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In this edition:
Dado Delivers Event Record at NYC Half
Njoroge, Sado Secure Honda LA Marathon Titles
Wardian, Bishop Win SunTrust Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon
Gillette, Horst Victorious at Publix Georgia Marathon
UPCOMING EVENTS
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Allstate Life Insurance 13.1 New York, NY, March 24
35th ZKS Winter Park 10K & 2 Mile, Winter Park, FL, March 24
Atlanta Women's 5K, Atlanta, GA, March 24
Great Race of Agoura Hills 10K, Agoura Hills, CA, March 24
Big Sur's Mud Run, Seaside, CA, March 24
Oakland Running Festival Weekend, Oakland, CA, March 24-25
Inaugural NC Half-Marathon & 5K, Charlotte, NC, March 25
Rock 'n' Roll Dallas Half Marathon, Dallas, TX, March 25
Arizona Distance Classic Half-Marathon, Tucson, AZ, March 25
Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10K, Richmond, VA, March 31
35th Cooper River Bridge Run 10K, Charleston, SC, March 31
RumpShaker 5K, Birmingham, AL, March 31
ZOOMA Texas Half-Marathon & 5K, Austin, TX, March 31
April Fool's Half-Marathon, Atlantic City, NJ, April 1
Inaugural Eat. Run. Hope. 5K, Seattle, WA, April 1
Carlsbad 5000, Carlsbad, CA, April 1
Home of the 5K World Records
Divas Half-Marathon, Honolulu, HI, April 1
Dado Delivers Event Record at NYC Half
Kirui men's champion; event record 15,336 finishers at 7th edition; $4.8 million raised for charity
By Jim Gerweck, Running USA wire
NEW YORK - (March 18, 2012) - For the seventh running of the NYC Half, the New York Road Runners brought in almost 90 professional athletes, ranking it as the most competitive half-marathon of the season. In the end, they could have cut that number down to four, as the event turned into a two-man and two-woman race right from the gun.
As the horn sounded at the new start in Central Park, just south of the finish line of the ING New York City Marathon, Ethiopia's Deriba Merga, the 2009 Boston Marathon champ, took off as if he was being chased by the event record field of 15,336 runners who raised $4.8 million for charity behind him. Posting opening miles of 4:23 and 4:27, Merga quickly opened a gap of 50 meters on the rest of the field.
"I wanted the pace to be very fast because I was in good shape when I was training back home," said Merga, who will race the Daegu Marathon in two weeks.
Peter Kirui, who paced Patrick Makau to his 2:03:38 marathon world record in Berlin last year, realized that Merga was not just setting an insanely fast early tempo, but was trying to steal the race with a wire-to-wire run, and bridged up to the leader in the second mile, leaving Feyisa Lilesa 50 meters back in third and the rest of the field another 150 in arrears.
"We were running 4:32, 4:28, so what they were running up front you kind of wondered," said 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials champion Meb Keflezighi, who was tucked in that group and would finish 13th as the top American. "Those guys were by themselves early, and in a half-marathon you can get away with it."
The revamped course eliminated some two kilometers of the hilly Central Park roads and the leading duo zipped through 5K splits of 13:45 and 14:18. Then, as they exited onto 7th Avenue and headed through the garish neon of Times Square, the early pace and a persistent headwind began to slow them on the flatter portion of the course. Merga, a good six inches shorter than Kirui, tried to draft behind his Kenyan competitor, who zig-zagged across the road several times in an attempt to drop him.
In the end, Kirui, 24, who was sixth at last year's World Championships 10,000m, used his track speed to pull away over the last 800 meters, breaking the tape in the shadow of the South Street Seaport in 59 minutes, 39 seconds, the second-fastest time run in the event, with Merga following nine seconds back.
A similar scenario played out in the women's race, with New Zealand's Kim Smith going out hard, splitting 15:39 and 32:01 for the first two 5Ks. Her only competition was Firehiwot Dado, who won over twice the distance in New York last November. In a virtual carbon copy of the men's race, the smaller Ethiopian let Smith break the wind down the West Side Highway, then pulled away on the incline coming out of the Battery Park Underpass with 800 to go.
