New Champions And Nearly $100,000 On The Line At Bloomsday

by: Lilac Bloomsday Run
April 30, 2014

April 30, 2014—Last year’s Bloomsday champion, Belete Assefa, won’t be returning this spring, but 2011 champion Simon Ndirangu will, and so will 2012 winner Allan Kiprono, together with a talented group of international stars who have their sights set on the Bloomsday crown. And in the women’s race, last year’s champion Buzunesh Deba will pass on defending her crown as she recovers from a blistering 2:19:59 runner up performance at the recent Boston Marathon. Her absence will open the way for a new champion from among a talented women’s field, one of the strongest in Bloomsday history.

Kiprono and Ndirangu own two of the fastest times ever run on the Bloomsday course, but it may well be a newcomer, Ethiopian Mosinet Geremew, who escapes the pack and races to victory on Sunday. Geremew, only 22 years old, was the surprise winner of last summer’s AJC Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, and has a 59:54 half marathon to his credit this year. If he wins Bloomsday, he will become only the second Ethiopian male to win here, following Assefa’s victory in 2013.

“Assefa won a thrilling duel in the final half mile of last year’s race,” said Elite Athlete Coordinator Jon Neill. “We may very well see Geremew run an equally impressive run down the stretch to put his country back on the winner’s stage.”

Top Americans will be Aaron Braun and Shadrack Biwott. Braun is the 2013 US Road Racing Champion, and Biwott recently represented the US at the World Half Marathon Championships.

Women’s Field

Article continues below player.
Perfection for the Kenyan Women at the 2014 World Half Marathon Champs Mary Wacera Was Parat of Perfection for the Kenyan Women at the 2014 World Half Marathon Champs

In the women’s contest, American Janet Cherobon-Bawcom was considered to be a favorite given her second place showing in 2012 and a recent American record set at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile, but she has had to withdraw due to a foot injury sustained in a recent workout. Even so, the women’s race promises to be hotly contested, with 2014 World’s Best 10K champion Mary Wacera of Kenya, and three-time Bloomsday champion Lineth Chepkurui, who won last summer’s AJC Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, two of the leading contenders.

“I’m quite pleased that Lineth will be racing Bloomsday,” said Neill. “Lineth ran the fastest 12K in history when she won here in 2010, and she obviously knows the course better than anyone in the field.”

That field is one of the deepest in recent years, and includes Kenyan Risper Gesabwa, Ethiopians Etalemahu Habtewold and Gelete Burka, Rkia El Moukim of Morocco, and Americans Blake Russell and Mattie Suver.

In the elite wheelchair division, two time Bloomsday champion Scott Parson will duel LA Marathon champion Josh George, 2013 Bloomsday runnerup Aaron Pike, and 8-time Bloomsday winner Craig Blanchette. For the women, Susannah Scaroni, who won here last year and recently set a 13-minute personal best in finishing third at the Boston Marathon, will face he biggest competition from 6-time champion Amanda McGrory. Nine-time quad winner Santiago Sanz and Raymond Martin, who scored four gold medals in the London Paralympics, will battle in the 52 category.

Nearly $100,000 in prize money is offered in the 2014 Lilac Bloomsday Run, including a $10,000 purse ($5,000 – $2,500 – $1,250 – $750 – $500) for the top male and female Americans who finish in the top 25. The Lilac Bloomsday Run is the fourth race in the Professional Road Running Organization (PRRO) series of major U.S. road races. Drug testing of top competitors is conducted at all PRRO Circuit events in partnership with the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

A field of nearly 50,000 runners, joggers and walkers are expected to have entered by the time registration closes on Saturday evening. Procrastinators will have until 6:30 on Saturday to sign up.

Elite Fields

TOP MALE RUNNERS

2014 LILAC BLOOMSDAY RUN

(List current as of April 29, 2014)

101 – – Mosinet Geremew. . . 22 . . . Ethiopia . . . Champion 2013 Peachtree 10k (28:07) . . . Champion 2014 Hy-Vee Festival of Races Half Marathon (1:03:04) . . . Ran 59:54 at 2014 Praha Half Marathon (Prague, Czech Republic; April 5, 2014) . . . 10k Personal Best of 27:36 (November, 2012; Hyderabad, India 10k)

102 – – Allan Kiprono . . . 24 . . . Kenya . . . Bloomsday 2012 Champion (34:29;   18 second margin of victory) . . . 3rdplace finish Bloomsday 2013 (34:51) . . . 3rd place finish 2014 Cherry Blossom 10 Mile (45:47) . . . Champion 2013 Bolder Boulder 10k . . . Champion 2012 B.A.A. Half Marathon (61:44) . . . Champion 2012 Bolder Boulder 10k . . . Champion 2012 Cherry Blossom 10 Mile (45:15; Course Record; 73 second margin of victory) . . . 2nd place finish Bloomsday 2011 (33:59; #6 Top Bloomsday Time in History) . . . 2nd place finish 2010 Beach to Beacon 10K (27:42) . . .

