Meb Keflezighi on Finishing: “I’m doing (it) for Boston and for what happened and I’m doing it for America.”
by: LetsRun.com
November 4, 2013
We have the following excerpt in our 10 Takeaways on the Men’s Race at the 2013 ING NYC Marathon but are pulling it out here since it’s got post-race comments from American Meb Keflezighi.
8) Not a good day time wise for Meb, but he shined as usual after the race, and surprising struggles by Jason Hartmann and Martin Lel.
Given Meb’s injury. It wasn’t a surprise that he ended up just 20th 23rd in 2:23:47, but it was fun/exciting to see him up with the leaders and even in the lead early on.
Afterwards (you can watch our interview with Meb on the right), Meb said he thought his body would give out eventually given his lack of training but there was no chance he’d not finish:
For me, today wasn’t about me. I could not go after 19.3 miles. It (my body) shut down and I could not go anymore. I stopped, I took a three minute break, walked it off and I said, ‘You know I’m doing for Boston and for what happened and I’m doing it for America.
I never run to be the top American. I just wanted to get to the finish.
| Overall |
/10
|
| Comfort |
/10
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| Cushioning |
/10
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| Durability |
/10
|
| Appearance |
/10
|
| Value |
/10
|
When people cheer your name and say Go USA, Go Meb, you are our hero. I cried when the national anthem played, I cried when people yelled my name and said I was their hero. I cried when I finished about the end. It’s not about me. It would have been easy to just stop but that’s not my best.
As Meb indicated, he had to stop for three minutes after mile 19 so mile 20 took 10:12 for him to finish. Then he ran at something close to six minute pace on the way home. Do we really care what he finished in? What a class act. Plus he did have the lead early for a bit.
The more surprising struggles came from the steady Lel and Hartmann who ended up DNFs. Lel ran 1:31:18 for 18 miles (5:04 pace) before faltering . Hartmann made it 19 miles in 1:37:54 (that’s 5:08 pace) and 21 in 1:59:54 before faltering.
LRC Ten Takeaways About The 2013 ING New York City Marathon Men’s Race And Geoffrey Mutai
Meb Finished With Mike Cassidy (The Staten Island LRCers who wrote last year that the marathon shouldn’t have been cancelled) Click on photo for NYC photo gallery