Mainly Marathons

 Blame Covid!
Autumn is suddenly BUSY with those pesky 26.2 mile races!
Besides Berlin and Chicago and NYC and Fukuoka and Sacramento--always listed as fall marathons--Covid's delays have moved London and Boston months down the road--so to speak--as well.
Meaning, this post will be FILLED with results from mainly Marathons!!
(I'll add a few other things if there's room!)

Berlin is fast, and was again in 2021, but maybe the full calendar of marathons thinned the depth of quality a bit!
Idema Guye won the Men's portion in 2:03:45, making him 20th A-T World!
Cut OFF my World list was quite a venerable name--Haile Gebreselassie's 2:03:59 from 2008!!
The Women's race was won by Gololyton (sp??) Gebreslase in 2:20:09!

Moving to London, we see Joyciline Jepkosgei is bringing her Half speed to the full distance!
Her 2:17:43 makes her 7th A-T World!
But she needed that speed to outdistance her competition!!
Degitu Azimeraw was 2nd in 2:17:58, making her 10th A-T World!
She also gets the Age 22 Record!
Ashete Bekele was 3rd in 2:18:18!
This makes her 12th A-T World, and is the best 3rd Place mark!!

But the depth didn't end there!!
The venerable Brigid Kosgei ended in 2:18:40, and gave her the best 4th Place mark!
The best 5th Place mark wnt to Lonah Salpeter's 2:18:54!!
Moving to 9th, we have Tigist Girma running 2:22:45 for the best 9th Place mark!
Charlotte Purdue ran 2:23:26 for the best 10th Place mark!!
Whew!!

The Men's race went to Sisay Lemma in 2:04:01.
Vincent Kiphumbi (sp??) took Silver in 2:04:28, while Bronze went to Mosinaw Geremew in 2:04:41.

An American Woman won Minnesota's Grandma's Marathon!
Dakotah Lindwurm ran 2:29.04 to take that honor!

The Chicago Marathon is dubbed America's Marathon--and for a reason!
US runners have finished near the front in this race for many years!
Abdi Tura took the Men's race, but American Galen Rupp showed up well, taking 2nd!
Their respective times were 2:06:12 and 2:06:35!

The Women's race was taken by Ruth Chepngetich in 2:22::31, but the next three places were occupied by the Home Country's Women!
Emma Bates took 2nd in 2:24:20, making her 10th A-T US!
Sara Hall was 3rd in 2:27:19, while Keira D'Amato's 2:28:22 took 4th!!

For those not familiar with my blog--or just beginning to read it--you should know I include the Boston course as being legal--even though I'm the only one who does!
The reason being, I knew some people who ran the race, and all of them said how tough it was!
Thus, all times run there are eligible for Records and List placings--IMHO!!
That said, Benson Kipruto took the belated 2021 version in 2:09:51--far removed from any Records or Lists!
Diana (my sister's name!!  LOL) Kipyokei took the Women's race in 2:24:45!
The ageless Edna Kiplagat was 2nd in 2:25:09!
Nell Rojas was 6th, but her 2:27:12 makes her 23rd A-T US!
And Nell's appearance chases another important name OFF my US list--Francie Larrieu's 2:27:35 dating from 1991.

The Paris Marathon saw Elisha Rotich take the Men's race in 2:04:21.
That was the same time given to 2nd placer Haile Kiros!!
The Women's race was too slow to include here!
(I'm rather picky!  LOL)

That was made up for in the Amsterdam race!
Angela Tanui sailed down the course in 2:17:57, ranking her 10th A-T World!
The Men's race produced some Record Book revisions!
Tamirat Tola took the Win in 2:03:39!
This makes him 17th A-T World!!
Bernard Koech was 2nd in 2:04:09!
In third was Hizkel Towelsk (sp??)!
His time of 2:04:35 is Eritrea's new National Record!!

The 26.2 in Rotterdam went to Bashir Abdi in 2:03:36!
This breaks his own National Record of Belgium!!
And it ranks him 16th A-T World!
Marius Kipserem ran 2:04:04 in 2nd, while Dawit Wolde took 3rd in 2:04:27!
The Women's race was won by Sheila Barsosio in 2:22:08!

While Albert Korir cruised through New York City's 5 Borough's in 2:08:22, it was the Women--especially the US Women!!--who created the most excitement!
Peres Jepchirchir won the Gold with 2:22:39
Then--in 3rd--came the laugh a minute Molly Seidel!!
Her PR of 2:24:42 makes her 12th A-T US!
Kellyn Taylor was 6th in 2:26:10!
In 7th was Annie Frisbie, her 2:26:18 making her 16th A-T US!
Next was Laura Thweatt's 2:27:00!
So, four Americans in the top 8!!

The 2021 Fukuoka race was its 75th edition--and its last!!
Michael Githae (sp??) will be listed as its final winner, his time being 2:07:51.
Sayonara, Fukuoka, and rest easy!!

The Valencia Marathon's Men's race was won by Lawrence Cherono in 2:05:12.
Second was Geoff Kamworor in 2:05:23!
Nancy Chelegat won the Women's side with 2:19:31.
This misses my World list by just 3 seconds!!
Etagegne Woldu was 2nd in 2:20:16!

The last Marathon to report in this post is the CIM race in Sacramento!!
The podium was full of Americans!
On top was Sara Vaughn, whose 2:26:53 ranks her 22nd A-T US!
Molly Grabill ran 2:29:17 for the next rung, while the last podium spot was taken by Carrie Dimoff, who ran 2:29:33!!

China had a late season meet!
There, Bingtian Su sprinted the 100 in 9.95!
Ling Li Pole Vaulted 15-5!
And in the Women's Shot Put, Lijlao Gong reached 65-2.75 to beat the 64-10 from J Song.

I found a few marks from earlier in 2021, but worthy of reportage!
In late May, Christian Ceh threw the Discus out 228-1.
In June, Andy Diaz Triple Jumped 57-10.25!
Also in my birth month, Timur Morgunov PV'ed 19-4.25!
Polina Knoroz cleared 15-5 in the same event!
And Rose Almanza took the 800 in a quick 1:56.42!

Finally, I need to make a correction from my eulogy of Agnes Tirop!
I mentioned that her 30:01 World Record 10K was her final race!
I think it was another 10K, which sadly and ironically, she lost to someone else's WR!!
In the Garcia 10000, Kalkidan Gezahegne took the race in 29:38, the World Record!!
Agnes Tirop was 2nd in 30:20!
This makes her murder even worse--that she was taken from us when at the peak of her form!!

Kibiwott Kandie took the Men's race in 26:51, beating the 26:57 by Felix Kipkoech!!

Another sad story to report!
In the 70's and 80's, the Eastern Bloc had an iron hold on the Throws!
Some said it was steroids, but for these three, I tend to disagree.
I think they were just massively talented!

And all of them were from Russia--and all of them were Hammer Throwers!!

In September, the World Record holder--Yuriy Syedikh--died at Age 66!
In a weird circumstance Juri Tamm also died in September, not long after attending Syedikh's funeral!!
Then, in November, Igor Nikulin also passed away!!

This loss of 3 of the greatest athletes in the Throws was certainly tragic, but made us shake our heads a bit that they all competed in the same event at the same time from the same nation!!
Rest in Peace!!

I'm not 100% sure, but I think it will take just one more post to catch us up on the 2021 OUTdoor season!
I will then choose my Athletes, Performances, and Personalities of the year for the World and the US!