Ryan Hall's Blog, page 202
November 7, 2016
Why More African Americans Running Long Distance Matters
A Black Girls Run! Chapter in Sacramento. Photo: Courtesy of BGR!
I reluctantly started running in 2008. I say reluctantly because I never thought it was something for me.
First, the pinnacle of my athletic career was playing junior pro basketball … in elementary school. It only lasted a couple years, and I thought it was a better idea to peak at age 9, than chance it later in life.
Secondly, when I heard “running” or “jogging” the two words conjured Prefontaine-like images of white men wearing terry cloth sweat headbands and short shorts, and sporting classic 70’s mustaches. It wasn’t bad. I just couldn’t relate.
Lastly, for most black kids, if you are athletically inclined, unlike myself, you are encouraged to run shorter distances in track and field. And running just for the fun of it, well, that was something white people did.
It’s all layered by the fact that my generation had no iconic professional African-American long distance competitors to model. If there were, they were outshined by talented sprinters and hurdlers such as Gail Devers, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Carl Lewis, Michael Johnson and Maurice Greene, just to name a few.
But, over the last five years, the landscape of recreational long distance running has changed dramatically. So much so, the increase in African-American participation in road races was worthy of a recent Wall Street Journal article titled, “Black Runners Are Changing the Face of the Sport.”
According to the article, “Nationwide, the share of frequent runners who identified as African-American has surged to 8 percent from 1.6 percent in 2011, according to a survey by Running USA, an industry-backed group that tracks trends.”
For most people, it may not seem very newsworthy, but indeed it is. For many black runners, it’s a matter of life or death.
African Americans are most impacted by the nationwide obesity epidemic, more than any other race or ethnicity in the United States. According to, The State of Obesity’s special report:
African-American adults are nearly 1.5 times as likely to be obese compared with white adults.
More than 75 percent of African Americans are overweight or obese (including 69 percent of men and 82 percent of women) compared with 67.2 percent of Whites (including 71.4 percent of men and 63.2 percent of women).
The rates of deaths from heart disease and stroke are almost twice as high among African Americans than whites.
Black Girls RUN! (BGR!) was created in 2009 specifically with these statistics in mind. As co-founder of BGR!, the largest running group for black women with about 200,000-plus members across the country, it’s been amazing to witness more and more African-Americans, both women and men, use running to transform their lives from the inside out. For many, running has been the key to gaining a new empowering perspective about health and wellness that has never existed in the black community. Running has literally saved thousands of lives, including my own, and is quite possibly the catalyst for generational change that is so desperately needed in our community.
Even though the surge of black runners seems to have happened overnight, BGR! wouldn’t exist without pioneers such as Ted Corbitt and the South Fulton Running Partners, the oldest African-American running club in the country based in Atlanta. Without them, there would be no us. And like these movers and shakers, I continue to ask myself how can we get even more black runners onto the pavement—for the health of the black community and the health of the running community. The two matter equally.
And, while progress has been made, there’s still plenty of work that needs to be done. We need to see even more ethnic diversity on the pavement. We need to see more pro-athlete women celebrated and supported. We need more minorities and women working on the industry level. We need more.
But, if running has taught me anything, I realize progress is a slow and steady process. After all, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
***
About the Author
Toni Carey’s passion for health and fitness led to the co-creation of Black Girls RUN!, a grassroots organization that encourages and inspires African-American women to live a healthy lifestyle. While currently serving at the helm of Black Girls RUN!, she is also a freelance writer and provides public relations and marketing consulting to grassroots organizations.
She has been named one of the “30 Black Bloggers You Should Know” by The Root, Essence Magazine’s “35 Under 35: Young Black and Amazing Women.” You can connect and learn more about Toni by going to www.tonicarey.com.
The post Why More African Americans Running Long Distance Matters appeared first on Competitor.com.
Sara Hall’s Fitbit Data from the NYC Marathon
Sara Hall ran the New York City Marathon in 2:36:12, averaging just under 6 minutes per mile. Photo: Courtesy of ASICS
Sara Hall turned out a great first-time New York City Marathon performance on Sunday. She finished in ninth place among women in 2:36:12, ranking her third overall among U.S. women and seventh in her age group. You can see her Fitbit Surge data in the attached image with some pretty impressive splits, heart rate data and more.
RELATED: Click here to see Sara Hall’s Fitbit data from the 2016 New York City Marathon
The post Sara Hall’s Fitbit Data from the NYC Marathon appeared first on Competitor.com.