"She's a strong runner, and led most of the way," said Dado, 28, who crossed the line in 1:08:35, breaking Caroline Rotich's 2011 event record by 17 seconds and earning $20,000. Smith also dipped under the old mark, finishing eight seconds back.
"She kind of took off a little bit up that little rise in the tunnel, and I just was feeling pretty tired at that point, and she got away," said Smith, an Olympian. "I just tried to tell myself she must be hurting as much as me, but obviously she wasn't."
Kara Goucher, in her first race since placing third at January's marathon Trials, equaled that placing here in 1:09:12, almost the same time she ran here last year for the same place.
"Going for the win was a bit out of my league today," she said. "I was in a group, and between four and five miles I moved away, which was aggressive for me because I usually wait a lot longer. I was basically running solo the rest of the way, which I never do, so I'm actually excited about it."
Goucher and 2012 Olympic Marathon teammate Desiree Davila, who placed ninth in 1:10:44, sandwiched Janet Cherebon-Bawcom, fifth in 1:09:55, to put three Americans in the top 10. Goucher announced that she's moving to Mammoth Lakes, CA, where Keflezighi trains with his Mammoth Track Club for what she termed a "four-month dedication to the Olympics. I've decided to try this marathon thing all out this time."
7th NYC Half
New York, NY, Sunday, March 18, 2012
MEN
1) Peter Kirui (KEN), 59:39, $20,000
2) Deriba Merga (ETH), 59:48, $10,000
3) Feyisa Lilesa (ETH), 1:00:45, $5550
4) Wesley Korir (KEN), 1:01:19, $3500
5) Sam Chelanga (KEN), 1:01:19, $2500
6) Kevin Chelimo (KEN), 1:01:21, $1500
7) Chris Thompson (GBR), 1:01:23, $1000
8) Scott Overall (GBR), 1:01:25, $750
9) Marilson Gomes dos Santos (BRA), 1:01:26, $600
10) Michael Shelley (AUS), 1:01:27, $400
11) Mengsti Tabor Nebsi (ETH), 1:01:31, $300
12) Adil Annani (MAR), 1:01:31, $250
13) Meb Keflezighi (USA / CA), 1:01:41, $200
14) Yuta Shitara (JPN), 1:01:48, $100
15) Dathan Ritzenhein (USA / OR), 1:01:52, $100
WOMEN
1) Firehiwot Dado (ETH), 1:08:35*, $20,000
2) Kim Smith (NZL), 1:08:43, $10,000
3) Kara Goucher (USA / OR), 1:09:12, $5500
4) Hilda Kibet (NED), 1:09:42, $3500
5) Janet Cherobon-Bawcom (USA / GA), 1:09:55, $2500
6) Madai Perez (MEX), 1:10:05, $1500
7) Lisa Weightman (AUS), 1:10:10, $1000
8) Caroline Rotich (KEN), 1:10:17, $750
9) Desiree Davila (USA / MI), 1:10:44, $600
10) Bekelech Bedada (ETH), 1:10:54, $400
11) Diane Nukuri-Johnson (BDI), 1:10:55, $300
12) Aziza Aliyu (ETH), 1:11:15, $250
13) Malika Mejdoub (MAR), 1:11:33, $200
14) Lindsey Scherf (USA / NC), 1:11:45, $100
15) Karolina Jarzynska (POL), 1:11:58, $100
*event record (previous record, 1:08:52, Caroline Rotich (KEN), 2011)
Full results and more at: www.nyrr.org
Njoroge, Sado Secure Honda LA Marathon Titles
Sado captures $100,000 gender challenge; 22,200-plus entrants at 27th edition
By Ryan Lamppa, Running USA wire
LOS ANGELES - (March 18, 2012) - At the 27th Honda LA Marathon on Sunday morning, Fatuma Sado of Ethiopia was the unexpected storm that blew through the area with her impressive victory in 2 hours, 25 minutes, 39 seconds, a personal record by more than two minutes and the 4th fastest women's clocking in event history. In addition to winning the women's race, Sado, just 20, also won the $100,000 Challenge, a gender handicap competition where the professional women received a 17 minute, 31 second headstart on the rest of the field.
