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Lead Stories: Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Could Seven be Njenga’s Lucky Number at Chicago?

Posted October 11th, 2008 at 12:30 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Daniel Njenga is one of the most successful athletes in the 31-year history of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. The gentle Kenyan has given the best years of his career to the race, running it six consecutive times and never failing to make the podium. He’s been second three times, third three times, has broken 2:08 five times, and set his 2:06:16 personal best here in 2002.

But victory here has stubbornly eluded him, and after last year’s race where he finished third he openly wept in the post-race press conference. In the final stages of the race, he was dropped by Patrick Ivuti and Jaouad Gharib, and Ivuti went on to narrowly defeat Gharib in a wild sprint finish. Njenga was crushed.
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Cheruiyot, Wami Lead Galaxy of Stars at World Marathon Majors Races This Month

Posted April 1st, 2008 at 10:49 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News & Results, Marathons

The new era in long distance running continues with a galaxy of the sport’s brightest stars back in action this month as the World Marathon Majors series resumes at the Flora London Marathon and the 112th running of the Boston Marathon.

More than $850,000 in prize money, prestige and all important points in the race to crown the 2007-2008 WMM champions will be on the line in the British capital on Sunday, April 13 followed eight days later at the celebrated Hopkinton to Boston course on Monday, April 21.

Reigning women’s WMM champion Gete Wami of Ethopia leads the field in London while the WMM men’s champion Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot of Kenya tops the field in Boston.

In London, United States sensation Ryan Hall makes his first start since winning the US Olympic Team Trials – Men’s Marathon race last fall in New York. It will be his second consecutive appearance in London, following his breakthrough seventh place finish last year in his 26.2-mile debut.
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Cheruiyot Leads Strong Kenyan Contingent for Boston Marathon

Posted February 28th, 2008 at 3:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Of the last 17 editions of the Boston Marathon Kenyan men have won all but two, and defending champion and course record holder Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot has nabbed three of those titles. According to an announcement by John Hancock Financial yesterday, Cheruiyot could be headed for a fourth Boston crown, keeping Kenyan dominance alive at America’s oldest, still-contested marathon, founded in 1897.

Cheruiyot, the 2006/2007 World Marathon Majors champion who rebounded from extreme poverty and homelessness to become one of the world’s finest athletes, first won in Boston in 2003. He had since come back to win twice more in 2006 –when he broke Cosmas Ndeti’s 1994 course record– and again last year when he had to contend with sheets of blowing rain as a Nor’easter pounded Boston.
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Thrilling Finishes & Record- Breaking Performances Help World Marathon Majors Usher in Brand New Era

Posted December 12th, 2007 at 12:15 PM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Marathons

World, national and course records, thrilling finishes, more than 300,000 participants, and a championship race that went down to the final day highlighted the inaugural 2006-2007 World Marathon Majors Series, and ushered in a brand new era of growth and excitement in the sport.

After a six month break, the excitement will continue at the 2008 Flora London Marathon on April 13, followed eight days later by the 112th Boston Marathon on April 21.

Here is a look back at some of the many highlights from the 2006-2007 World Marathon Majors Series:

Record Breakers:

* 2006: Robert K. Cheruiyot (KEN) sets a course record of 2:07:14 at the 110th Boston Marathon.
* Deena Kastor (USA) sets a new American record of 2:19:36 in winning the 2006 Flora London Marathon, becoming the eighth woman to break 2:20:00.
* Ethiopians Haile Gebrselassie (2:05:56) and Gete Wami (2:21:34) each set national records in victory at the 2006 real,-BERLIN-MARATHON.
* Gebrselassie sets a new world record of 2:04:26 at the 2007 real,-BERLIN-MARATHON.
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Published Report: Paul Tergat Out of Fukuoka Marathon

Posted November 27th, 2007 at 3:45 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Former world record holder in the marathon, Paul Tergat, has abruptly withdrawn from Sunday’s Fukuoka Marathon, according to a published report on the website of Japan’s largest English language newspaper, The Daily Yomiuri.

According to the report, Tergat was called to attend a special Kenyan armed forces training camp. The report said that the information came from the organizers of the marathon itself.

Tergat, 38, was the headline athlete for what is widely regarded as Japan’s most competitive men’s marathon. The race will be held for the 61st time on Sunday. Organizers have used a time-honored formula of inviting a handlful of top overseas athletes, combining them with a group of Japanese stars, and leading them along the course through 30 km with pacemakers who try to help the top runners to a sub-2:07 finish time. In a typical year, only about 300 athletes compete at Fukuoka, and it was to be Tergat’s Fukuoka debut.
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Inaugural World Marathon Majors Series to Conclude at ING New York City Marathon

Posted October 29th, 2007 at 11:00 AM by Jamal Walker

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Nearly two years have passed since organizers of the Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City marathons announced the formation of the World Marathon Majors (WMM), and 10 events, including the IAAF World Championships, have been run since the WMM Series was launched at the 2006 Boston Marathon. Just one race – the 2007 ING New York City Marathon – remains before the inaugural WMM Series champions will be presented with their share of the $1 million jackpot at a special luncheon on November 5.