November 6, 2016
Scenes from the 2016 New York City Marathon
2016 New York City Marathon
New York, NY Nov 6, 2016
Photo: KevinMorris@PhotoRun
victah1111@aol.com
631-291-3409
www.photorun.net
It was a perfect fall day in New York for the 46th running of the New York City Marathon on Sunday. A record number of runners—52,049—started the five-borough race from Staten Island to Central Park. Mary Keitany (2:24:26) and Ghirman Ghebreslassie (2:07:51) won the women’s and men’s titles and 10 Americans placed in the top 20 of each race.
RELATED: Top 20 Finishers at the 2016 NYC Marathon
Photo Gallery
1 of {count}
Back to Start
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
View Larger Image
2016 New York City Marathon
More Galleries
The post Scenes from the 2016 New York City Marathon appeared first on Competitor.com.
How Celebrities Fared at the 2016 New York City Marathon
Singer Jax (aka Jaclyn Miskanic) finished the New York City marathon in 5:17:37, despite the fact that she's been going through radiation treatments for thyroid cancer this fall. Photo: Matt Harbicht
Here’s a rundown of celebrities and other notable personalities who ran the New York City Marathon on Nov. 6.
Nev Schulman, 3:21:58
Producer, actor, photographer; best known for his documentary and MTV program “Catfish”
Raúl González Blanco, 3:26:05
Spanish soccer legend
RELATED:
Cynthia Erivo, 3:57:07
Tony Award winner for Best Actress in a Musical for “The Color Purple”
Alexander Mijares, 4:13:59
Miami based visual artist with Cuban and Spanish roots
– Running on behalf of Keep a Child Alive
George Mendes, 4:19:27
Executive chef at Aledea, New York City
Tiki Barber, 4:28:26
Former NFL running back and New York Giants all-time rushing leader; co-host of CBS Sports Radio’s morning show
– Running on behalf of the PitCCh In Foundation
RELATED: 36 Celebs and Notable People Who Run
Duane McLaughlin, 4:30:43
Actor and musician
– Running on behalf of Keep a Child Alive
Jeanette Jenkins, 4:32:57
Celebrity trainer, author, producer and creator of The Hollywood Trainer Club and trainer to P!nk, Alicia Keys, Tia Mowry and many more
– Running on behalf of Keep a Child Alive.
Lee Pace, 4:44:02
American actor, currently starring as the protagonist Joe MacMillan in AMC’s “Halt and Catch Fire”
– Running on behalf of Maasai Wilderness Conservation Fund
Richard Blais, 4:47:16
American chef, restaurateur and winner of the reality television show “Top Chef: All-Stars”
– Running on behalf of Save the Children USA.
Andy Katz, 5:10:25
ESPN commentator
– Running on behalf of The V Foundation for Cancer Research
Jax (aka Jaclyn Miskanic), 5:17:37
Singer who starred in American Idol’s 14th season
(It was just announced she’s battling thyroid cancer in People.) The 20-year-old from New York is running on behalf of Tuesday’s Children.
RELATED: Past American Idol Contestant Jax to Run NYC Marathon
Eric Millegan, 5:32:29
American actor, best known for his role as Dr. Zack Addy on the hit Fox series “Bones”
Elizabeth Falkner, 5:40:01
Chef, Food Network TV personality, and author
– Running on behalf of NYRR Team for Kids
Marion Bartoli, 5:40:04
2013 Wimbledon Champion, fashion designer, artist, learner, fighter
– Running on behalf of NYRR Team for Kids
Sean Astin, 6:02:33
Actor best known for his roles in “Goonies,” “Rudy,” and the “Lord of the Rings” series
RELATED: How Celebs Fared in the 2015 New York City Marathon
The post How Celebrities Fared at the 2016 New York City Marathon appeared first on Competitor.com.
Jason and Jenny Simpson Celebrate with Disney Half Marathon Success
Jason Simpson celebrates with Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse after winning the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon on Sunday in a course record 1:10:24. Photo: Courtesy of RunDisney
As it turns out, Olympic medalist Jenny Simpson isn’t just an elite runner, but she’s also quite a master planner. And at the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon on Sunday, the Simpsons saw their own family fairytale become reality—husband Jason won the 13.1-mile race in record fashion; Jenny took second place among the women; and the entire family made the special weekend their family vacation.
Indeed, there was a lot for the Simpson clan to celebrate during the race that started at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort and finished at Epcot. Jason Simpson shattered the race record, posting a time of 1:10:24—more than a minute quicker than the previous mark of 1:11:47.
