An Almost WR---Again

In London, Eliud Kipchoge (a super fast track runner of yore) came within 8 seconds of Dennis Kimetto's World Record of 2:02:57, running a superb 2:03:05, and showing a disgusted face at how he'd ALMOST had the WR.

Fast forward about 5 months to today's Berlin race.

At 5000, a field of 10 or so blazes a 14:20, the WR assault ON
When they pass 10K in 29:00, then the Half in 1:01:11, the blast of WR air attacks even the most pragmatic and skeptical.
Kimetto's pace was 1:01:45, then 1:01:12.
They were 34 seconds up on WR pace.
BUT--they'd have to match Kimetto's opening salvo--after having run half the race!

The pace was still deadly at 30K in 1:27:26.
And it was becoming a RACE!

At points along the trail, Ken Bekele had fallen back---not by much--just 10 to 20 meters.
The more experienced 26.2 man--Wilson Kipsang--with a PR coming in 1:40 faster than the speedy trackster--held the lead, and looked comfortable.

But so did Bekele.
And when he closed those gaps every time they appeared, Kipsang started to fret.
Side by side they flew, but a bit slower---now off WR pace by 20 seconds approaching 40 kilometers!
Tim Hutchings (on NBC's livestream) was saying the WR chase was done---and now it would be a race---between the Kenyan and the Ethiopian.

Then Bekele stomped the gas pedal, opening a 15 meter spread in less than a "lap" of running.
The race was over, and the 12:37.35 and 26:17.53 man was sprinting!
SPRINTING!!!

Too little too late!
As Hutchings said, if he'd begun that kick a K earlier, the WR would've been his!
And he knew it.
Breaking the tape at 2:03:04, he shook his head, flipped his hands, knowing IF---IF---and how ALMOST he'd gotten!!
A virtual repeat of Kipchoge's reaction after London!

That said, Bekele destroyed the Age 34 record, as well as Haile Gebrsellassie's Ethiopia National Record.
He is now 3rd A-T World---on my list that includes times from Boston!

Kipsang, also 34, missed that Age record by---9 seconds!
He'd been 6th A-T World.
After this race--with Bekele's time added--he's still 6th, but now is 6th, tied with 1 other!
Thus he moves DOWN the list---in a way!

Third went to Evans Chebet in a slight PR of 2:05:31.

The Women's race also started fast---with the first Half going by in 1:09:27, with Berhane Dibaba narrowly trailing Aberu Kebede.
Not much was seen of the Women's race in the last half, as NBC focused on the great Men's battle.
But I know Kebede---who had dropped Dibaba---went by 30K in 1:38:42.

Then she slowed---pretty drastically--falling from the mid-16:30's to over 17 minute 5000's.
And there went her attempt to break 2:20!

But she easily won, time of 2:20:45, a full 3:13 ahead of Dibaba's 2:23:58.
Newcomer Ruti Aga was 3rd in a 45 second PR of 2:24:41.

In the past 2 weeks or so, there have been other good races on the roads of the world!

Mo Farah took the Great North Run 13.1 Miler in 60:04.
But surprising in 2nd---and actually leading at points!--Dathan Ritzenhein finished in 60:12.
Vivian Cheruiyot took the Women's race in 67:54, one second up on Priscah Jeptoo, with Tirunesh Dibaba in 3rd with a time of 68:04.

In the Prague 10K, Violah Jepchumbo's 30:24 missed the WR by just 3 seconds!!
Abe Kipyetich took the Men's division in 27:40.

Another fast Half-Marathon was taken by James Wangari in 59:07.
And there was good depth.
Stephen Kibet was 2nd in 59:28, with Albert Kangogo another second back, and 4 others getting under an hour!!
Wangari ran his first 10K in 27:15!!

The USATF 5000 was won by Ryan Hill (13:57) and Aliphine Tuliamuk (15:22).
In the Women's race, Emily Sisson was 2nd in 15:42--her 2nd good race in a row!

That Great North City Games held a couple of oddball 500 meter races.
These were DOWNhill (overall), and was a combined road AND track race!!
But they were also fast!
David Rudisha ran the fastest 500 ever--57.69---which obviously counts as much as a 100 with a 25 MPH wind at his back!!
Mark English took 2nd in 57.91, with Martyn Rooney getting the same time in 3rd!
Lynsey Sharp took the Women's race in another "fastest ever" time of 1:06.62.
Shalayna Oskan-Clarke took 2nd in 1:06.89.

The Talence Multi's were okay--if compared to a meet composed of Collegiate Frosh!!
Nadine Broersen took the Heptathlon with 6377 points, four more than Yorgelis Rodriguez.
Aleksey Kasyanov took the Decathlon with a measly 8077 points.
But 2nd was Canadian Pierre LePage, a 20 year old, whose previous best was about 500 points less than his 8027!
He'd led the field much of the way!

Erin Finn took her first 2 XC races, each by about 45 seconds!!
But then she faced Boise State's Brenna Peloquin in the Roy Griak 6K.
Even with a mile to go, Peloquin sprinted ahead, winning by over 10 seconds in 20:49 and change.
Third went to another new face (though introduced to you in this blog earlier this year!!), Portland's Lauren LaRocco.
In fact, Portland won BOTH races--Men and Women!!
The Men's race was taken by Colorado State's Jerrell Mock in 25:06.

Sam Prakel edged Tanner Anderson in the Dellinger XC race, both running 24:36.
Emily Weber won the Women's race.
Ed Cheserek didn't run.

But RONALD Cheserek did!!
That Cheserek (Related??  Don't know!) took the Mt. Dew Gator race in 24:43, winning by 18 seconds.
He's a Frosh at St Leo's!

A HS girl named Brie Oakley ran a SUPER fast XC time of 15:53 over a 5K course!
Don't have the details, so don't know the TRUE quality of her time.
But that is FAST!!

Alana Hadley FINISHED another Marathon---barely!
Starting good--tied with eventual winner Becki Spellman at 6 miles--Hadley was hurting---her ankle again!!---and stepped off the gas.
But she managed to finish her first race (of any distance??) since her Indy win in November of 2014!!
Timed in 3:18:32, she was then carted off in a wheelchair!!

Finally, Jenn Suhr is BACK!!
Super sick from early August on, she's apparently feeling good now.
In an "exhibition"---although it had other competitors---held INdoors (!!)--Suhr cleared the bar set at 4.88, or 16 feet even!!
And I mean she CLEARED it!!
However, she missed her Age 34 INdoor record set much earlier this year of 16-0.75!!
She said she'll compete again on October 1st.

I'm working on an idea for an "extra" post, where I'll list "Questions needing Answers"---on various subjects related to our sport!
But that's in the wind---nothing definite.
Next "results" post will probably be in 2 weeks--after the Chicago Marathon!