th (2:13:16 in unbelievably difficult weather conditions). Tune is a tough runner who knows the course and can run in the uncertain climate, which often defines Boston.
Alice Timbilili (Kenya—2:26:45): Timbilili began her career in 1999. Only 16 years old, she won the prestigious Kenyan 10K Championships. She is a versatile runner—having run on the track and at the World Cross-Country Championships where she placed second in 2005. This versatility—being able to run in different gears—should help her with Boston’s terrain. She recently placed second behind Kara Goucher at the Lisbon Half Marathon.
Masters:
There are two famous masters-level runners who deserve the spotlight. One such runner is Kenyan master James Koskei, who recently turned 40 on November 23 and runs for Kimbia Athletics. Koskei didn’t start running Marathons until 2004. This past December, he was leading the Dallas Marathon at the 24-mile mark and was knocked down at a water station. In 2007, he placed fourth at Boston, and Koskei told Take The Magic Step that he felt very strong at the end and believes he should have run faster. His win at the Dallas Marathon in 2007 was in the middle of driving headwinds and rain. “I will run with the elites,” predicts a confident Koskei.
In the women’s division, 45-year-old Colleen De Reuck stands a good chance at a win. Originally a South African national champion, she moved to Colorado in 1990 and became a U.S. citizen. She has run on four U.S. Olympic marathon teams and as recent as last year, De Reuck placed sixth in the Chicago Marathon (2:32:25). This year will be her fourth Boston Marathon, so her vast experience should pay off for her.
Posted April 18, 2009
