Dennis Kimetto Breaks Course Record, Rita Jeptoo Breaks 2:20 To Win 2013 Chicago Marathon
By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2013 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
CHICAGO (13 October) — Taking full advantage of a fast early pace, Kenya’s Dennis Kimetto smashed the course record of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon here today, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, clocking the fourth-fastest time in history on a record-legal course: 2:03:45. In the women’s contest, Kenyan compatriot Rita Jeptoo rallied back from her narrow defeat here last year, breaking away from training partner Jemina Jelagat Sumgong in the final kilometers to record the first sub-2:20 marathon in the world this year: 2:19:57. Both athletes won $100,000 in prize money plus time bonuses.
“We had some good traditional Chicago Marathon fast running,” observed longtime executive race director Carey Pinkowski, whose timing and scoring team reported 40,143 starters.
MEN RAN AGGRESSIVELY FROM THE START
With six red-shirted pacemakers on the front, a lead pack of 19 men scorched through the first 5 kilometers in 14:45, a 2:04:29 pace. Surprisingly, that fast pace did little to winnow the pack, which was still 16-strong at 10-K (29:20), not far off of world record schedule. Behind pacemakers Belete Assefa of Ethiopia and Abdellah Falil of Morocco, Kimetto and Emmanuel Mutai just tried to follow along and not expend too much energy.
“For me I was so confident from the start, but you know I did not stay in the front,” said Mutai, whose one victory at a major came at the 2011 Virgin London Marathon (with today’s second place showing, he’s now been second at a major five times). “So, I was just be patient.”
Assefa and Falil kept the pace high, hitting 15-K in 44:00 (14:38) and 20-K in 58:39 (14:38 again). There were still 13 men within four seconds of the lead, including Kimetto, Mutai, Moses Mosop, Sammy Kitwara and Micah Kogo, all from Kenya. At this point, race was on a 2:03:45 pace, and commentator Tim Hutchings began to worry that the race might blow up after the 12th mile was run in a blistering 4:39.
“That is so quick it’s getting kind of ridiculous,” said Hutchings on the local television broadcast.
Halfway was passed in 1:01:52 and it was startling that nine men were still in contention. Kimetto and Mutai remained in the middle of the group, and he later said he was just running on feel, not watching the splits. He wasn’t thinking about the world record, but rather winning the race.
“I didn’t pay attention to the clock at all,” said the former maize farmer who has only been running seriously for three years. “I only paid attention at the end. It was only at the finish line that I saw I broke the record.”
The fast pace burned out the pacemakers, and the only one left at 25-K (1:14:16/14:36) was Kenya’s Simon Ndirangu. He soon retired, setting up the road running equivalent of a bare knuckles fight over the final stages of the race. By 35-K, Kimetto, Mutai, Kogo and Kitwara were the only athletes left in contention, and Mutai and Kimetto decided it was time to break up the race. Kogo and Kitwara were dropped, leaving Kimetto and Mutai running side by side, trading blows like prizefighters.
“We were just going back and forth,” said Kimetto who denied there was any cooperation between the two adidas-sponsored Kenyans.
The race wasn’t decided until the 40-K fluid station when Mutai reached for his bottle and knocked it off the table. Kimetto successfully picked up his, took a few sips, then spurted away from Mutai. He later claimed that Mutai’s bottle bobble had no impact on the outcome of the race.
“I had no idea that even happened,” he told the media after the race. “This is the first time I am hearing about it.”
Mutai was still running with good form, but simply could not match Kimetto’s speed. He said that the missed bottle wasn’t the reason he lost.
“No, the bottle was not the problem,” he explained. “I was a bit tired. I was trying to close the gap and I could not make it. For me, maybe Dennis was so stronger than me.”
Under cloudless skies, Kimetto romped home with his first Chicago victory, and his second World Marathon Majors event title this year (he also won the Tokyo Marathon last February). His 2:03:45 was the fastest-ever time run in the United States on a record-legal course. Mutai scored a big personal best of 2:03:52 in second, and Kitwara also ran a career best time of 2:05:16 in third. Moses Mosop, who won this race in 2011, faded to 8th in 2:11:19.
Kimetto’s win was all the more impressive because he suffered from malaria after finishing 25th at the Semi-Marathon Marvejols Mende in France on July 21.
“I had a race in France, and as soon as that race got done I felt sickly, and went immediately to the doctor,” said Kimetto. “It was only the last six months that I started to feel better.”
The two top home-country athletes, Olympians Dathan Ritzenhein and Matt Tegenkamp, finished fifth and tenth, respectively, in 2:09:45 and 2:12:28. Both had hoped to run better.
“I’m definitely disappointed from what I hoped to run,” said Ritzenhein, who said he had hamstring problems in the final third of the race. “I hoped to run three minutes faster.”
WOMEN TAKE MORE CAUTIOUS APPROACH
While the men went for broke from the gun, the women took a more measured approach. With the help of three male pacemakers, they kept their 5-kilometer splits steady in the 16:50’s, leaving nine women still in contention at half way (1:11:15). Jeptoo, and Jelagat were in that group, along with defending champion Atsede Baysa of Ethiopia, and Russian Maria Konovalova, who spent much of the first half at the front of that group. Jeptoo was feeling strong, and knew she had a good second half ahead.
“Last year I was not ready to win,” Jeptoo said. She continued: “During my training the way my body respond during my training I was feeling I would maybe run 2:20 or 2:21.”
By 25-K (1:24:18/16:45), the race was down to five: Baysa, Jeptoo, Konovalova, Jelagat and Ethiopia’s Abebech Afework. Jeptoo could sense it was her day.
“Today I was strong, I was feeling strong,” she said. “But, I know race is race. So, I have confidence and energy for going.”
Clipping from 25 to 30-K in 16:33, only Jelagat could match Jeptoo’s increased tempo. Digging deep, Jeptoo tried over the next 5-K to drop her training partner (they are both coached by Claudio Berardelli). She dropped down to 16:07 for the next 5-K, and Jelagat stubbornly held on. Jeptoo stepped on the gas again, this time dropping down to 15:57 for the 5-K from 35 to 40-K. That surge finally broke Jelagat, and put Jeptoo in sight of breaking the 2:20 barrier. She began sprinting when she saw the finish line, coming home in 2:19:57.
“I’m happy today because I ran my best time,” she said. She added: “Last year, I was maybe not ready, maybe 85 (percent). But this year, I was very, very ready.”
Jelagat set a personal best in second in 2:20:48, and Konovalova also ran a career best of 2:22:46. Last year’s champion Baysa finished fifth in 2:26:42.
“For me I’m very happy about the race,” said Jelagat. “Today’s race was very good for me. I’m not dissatisfied; I’m very happy, very satisfied.”
The top American was Clara Santucci, 26, of Dilliner, Pa. The former West Virgina University athlete clocked 2:31:39 in ninth place.
“It’s the marathon so you never know what’s going to happen,” said Santucci. She continued: “Halfway, I was right on target to break 2:30(but) I made my goal to be the first American.”
More: LRC Men’s Race Recap:Dennis Kimetto Wins, Shatters Course Record With 2:03:45 Clocking
LRC Analysis: Eight Quick Takes on the Men’s Race: Kimetto is a Stud, Mutai is Mr. Silver, Teg & Ritz Struggle Final 10k, Abhsero Goes For itW
LRC Women’s Race Recap: Rita Jeptoo Wins, Sets World Leading 2:19:57 Time By Running A Big Negative Split