Jenny, the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist in the 1,500m run and 2011 world champion in the same event, was merely using the 13.1-mile race as a “training run’’ during her early preparation for the IAAF World Championships next summer. But she nearly won the women’s division, as her 1:21:23 was eclipsed only by the course-record 1:20:20 run by Giovanna Martins of Brazil. And the Simpson 1-2 finish unfolded on the heels of their sixth wedding anniversary and Jenny’s parents’ 35th wedding anniversary, and in her home area of Central Florida.
“I worked my tail off to make this all happen,’’ Simpson said of coordinating the family trip from her home in Boulder, Colo. “Winning the bronze medal (in the 1,500 meters in Rio this summer) was great, but this is really, really amazing. It was just so much fun to be in the environment where I grew up here in Orlando and at Disney and especially being around all of the (Disney) characters and my friends. It was a lot of fun.’’
Donald Hanigosky of Parma, Ohio, finished second overall (1:20:47) followed by Jeremy Spry of Brooklyn, N.Y. (1:21:22). Among the women, Mason Cathey of St. Petersburg, Fla., (1:22:55) behind Martins and Simpson.
In all, more than 31,000 runners participated in the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend presented by MISFIT, which included Mickey’s Holiday 5K, the Wine & Dine 10K, Kids races, Lumiere’s Two Course Challenge (running the 10K and half marathon), plus a Health & Fitness Expo featuring the latest in fitness apparel and products, and a speaker series with industry leaders, such as runDisney’s official fitness trainer Jeff Galloway.
After the Sunday morning half marathon, many runners, including the Simpson clan, celebrated their accomplishment in the theme park, primarily at the official Post Race Party during the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, featuring fine wine and cuisine from around the world.
“(Winning the race was a) really great start to a Disney day,’’ Jason Simpson said after crossing the finish line. “We’re going to go to the parks and have a good time and celebrate, so this is really fun.’’
The post Jason and Jenny Simpson Celebrate with Disney Half Marathon Success appeared first on Competitor.com.
Voice of the Fan: 2016 New York City Marathon
Age-group runners enjoyed perfect running weather for the 46th running of the New York City Marathon on Sunday.
ESPN talked to spectators at New York’s biggest block party about why they’re watching the city’s 40th marathon, and all conceded that it’s far easier to watch than to run one.
Read what they had to say at this link.
The post Voice of the Fan: 2016 New York City Marathon appeared first on Competitor.com.
Mary Keitany Wins NYC Marathon Again, But Molly Huddle Shines Too
Molly Huddle races down 1st Avenue on Sunday en route to a third-place finish in the New York City Marathon. Photo: Kim Gaylord
For all intents and purposes, the women’s race in Sunday’s New York City Marathon was over before the halfway point, when two-time defending champion Mary Keitany dropped in a few miles in the low 5-minute range, effectively changing a lead pack of eight into a duo of her and fellow Kenyan Joyce Chepkirui. The pair ran together for a few miles, and then going up the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan, Keitany surged once more, opening up a gap of 20 seconds.
From then on, as she widened her margin, spurred on by the cheering crowds on First Avenue, it became a question of whether she’s moved too early, and if not, would she break Margaret Okayo’s 2:22:31 course record, set 13 years ago.
“My preparation for this year was better than it was the past two years, so I was confident,” Keitany of her bold early break.
Keitany, 34, continued to push the pace into the Bronx then back into Manhattan, and although she began to slow coming up Fifth Avenue before entering Central Park, and lost her chance at the record, the others behind her were falling back even more, as her lead expanded to almost four minutes.
RELATED: Top 20 Finishers at the 2016 NYC Marathon
Save a massive physical collapse or an errant horse drawn carriage, there was no way Keitany was not going to become the first runner to threepeat in New York since Grete Waitz did it as part of her incredible five consecutive wins (and nine overall) in the late 1980s.
Meanwhile, attention switched to the shifting places behind Keitany, so far back that they were invisible on TV, only discernable through online tracking. And most of it was focused on Molly Huddle, America’s best long distance track star who was making her long awaited debut in the marathon.
Huddle went with Keitany’s first move but then was dropped by the second, and spent much of the middle miles of the race running by herself.
“I was just kind of surviving the last 10 miles, looking ahead and trying to catch people,” said Huddle, 32, who lives in Providence, R.I. “I was just kind of flailing. But I felt like I held it together, like I didn’t hit a solid wall, per se. So I’m happy with that. I think I managed the fluid and gels pretty well, so that’s why things didn’t fall apart too, too bad. But I did fell like I was tightening up in weird places.”
