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Chicago Marathon 2007:
Elite Men’s Preview

Posted October 6th, 2007 at 5:10 PM by Jared Markowitz

Section: News & Results, Marathons

The men’s race at the 2007 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon promises to be a hard-fought affair, with defending champion Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot headlining a deep and talented field. There should also be an intriguing “race within the race” as many American marathoners will try to capitalize on the flat terrain to qualify for the 2007 Olympic Marathon Trials. The Trials will be held in four weeks in New York City and will be closed after this weekend, setting up Chicago as a last chance race for many trying to hit the 2:22 B standard.

The elite men’s field will feature Robert Cheruiyot’s quest to repeat against a tough field. The 6’2” Kenyan is a study in perseverance, triumphing over remarkable adversity to win the Chicago Marathon, the Boston Marathon (three times) and the inaugural World Marathon Major Championship. Having overcome abandonment by his parents, indentured servitude, depression, and severe poverty, Cheruiyot is truly an incredible story. Even one of his proudest moments was steeped in hardship, as he suffered a concussion in a nasty fall at the finish line of his Chicago victory last year. This year Cheruiyot is hoping to reclaim his title in style.

Hoping to steal Cheruiyot’s thunder is an impressive assemblage of distance running talent. Foremost in this group is Daniel Njenga, who has a heartbreaking record of near-misses at this event. Njenga has finished second three times and third twice in Chicago, including a 5 second loss to Cheruiyot last fall. Last year’s third place finisher Jimmy Muindi and eight place finisher Benjamin Maiyo will also return. Two other big names will also enter the fray: Kenyans Felix Limo and Evans Rutto. Limo won Chicago in 2005 and Evans Rutto won here in 2003 and 2004. Rutto’s return to form should be particularly interesting as he has not raced a marathon since a 10th place finish in the 2006 Flora London Marathon. However he owns three of the top twenty marathon times ever and should be a force to be reckoned with.

Two other notable entrants on the men’s side are two-time world champion Jaouad Gharib (2003, 2005) and 1996 Olympic silver medalist Bong-Ju Lee. Both are making their Chicago debuts and are expecting big things. Unfortunately most of the top American marathoners are skipping Chicago this fall to prepare for the upcoming Olympic Trials.

One final thing to look out for on Sunday is the weather. Last year the Windy City lived up to its name with chilly temperatures, rain, and gusts of wind. This year the forecast is dire for another reason – temperatures are expected to soar into the 80’s, which is hardly optimal for marathons. This has the potential to make the race up front more tactical and will place a premium on smart fluid consumption for all involved. Such conditions may put Khalid Khannouchi’s 1999 course record (2:05:42) out of reach, but may also force a more exciting finish. Regardless of the tactics employed, Chicago will be an important and exciting piece of the fall marathon picture.