103 – – Lani Kiplagat Rutto  . . . 25 . . . Kenya . . . 5th place finish Bloomsday 2013 (34:57) . . . 5th place finish Bloomsday 2012 (34:58) . . . 4th place finish 2014 B.A.A. 5k (13:30) . . . 2nd place finish 2014 L.A. Marathon (2:10:48) . . . 2nd place finish 2013 Crescent City Classic 10k (27:44) . . . 5th place finish B.A.A. Half Marathon (61:32) . . .

104 – – Simon Ndirangu . . . 28 . . . Kenya . . . Bloomsday 2011 Champion (33:58; #5 Top Bloomsday Time in History) . . .Champion 2014 Austin 10/20 10 Mile (47:17) . . . 3rd place finish 2014 Azalea Trail Run 10k (28:19) . . . 2nd place finish 2014 Shamrockin Run 8k (22:16) . . . Champion 2013 Westfield 5k (13:16) . . . Champion 2013 Cooper River Bridge Run 10k (28:06) . . . Champion 2013 Austin 10/20 10 Mile (47:15 CR) . . . 2nd place finish 2011 Crazy 8s 8k (22:24) . . . Champion 2010 Cooper Bridge Run 10k (27:49) . . . Champion 2007 Carlsbad 5000 (13:28) . . .

105 – – Julius Keter . . . 25 . . . Kenya . . . Champion 2013 Utica Boilermaker 15k (43:55) . . . 5th place finish 2014 L.A. Marathon (2:14:06) . . . Champion 2013 Third River Bank Run 25k (1:14:07) . . . 2nd place finish 2013 LA Marathon (2:10:30) . . . Champion 2008 Baltimore Marathon (2:11:36) . . .

106 – – Aaron Braun . . . 26 . . . Alamosa, California . . . Champion 2013 U.S. National Road Racing Championships 12k (34:28) . . . Ran 2:19:51 at 2014 L.A. Marathon (debut) . . . 2nd place finish 2014 Houston Half Marathon (1:01:38) . . .

108 – – MacDonard Ondara. . . 29 . . . Kenya . . . 6th place finish Bloomsday 2013 (35:12) . . . 3rd place finish Bloomsday 2012 (34:48) . . . 2nd place finish 2014 Austin 10/20 10 Mile (47:26) . . . 4th place finish 2014 Azalea Trail Run 10k (28:31) . . . 6th place finish 2013 Shamrockin 8k (22:52) . . . 4th place finish Bloomsday 2011 (34:39) . . . 3rd place finish 2011 Crescent City Classic 10k (28:35) . . . Champion 2011 Trolley Run 4 Mile (18:00) . . .

109 – – Stephen Muange. . . 32 . . . Kenya . . . 12th place finish Bloomsday 2013 (36:08) . . . 3rd place finish 2014 Austin 10/20 10 Mile (48:57) . . . 3rd place finish 2012 LA Marathon (2:15:35) . . . Champion 2012 Baltimore Marathon (2:13:08) . . .4th place finish 2011 Utica Boilermaker 15k (43:51) . . . 3rd place finish 2011 Crazy 8k (22:29) . . . Champion 2011 Baltimore marathon (2:15:16) . . . 5th place finish Bloomsday 2011 (34:44) . . . 3rd place finish Bloomsday 2010 (34:39) . . .

110 – – Shadrack Biwott . . . 28 . . . Eugene, Oregon . . . 14th place finish Bloomsday 2013 (36:13) . . . 14th place finish Bloomsday 2012 (36:00) . . . Ran 1:02:26 at 2014 World Half Marathon Championships . . . 2013 RRCA National Road Runner of the Year . . . 7th place finish 2014 USA Half Marathon Championships (1:01:56) . . . 2nd place finish 2013 SacTown 10 Mile (48:39) . . . All-American at the University of Oregon . . . 2007 Pac-10 Conference Champion . . .