Remarkably, after 10 events – and 262 miles of racing – the women’s WMM Series champion has yet to be decided. Of the 32 women who have earned WMM points, just two remain in contention for the title: Gete Wami (ETH) and Jelena Prokopcuka (LAT). With $500,000 at stake, in addition to the ING New York City Marathon prize purse, the two women will race head-to-head through the streets of New York. A win for either would clinch the title, but anything less than victory opens up an intriguing number of potential results.
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Chicago Marathon ‘07:
By the Numbers . . .

Posted October 7th, 2007 at 7:50 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Today’s LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon was both a thrilling and tragic event. Here’s a look at the 30th edition of the race by the numbers:

It was Chicago’s slowest men’s finish time in 12 years (1995 winner, Ritva Lemettinen (FIN) finished in 2:11:18), continuing a trend set by a majority of the year’s World Marathon Major events (Haile Gebrselassie’s world record of 2:04:26 in Berlin being the lone exception thus far in 2007). See the chart below to compare finish times over the last decade.

One runner tragically died during the race. Several news agencies have reported that the deceased was a 35 year old man named Chad Schieber of Midland, Michigan. He was pronounced dead, presumably from heat-related causes, shortly before 1 p.m. at a Veteran’s Affairs hospital, the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy was scheduled for Monday.

250 people were taken to the hospital for heat-related ailments.

Almost 10,000 of the 45,000 registrants did not start the race because of the heat.

At 88°F, it was the hottest (and most humid) Chicago Marathon in history. The previous race-day high was 84°F in 1979.

Less than 0.05 seconds separated men’s winner Patrick Ivuti from runner-up Jaouad Gharib. It was the closest finish in the Chicago Marathon’s 30 year history.

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Chicago Marathon ‘07: Ivuti Tops Gharib in a Photo Finish!

Posted October 7th, 2007 at 11:18 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Special Features, Live Race Coverage

The 2007 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon was a hot, humid war of attrition. A pack of 15 men averaged 5:00 to 5:10 miles throughout the race.

In the end, race came down to two men: Jaouad Gharib of Morocco and Patrick Ivuti of Kenya. Robert K. Cheruiyot (KEN), 2006 winner, had succumbed to the heat and stomach cramps and was out of contention with a few miles to go.

Gharib, with a 13:19 5000m, had the ability to kick. Ivuti, with a 5000m PB of 13:02:68, had the advantage.

During the last mile, Gharib was bumping Ivuti a little, playing mind games. Having none of it, Ivuti was pushing back.
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Chicago Marathon ‘07: Ivuti and Gharib Make Their Moves

Posted October 7th, 2007 at 10:56 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Special Features, Live Race Coverage

At 35K, the four leaders are still going strong. Robert K. Cheruiyot (KEN), Daniel Njenga (KEN), Jaouad Gharib (MAR) and Patrick Ivuti (KEN). With seven miles to go, one of them is about to bust the race wide open. With the heat, though, they are holding on until the last possible minute before one of them decides to make it an honest pace. They’ve run the last 3 miles in 5:04, 5:09 and 5:10, obviously resting for a major surge. With 3 1/2 miles to go, Ivuti makes the decision to go and Gharib goes with him. Cheruiyot, surprisingly, has no answer for them. Njenga, not surprisingly, has nothing left and is unable to respond to the surge.

Ivuti has the track speed, having placed 4th in the 2000 Olympic 10000m run in Sydney. Gharib starts hammering and Ivuti is able to respond to every move. They have put in a mile of 4:55.

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Check back often for TheFinalSprint.com’s LIVE coverage of the 2007 Chicago Marathon, sponsored by Ultima Replenisher, at:

http://chicago.thefinalsprint.com

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Chicago Marathon ‘07: Down to Four Men

Posted October 7th, 2007 at 10:46 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Special Features, Live Race Coverage

The men go through the 30K mark in 1:33:05, on pace for a 2:10:55 marathon. It’s down to four men: Robert K. Cheruiyot (KEN), Jaouad Gharib (MAR), Patrick Ivuti (KEN) and Daniel Njenga (KEN). Njenga has made a herculean effort to get to the lead pack, so he is at a disadvantage, having wasted valuable energy. The last mile was run in 4:59. In 5th, Ben Maiyo (KEN) is 21 seconds back. In 6th, Jimmy Muindi (KEN) is 54 seconds back.

Just under 36,000 people have started the race. It is a sweltering 87 degrees at street level.

The lead pack of four men is averaging about 5:00 miles, but they keep throwing in surges at a 4:40 mile pace.

Michael Cox is the only American on pace to qualify for the Olympic Trials. He is on pace for a 2:19:42 marathon. Andrew Middleton still has a chance to make the 2:22 qualifying mark. He is on pace for a 2:22:09.

The leaders hit the 20 mile mark in 1:40:05. The last mile was run in 5:04. Cheruiyot is setting the pace. Cheruiyot, Gharib and Ivuti are running side-by-side. Njenga is tucked in right behind them, taking advantage of the wind they are cutting.

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Check back often for TheFinalSprint.com’s LIVE coverage of the 2007 Chicago Marathon, sponsored by Ultima Replenisher, at:

http://chicago.thefinalsprint.com

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