In spite of that, just past 25 miles Huddle was able to pass Chepkirui, who had been caught by Sally Kipyego a mile before. Keitany was already in her cool down after crossing the line in 2:24:26 when Kipyego (2:28:01) and Huddle (2:28:13) filled out the podium. Behind them, American women had a banner day, taking half of the top 20 places. Neely Gracey placed eight in 2:34:55 while Sara Hall was ninth in 2:36:12.
RELATED: Olympic Tri Champ Gwen Jorgensen 14th at 2016 NYC Marathon
Huddle hedged on her intentions to run another marathon anytime soon, saying she would focus on the track and IAAF World Championships next year, but didn’t rule it out.
“She only did an eight-week buildup for this one,” said her long-time coach, Ray Treacy. “I think with a full buildup she can run 2:20 or so.”
For Kipyego, a former Texas Tech athlete, her runner-up finish was redemption for last year’s DNF.
“The biggest lesson I learned from that is the marathon is not a sprint,” she said. “Just because you feel good for 20 miles doesn’t mean that much in a marathon. You need to be able to survive the whole 26.2 miles.
“So I think I respected the course. I held back a lot, ran within myself. It turned out great today.”
Indeed, under near perfect conditions, the almost the entire elite women’s race turned out pretty great, as well.
RELATED: Young at Heart, Abdi Abdirahman Places 3rd in NYC Marathon at 39
The post Mary Keitany Wins NYC Marathon Again, But Molly Huddle Shines Too appeared first on Competitor.com.
Olympic Triathlon Champ Gwen Jorgensen 14th at NYC Marathon
How great of a runner could Gwen Jorgensen be if she only focused on running? We'll probably never know, but her 2:41:01 marathon debut was pretty impressive, especially given her limited training. Photo: PhotoRun.net
How strong of a runner is Gwen Jorgensen? Fuhgettaboutit! She’s pretty darn strong apparently.
It’s not that anyone questioned the 2016 Olympic triathlon champion’s running ability, but the St. Paul, Minn., resident had never run 26.2 miles before starting Sunday’s New York City Marathon. Even though she says she wasn’t entirely prepared for her first marathon, she turned in a pretty solid effort, finishing 14th overall in 2:41:01 against a strong field—just 71 days after winning gold at the Rio Olympics.
Jorgensen, 30, said she wasn’t entirely happy with the result and admitted she had some muscle soreness she’s not used to, but overall said she had a great experience. She wound up beating a few notable pro American runners in the race, including two-time U.S. Olympian Kim Conley, who was also making her debut at the distance and placed 16th in 2:41:38, and Janet Bawcom, a 2012 Olympian at 10,000m on the track who placed 19th Sunday in 2:48:13. (For reference, Kenya’s Mary Keitany won the race in 2:24:26.)
“It was a new experience for me and it was really exciting,” Jorgensen said after the race. “I have a great respect for the course and the distance, and I know the other professional runners in the race are very talented and hard-working. A couple of them flew by me at the end and I couldn’t hang on.”
RELATED: Top 20 Finishers at the 2016 NYC Marathon
Jorgensen committed to running the New York City Marathon shortly after the biggest triathlon win of her career on Aug. 21 in Rio de Janeiro. Her race distances for that event included a 1.5K swim, a 40K bike ride and a 10K run.
Then on Oct. 8, Jorgensen held her own at the U.S. 10-Mile Championship on the roads in Minneapolis, placing third overall in 53:13—about 5:19 pace per mile and just 24 seconds behind winner Jordan Hasay.
Jorgensen is known as one of the best runners on the international triathlon circuit and has regularly run 10Ks in in the 32- to 33-minute range—or 5:08-5:18 mile pace. She ran the marathon Sunday averaging roughly 6:08 per mile and finished about four minutes ahead of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon qualifying standard.
But she admitted she’d need to change up her training considerably to be able to keep improving in the marathon. She’s continued racing triathlons since her Rio win and has kept swimming and riding her bike in training while focusing only slightly more on running the past six weeks.
“I think next time I would do some longer runs and run some more miles leading up to the race,” she said. “But for me, if I were to run that race again, I wouldn’t do anything different. It was super fun every step of the way. There were people calling out my name the entire way, and that was really great.”
RELATED: Keitany Threepeats, Youngster Ghebreslassie Win NYC Marathon Titles
RELATED: Gwen Jorgensen Eager to Run 2016 NYC Marathon
The post Olympic Triathlon Champ Gwen Jorgensen 14th at NYC Marathon appeared first on Competitor.com.
