2010 Rock 'N' Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon: Matthew Kisorio Slays Gebre Gebremariam As Ryan Hall Struggles

Brett Gotcher Earns Top American Honors (62:50) As Defending Champ Ryan Hall Staggers Home In 63:55

By Robert Johnson
September 19, 2010

*LRC Message Board Talk About Race

2009 World Cross-Country champion Gebre Gebremariam is beatable on the US roads after all.

Gebremariam, who came into today's ING Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon undefeated on the US roads in 2010, having won the UAE Healthy Kidney 10k in Central Park, Peachtree in Atlanta, Beach To Beacon in Maine, and Falmouth in Massachusetts, finished second today as 21-year-old Matthew Kisorio took the victory in 60:15 to Gebremariam's 60:25. Kisorio, who has been more of a 5,000-meter track man of late, as five times this summer he ran under 13:15, including a 12:57 in Oslo, used a blistering 4:24 third mile to get the lead and he never relinquished it as he got the win in the second half marathon of his career.

Gebremariam, who has won sprint finish after sprint finish all summer, tried to stay within striking distance, but in the end Kisorio's relentless assault proved to be too much to handle. Gebremariam was 15 seconds back at 10 miles but had narrowed that to just 8 seconds at the 20k mark but that's as close as it would get. Nonetheless, Gebermariam, who will be making his marathon debut this fall in New York, wasn't too disappointed to have lost for the first time all year in the US as he told announcer Carrie Tollefson afterwards, "Yeah it's a good performance for me. I'm ready, baby."

Defending champion Ryan Hall of the US had a terrible day. Hall, who will be running the Chicago marathon next month, staggered home in 14th in 63:55.

The opening pace was very fast as the leader hit 4:30 for the first mile (that's 58:59 pace) and Hall, who likes to run his own race, true to form was never a factor up front. Hall ran his first 5k in 14:40, which put him nearly exactly on the same pace that he ran last year in Philadelphia as that pace would give him a 61:53 finishing time and Hall won last year he won in 61:52. However, Hall would only get slower as the race continued. At 10k (29:31), Hall's pace hadn't changed too much (14:51 second 5k - overall average of 4:45 per mile) and he was still on 62:16 pace - a time that probably wouldn't upset him too much as he's in the midst of his marathon preparations. However,  from 10k to the finish the American record holder (59:43 is his AR) struggled mightily, as he could only average 4:59 pace for the final 11+ kilometers.

Hall undoubtedly isn't happy with his performance today, as coming into the race Hall had talked confidently with Philadelphia Inquirer, saying,  "I wasn't totally in top-notch shape last year, but I think I'm in better shape this year."

After the top two, 2:05:30 marathoner Abderrahim Goumri finished third in a new personal best of 61:33. It was Goumri's first race of 2010 and first race since finishing as the runner-up in the Chicago Marathon last fall in 2:06:04. The stats surprisingly show it was just the second half marathon of his career, as the man who six times has broken 2:10 had only run one half marathon previously (a 62:59 in 2003). Kisorio's younger brother in 20-year-old Peter Some finished 4th in 61:34.

Places five through ten were all occupied by runners with NCAA ties. Canadian 10,000-meter national record holder and former Wisconsin Badger Simon Bairu was 5th in a new personal best of  62:08 (62:47 was previous PR) and former Arkansas Razorback Alistair Cragg, who ran 61:58 in New York earlier this year, was sixth in 62:15. Former Louisville runner and two-time LA marathon winner Wesley Korir was seventh in 62:40 as 2009 NCAA 10k runner-up Shawn Forrest of Arkansas was 8th in 62:44.

First American honors went as they often do to 2:10 marathoner Brett Gotcher, who was 9th in 62:50. In January in Houston, Gotcher put up the 4th-fastest US debut marathon in history at 2:10:36. Former Eastern Michigan runner Boaz Cheboiywo closed out the top 10 in 63:01.

5km Leaderboard 10 Matthew Kisoro 13:57 3 Gebre Gebremariam 14:00 11 Peter Some 14:11 6 Shawn Forest 14:11 39 Boaz Cheboiywo 14:11 7 McDonard Ondara 14:11 8 Simon Bairu 14:12 14 Alistair Cragg 14:13 34 Samuel Ndereba 14:21 9 Wesley Korir 14:21 Ryan Hall: 14:40

10 km Leaderboard 10 Matthew Kisoro 28:03 3 Gebre Gebremariam 28:13 8 Simon Bairu 28:49 11 Peter Some 28:49 6 Shawn Forest 28:49 39 Boaz Cheboiywo 28:49 9 Wesley Korir 29:02 2 Abderrahim Goumri 29:02 14 Alistair Cragg 29:07 5 Brett Gotcher 29:07 Ryan Hall: 29:31

10 Mile Leaderboard 10 Matthew Kisoro 45:42 3 Gebre Gebremariam 45:57 11 Peter Some 46:56 8 Simon Bairu 46:59 2 Abderrahim Goumri 46:59 6 Shawn Forest 47:08 39 Boaz Cheboiywo 47:12 14 Alistair Cragg 47:17 9 Wesley Korir 47:17 5 Brett Gotcher 47:26 Ryan Hall: 48:07

Finish Leaderboard 10 Matthew Kisoro 1:00:15 3 Gebre Gebremariam 1:00:25 2 Abderrahim Goumri 1:01:33 11 Peter Some 1:01:34 8 Simon Bairu 1:02:08 14 Alistair Cragg 1:02:15 9 Wesley Korir 1:02:40 6 Shawn Forest 1:02:44 5 Brett Gotcher 1:02:50 39 Boaz Cheboiywo 1:03:01 Ryan Hall: 63:55

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