In the men's race, Kenyan Simon Njoroge, 31, won in 2:12:12 over countryman Weldon Kirui who ran 2:13:40.
Fortunately, the winter storm forecast did not materialize, and under near perfect running weather - 45F degrees, partly sunny and a light breeze until the end of the race, Sado took control of the race by the halfway mark reached in 1:12:24. The 2011 Hamburg Marathon winner slowed a bit between miles 20 and 23, but cruised home in the final downhill miles for her first win in a major city marathon. Her time was the third fastest women's marathon time in the U.S. this year.
With a fast 4:27 17th mile, Njoroge and Kirui broke away from a tight men's pack and started to cut into Sado's Challenge lead, and Njoroge made one final surge at mile 22 to pull away from Kirui, but the sub-2:10 marathoner slowed in the last three miles and was unable to catch Sado.
In the Challenge, women now hold a 5-4 edge over the men.
More than 22,000 entrants participated over the Stadium to the Sea course from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica.
27th Honda LA Marathon
Los Angeles, CA, Sunday, March 18, 2012
MEN
1) Simon Njoroge (KEN), 2:12:12, $25,000 plus 2012 Honda CRV (MSRP $29,795)
2) Weldon Kirui (KEN), 2:13:40, $12,500
3) Stephen Muange (KEN), 2:15:35, $10,000
4) Hailu Seifu (ETH), 2:17:49, $5000
5) David Mandago (KEN), 2:13:50, $2500
WOMEN
1) Fatuma Sado (ETH), 2:25:39, $125,000 plus 2012 Honda CRV (MSRP $29,795)
2) Misiker Mekonnin (ETH), 2:28:09, $12,500
3) Yeshimebet Tadesse (ETH), 2:30:46, $10,000
4) Iwona Lewandowska (POL), 2:31:17, $5000
5) Tetyana Mezentseva, 40, UKR, 2:31:20, $2500
For complete results and more, go to: www.LAmarathon.com
Wardian, Bishop Win SunTrust Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon
Flynn, Merachi capture CareFirst Rock 'n' Roll USA Half Marathon; Switchfoot rocks post-race concert; first ever Rock 'n' Roll marathon in nation's capital attracts 24,000 entrants
By Dan Cruz, Competitor Group
WASHINGTON, DC - (March 17, 2012) - With sunny skies and the cherry blossoms in full bloom throughout the city, the first SunTrust Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon & CareFirst Rock 'n' Roll USA Half Marathon took place amidst a sea of green on St. Patrick's Day to crown a familiar champion. Prolific marathoner Michael Wardian won the men's marathon on Saturday morning, completing the 26.2-mile course in 2 hours, 26 minutes and 35 seconds. The 37-year-old Arlington, VA resident previously won the National Marathon five times and, from the cheers of his name along the route, he is no doubt one of the most popular runners in the District of Columbia.
"It's weird I don't usually get nervous, but when you've had a lot of success somewhere, you can only go down," said Wardian, who was briefly challenged at 12 miles by second place finisher Travis Barczak, but otherwise ran alone. "I'm excited and happy to get the win today; with the beautiful weather it was a perfect day to run."
George Washington medical student Meghan Bishop won the women's race in 3:01:40, more than ten minutes ahead for runner-up Bethany Sachtleben of Manassas, VA. Bishop was running in her first marathon and had never competed a race longer than 10 miles.
"I really liked it, but it was a more challenging distance than I thought it would be," said Bishop who graduated from William & Mary College where she competed in track and cross country. "I was not expecting to win, but I'll certainly use the prize money to pay off some of my student loans."
First across the finish line in front of RFK Stadium was half-marathon winner Rickey Flynn of Lynchburg, VA. The 24-year-old won the 13.1-mile race in 1 hour, 6 minutes and 39 seconds. Washington-based Ethiopian Askale Merachi won the women's half-marathon in 1:16:52, just 6 days after winning the St. Patrick's Day 8K last weekend.