Young at Heart, American Abdirahman Runs to Third-Place Finish in NYC Marathon
Abdi Abdirahman celebrates his third-place finish in Sunday's New York City Marathon in 2:11:23. Photo: Brian Metzler
Abdi Abdirahman ran like a man almost half his age on Sunday in the New York City Marathon, but that should really come as no surprise.
The 39-year-old four-time U.S. Olympian from Somalia who lives and trains in Tucson, Ariz., has continued to run strong late in his career. Although he hasn’t run a marathon in two and half years—since the 2014 Boston Marathon—he ran his third-fastest time ever (2:11:23) en route to placing third in the men’s elite field.
Not bad for a guy who turns 40 on Jan. 1. Turns out, it’s one of the best results of his 17-year pro career, which has included success on the track, roads and in cross country.
“I’m not old! Can’t I be young for just one more day?!” Abdirahman joked after the post-race press conference. “Age is just a number to me. I don’t look it as my age as a disadvantage at all. I kind of look at it as an advantage because I have experience and I have have been here before. I told the guys before the race I was in this race in 2004 and they said, ‘Really?’ and I said ‘Yes!’ They couldn’t’ believe it!”
RELATED: Top 20 Finishers at the 2016 NYC Marathon
Running in his fifth New York City Marathon, Abdirahman emerged in the lead group after fellow American Dathan Ritzenhein took an early lead and led much of the race through the 5K (15:18) and 10K (30:38). In fact, Abdirahman approached Ritzenhein while they were running stride for stride up front and tried to offer him some sage advice—namely to settle down and race more relaxed.
Ritzenhein, a 34-year-old three-time U.S. Olympian who owns a 2:07:47 marathon PR, insisted on running a few strides in the front of the front pack of 20 runners, even though he wasn’t running any faster than the rest of them.
“I told him to cool down and relax,” Abdirahman said. “He was just breaking the wind and making it easier for everyone else. It’s a long race, there’s no need to do that. I just wanted to help him calm down a bit.”
As it turns out, Ritzenhein started to struggle after the halfway point (1:04:29) when eventual champion Ghirman Ghebreslassie, a 20-year-old star on the rise from Eritrea, took off with Kenya’s Lucas Rotich and Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa going up and over the Pulaski Bridge and put a huge gap on the rest of the front pack.
Abdirahman smartly held back as that trio took off, but that’s when he started to look strong and might be a contender to finish in the top five. Ritzenhein eventually dropped out of the race near the 20-mile mark. Ghebreslassie, almost 18 years younger than Abdirahman, would go on to become the youngest winner in the race’s history, besting the field in 2:07:51. But there was lots of talk about Abdirahman when it was over.
RELATED: Keitany Threepeats, Youngster Ghebreslassie Win NYC Marathon Titles
It’s not that Abdirahman’s effort was a fluke. The former University of Arizona standout was an Olympian in 2000, 2004 and 2008 in the 10,000m on the track. He ran his best marathon (2:08:56) in Chicago in 2006 and also made the U.S. Olympic team in the marathon in 2012 by placing third at the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in 2:09:47—8 seconds ahead of Ritzenhein.
Although Abdirahman dropped out of the Olympic race in London with a knee injury and hadn’t run a marathon since, he’s run strong on the roads at shorter distances for the past several years. Most recently, he turned in a solid result at the Great North Run half marathon in the UK on Sept. 11, placing sixth in 1:02:46.
He knew his fitness was good enough to run with most of the field, but it was his experience that helped him continue to move up over the final 10 miles to the finish.
“My strategy today was just to be competitive and stay away from the front and run a good race,” he said. “When those guys put on a big surge at the 20K mark, it was too fast for me, so I wanted to hang back and run with the other guys that were still there. I didn’t think I was going to finish third, I thought I could finish fifth or sixth or seventh. But when I passed Desisa (near the 36K mark), that’s when my eyes got wide. I knew I was in a good position, and knew I wanted to push the pace to the finish.”
Like fellow four-time U.S. Olympian Meb Keflezighi, who ran the Olympic marathon this year at age 41, Abdirahman has enjoyed a long career by being consistent, doing the little things, keeping a good balance in life and surrounding himself with a collection of supporters and training partners. (Abdirahman’s girlfriend Diane Nukuri placed fifth in the women’s race in 2:33:04.)
Unlike some other distance runners, Abdirahman has typically only run one marathon per year.
