Top Athletes Shrug Off Heat Worries at Boston Marathon
By David Monti
April 13, 2012
(c) 2012 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
BOSTON (13-Apr) -- The Boston Red Sox have their home opener here today, and local weather forecasters have been gushing about the sunny and warm day that awaits fans at Fenway Park. But their tones turned somber when they spoke about conditions for Monday's 116th Boston Marathon.
Kilel After Winning in 2011
"It's going to be absolutely perfect for April baseball around here"
meteorologist Dylan Dreyer told her viewers on the local NBC affiliate
this morning. "But, for the marathon it looks very, very hot, starting
off at ten o'clock in the morning at 72 degrees (22C), 86 (30C) for a
temperature later in the afternoon. So, there will be some serious
concern for the heat."
When asked about the conditions for Monday's race --the hottest here
since 2004 when the mercury hit 86F (30C)-- the top athletes didn't seem
fazed, and at least one was enthusiastic about it.
"I'm excited about that," said Kenya's Wesley Korir, the runner-up at
last October's Bank of America Chicago Marathon which was also held in
warm conditions. "I've always done well in hot weather."
Korir, who clocked a personal best of 2:06:15 in Chicago, wasn't
cavalier, however. He said that he would simply factor in the weather
as one of the obstacles he had to overcome in order to contend for
victory.
"With the warm weather you have to be careful," he intoned. "No matter
what happens, I have to put myself in position to be in contact with the
leaders near the end of the race."
Weather for the Boston has been famously variable, and has played a big
role in about two dozen editions of the race. The event has seen snowy
conditions five times, driving rain twice (it was almost cancelled in
2007 because of a Nor'easter), and unseasonably warm conditions ten
times. Also, because the race is is run on a hilly point-to-point
course from west to east, the wind can also play a big factor in
determining the pace. That was especially true last year when a
powerful tailwind helped propel Geoffrey Mutai to victory in an
improbable 2:03:02.
"Last year I didn't expect that time," said 2010 ING New York City
Marathon champion Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia who finished third
behind Mutai in 2:04:53. "Now we know we can run fast at Boston."
Gebremariam said that Monday's weather wouldn't affect his overall race strategy.
"I feel good; I feel strong," he said. "I prepared for the race for
four months. I'm feeling that the weather is the same for everybody;
same for Kenyans, same for us."
The last hot edition of Boston was in 2004 when Kenyans Timothy Cherigat
and Catherine Ndereba were victorious. Nderba won in a dramatic battle
with Ethiopia's Elfenesh Alemu, and collapsed at the finish line
because her legs were so badly cramped from the heat.
"The heat was so tough, I don't even have words to say," Nderba told
Race Results Weekly after the race. She continued: "Towards the finish I
felt like I was dead. All of a sudden I had those cramps in my calves.
I could not stand it!"
Boston, like the ING New York City Marathon, doesn't employ pacemakers
and finish time has never been particularly important. Boston is the
only event in the World Marathon Majors which doesn't offer athletes a
schedule of time incentive bonuses, although there is a $50,000 bonus
for a world "best" (2:03:02/2:15:55) and a $25,000 payment for a course
record (2:03:02/2:20:43).
The bottom line, athletes said, is Boston is about winning.
"I think it's all about relative performance," said Jason Hartmann, one
of two American men in the race's invited field. "As far as times go,
weather is a factor: a 25 MPH wind at your back and a guy runs 2:03:02.
Two years ago, it was 2:15, 2:14 that won. The simplicity of running
is just trying to beat people. That's what I kind of like to focus on."
More Boston:
8 Days to Glory Series: LRC Geoffrey Mutai Returns to Boston, Can He Recreate the Magic of 2011?
*LRC 8 Days For Glory - A Kenyan Flavored Preview Of The Upcoming Men's Marathon World Record Assault
LRC: Friday's Press Conference Highlights: Mutai Set to Defend, Wesley Korir Ready to Challenge, Americans Arciniaga and Hartmann Ready
Women: Defending Champ Caroline Kilel And NYC Champ Dado Try and Recreate Drama of Last 4 Years
*Full Boston Pro Fields
Boston on the Boards: Brutal Weather for Boston
*Boston Questions Thread--course, racing, pre-race planning
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