"It's kind of early in my training so it was a good workout, good effort. The course was nice, there were a few more hills and turns than I expected but it was fun," said Flynn, who recently placed 12th in his marathon debut at the 2012 Olympic Trials and plans to compete in the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials this summer. "I broke out after a few miles - it was me and this other guy - and we were going back and forth until about mile 7 and then he fell off a little bit. I pushed the next mile and then I didn't hear him anymore so I looked behind me a few miles later, he was nowhere to be seen and it was just me from there."
Previously known as the National Marathon, the only marathon that's run entirely within Washington DC was managed for the first time by San Diego-based Competitor Group and rebranded as part of the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series drawing 24,000 entrants from all 50 states and 34 countries. The event featured a post-race concert headlined by the Grammy Award-winning rock band Switchfoot, outside of RFK Stadium. The weekend's schedule of events also included over 300 Rock 'n' Roll relay teams and nearly 1,000 junior marathoners in ING KiDS ROCK DC on Friday evening, a non-competitive, non-timed one-mile fun run for kids grades K-7.
Inaugural SunTrust Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon
Washington, DC, Saturday, March 17, 2012
MEN
1) Michael Wardian, 37, Arlington, VA, 2:26:35, $1000
2) Travis Barczak, 22, Williamston, MI, 2:28:56, $500
3) Scott Allen, 24, Washington, DC, 2:36:05, $250
WOMEN
1) Meghan Bishop, 26, Blue Bell, PA, 3:01:40, $1000
2) Bethany Sachtleben, 20, Manassas, VA, 3:11:25, $500
3) Silvia Baage, 31, Washington DC, 3:13:50, $250
Inaugural CareFirst Rock 'n' Roll USA 1/2 Marathon
MEN
1) Ricky Flynn, 24, Lynchburg, VA, 1:06:39, $1000
2) Germessa Mergessa, 32, Washington DC, 1:07:57, $500
3) Paolo Natali, 31, Italy, 1:08:07, $250
WOMEN
1) Askale Merachi, 24, Ethiopia, 1:16:52, $1000
2) Tiringo Getachew, 27, Ethiopia, 1:20:42, $500
3) Lisa Thomas, 36, Fairfax, VA, 1:22:17, $250
Deeper results, photos and more at: www.runrocknroll.competitor.com/usa
Gillette, Horst Victorious at Publix Georgia Marathon
Mwei, Marchant half-marathon winners; US Road Sports & Entertainment Group announces 3-year extension with Publix as title sponsor
By Jason Brown, US Road Sports
ATLANTA - (March 18, 2012) - A field of more than 15,000 registered runners hit the streets of Atlanta for the Publix Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon on Sunday morning. Justin Gillette, of Goshen, Ind., won the marathon in 2 hours, 32 minutes, 43 seconds, while Jill Horst, of Rome, Ga., claimed the women's crown in 3:00:52.
"I was able to catch up to the leader around mile 16 mile and at the 22 mile mark I made my move," Gillette recounted after winning his first Publix Georgia Marathon. "The [spectators] cheering along mile 22 really propelled me to do what it took to win. I liked the course and you could tell the organizers did a tremendous job preparing for this race."
In the half-marathon, Reuben Mwei of Kenya earned the men's title in 1:05:30 with countryman Emmanuel Ngatuny runner-up in 1:09:48. The top 13.1 mile female finisher was Lanni Marchant of Signal Mountain, Tenn., who clocked 1:14:06.
The race course traveled through metro Atlanta's most interesting and historic areas including the Sweet Auburn District, Inman Park, Decatur, Druid Hills, Virginia-Highland and Midtown. Along the way, runners will pass landmarks including the King Historic Site, Carter Center, four college campuses and Piedmont Park.
Before the race, US Road Sports & Entertainment Group, owners and operators of the Publix Georgia Marathon, announced Publix has extended its partnership as official title sponsor of the event for an additional three years. The new agreement will run through the 2015 race.
"In six short years, the Publix Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon has grown into Atlanta's premier long distance race and running festival," said Greg Laird, CEO and Founding Partner of US Road Sports & Entertainment Group. "Publix's relentless dedication to premier value and corporate citizenship has helped shape the event, and Atlanta, into a better place. We are thrilled and honored to continue the partnership."
Complete event results at: www.rungeorgiamarathon.com
Contact Information
Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director, ryan@runningusa.org, (805) 696-6232
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