Before he left the post-race press conference, he was asked what advice he’d give to Ghebreslassie, a runner almost 19 years his junior.
“The biggest thing is to make sure you’re smart about having a long career,” Abdirahman said. “Don’t try to make as much money as you can for one year. You can run three marathons and make a lot of money in three years, but you might not last past three years. If you want to have a long career and have longevity and enjoy it, run one or marathon a year and enjoy the moment and continue doing the right training, stay with the same coach and have the same routine.”
The post Young at Heart, American Abdirahman Runs to Third-Place Finish in NYC Marathon appeared first on Competitor.com.
Keitany Threepeats, Youngster Ghebreslassie Win NYC Marathon
Mary Keitany runs down First Avenue en route to her third straight New York City Marathon title on Sunday. Photo: Kim Gaylord
Kenya’s Mary Keitany once again proved she’s the queen of the Big Apple on Sunday, running away with her third straight New York City Marathon victory.
Amid mild temperatures and a slight breeze, Keitany led almost wire-to-wire on the way to becoming the first woman to win three straight NYC titles since Norwegian legend Grete Waitz from 1984-1986. She finished in 2:24:26, followed by fellow Kenyan Sally Kipyego (2:28:01) and American Molly Huddle (2:28:13).
Olympic triathlon champion Gwen Jorgensen placed 14th in 2:41:01.
In the men’s race, 20-year-old Ghirmay Ghebreslassie of Eritrea broke away from Lucas Rotich of Kenya and Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia near the 20-mile mark in the Bronx en route to a win in 2:07:51. Ghebreslassie, who placed fourth in the Olympic marathon this summer and won the marathon at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing last year at the age of 19, became the youngest runner and first Eritrean resident to win the New York City Marathon.
Abdi Abidrahman, a 39-year-old four-time U.S. Olympian, was the top American finisher in the men’s race, placing third in 2:11:23.
Marcel Hug of Switzerland won the men’s wheelchair race in 1:35:49, while Tatyana McFadden won her fourth straight women’s wheelchair title and fifth overall in 1:47:43.
Keitany, 34, led fellow Kenyan Joyce Chepkirui and Ethiopian Aselefech Mergia pushed the pace off the front, going through the 5K in 18:42 with American Molly Huddle, making her marathon debut, a few steps back. That lead trio continued to pull away, leaving Huddle running by herself, about 5 seconds back at the 10K mark.
Through the half-marathon mark, Keitany and Chepkirui (1:12:39) were 46 seconds ahead of Mergia (1:13:25) and 56 seconds ahead of Huddle (1:13:35). Huddle ran strong, though despite Mergia falling back and Sally Kipyego, another Kenyan, emerging after the halfway point.
From there, Keitany broke the race open, putting a huge gap on Chepkirui by the time she entered Manhattan near the 16-mile mark on the way over the Queensboro Bridge.
Huddle kept her solid effort, becoming the first American woman to finish on the podium since Shalane Flanagan placed second in 2010, while fellow American Neely Gracey also ran strong with a eighth-place, 2:34:55 effort.
Led by Americans Dathan Ritzenhein and Matt Llano, the men’s lead back ran through the 5K mark in 15:18. Although Llano fell back, Ritzenhein was still pushing the pace in the lead, coming through 10 miles in 49:05—about 2:09 pace. He insisted on running off the front, even though he wasn’t gapping any runners.
The first sign of change came when Rotich dropped a breakaway surge just after the 20K mark and started to gap the lead pack. Ritzenhein and seven other runners hung on and remained close enough to regroup. That group was intact at the halfway point (1:04:24), but moments later Ghebreslassie, Desisa and Rotich made another surge over the Pulaski Bridge on the way into Queens and separated from the field.
From there, Ghebreslassie did much of the work as that trio gapped the field and ran stride for stride down First Avenue. By the time the group entered the Bronx near mile 19, though, Ghebreslassie proved the strongest and ran unchallenged the rest of the way to his first major World Marathon Majors title. Desisa dropped out near Mile 22, Rotich hung on for second in 2:08:53.
Ritzenhein was still in sixth place near the 16-mile mark, but he eventually dropped out of the race near the 20-mile mark. Abdi Abidrahman, a 39-year-old four-time U.S. Olympian, was the top American finisher in the men’s race, placing third in 2:11:23.
The post Keitany Threepeats, Youngster Ghebreslassie Win NYC Marathon appeared first on Competitor.com.
Ryan Hall's Blog
- Ryan Hall's profile
- 21 followers