111 – – Cleophas Ngetich . . . 24 . . . Kenya . . . 5th place finish 2014 Crescent City Classic 10k (28:34) . . . 2nd place finish 2014 Azalea Trail Run 10k (28:02) . . . 4th place finish 2014 Shamrockin 8k (22:33) . . .

112 – – Vitaliy Shafar . . . 32 . . . Ukraine . . . 4th place finish 2014 Boston Marathon (2:09:37) . . . 2012 Olympian (Marathon; 29th place – 2:16:36) . . .

113 – – Ben Bruce . . . 31 . . . Flagstaff, Arizona . . . 4th place finish 2014 US 10 Mile Championships (47:33) . . . Champion 2014 Rock N Roll New Orleans Marathon . . . Ran 1:02:53 at 2014 Houston Half Marathon . . .

114 – – Dominic Ondoro . . . 26 . . . Kenya . . . 7th place finish 2014 Cherry Blossom 10 Mile (47:05) . . . 4th place finish 2014 Austin 10/20 10 Mile (49:01) . . . Champion 2013 Melbourne Marathon (2:10:47) . . . 10k personal best of 28:26 (2013) . . .

115 – – Patrick Smyth . . . 27 . . . Salt Lake City, Utah . . . World Champion 2013 XTERRA Trail Running World Championships . . . Champion 2014 Salt Lake City Half Marathon (1:06:02) . . . 7th place finish 2014 USA Cross Country National Championships 12k (37:13) . . .

116 – – Gilbert Okari . . . 35 . . . Kenya . . . Bloomsday 2006 champion (34:14; #13 Top Bloomsday Time In History) . . .  Ran 28:26 at 2013 Crescent City Classic 10k . . . 2nd in balloting for 2005 World Road Racer of the Year by Running Times behind 2005 Bloomsday champion John Korir . . . 2006 Vancouver Sun Run 10km champion in 28:25 . . . 2006 Crescent City Classic 10km champion in 27:49 . . . 2006 Cherry Blossom 10 mile champion in 47:25 . . . 2005 Falmouth 7 mile champion in time of 31:59 . . . 2005 Beach to Beacon 10km champion in 27:39 . . . 2005 Utica Boilermaker 15km champion in time of 43:22 . . . 2005 Peachtree 10km champion in time of 28:18 . . . 2005 National Kenyan 10,000m championships – 3rd – 28:11 . . . 2005 Bay to Breakers 12k champion 34:49…

117 – – Aschalew Meketa . . . 26 . . . Ethiopia . . . 4th place finish 2014 Hy-Vee Half Marathon (1:03:39) . . . 4th place finish 2013 Wharf to Wharf 6 Mile (27:33) . . . 5th place finish 2013 Crazy 8s 8k (23:17) . . .

118 – – Joseph Gray . . . 30 . . . Lakewood, Washington . . . 2013 Washington State Road Racing Champion (Bloomsday 2013; 37:34; 21st overall) . . . 4th place finish 2014 USA Cross Country National Championships 12k (36:58) . . . 7th place finish 2014 US 10 Mile National Championships (48:04) . . .

119 – – Jordan Welling . . . 26 . . . Portland, Oregon . . . 4-time All-American at Western Washington University . . . 2ndplace finish 2013 Beat the Bridge 8k (23:37) . . . Ran 8:05.60 at 2014 Husky Invitational 3000m . . . Ran 13:50.91 at 2013 Payton Jordan 5000m . . .

120 – – Gage Proctor . . . 23 . . . Mammoth Lakes, California. . . 10th place finish 2014 Houston Half Marathon (62:22) . . . 6th place finish 2014 L.A. Marathon (2:16:17) . . .

121 – – Philemon Cheboi . . . 20 . . . Kenya . . . Ran 48:12 at 2014 Cherry Blossom 10 Mile . . . Ran 14:09 at 2014 BAA 5k . . . 4th place finish 2013 Asics 10k (28:19; Berlin, Germany) . . .

122 – – Geoffrey Kenisi . . . 26 . . . Kenya . . . 10th place finish 2014 Hy-Vee Half Marathon (1:04:30) . . .

123 – – Kevin Chelimo . . . 31 . . . Kenya . . . 12th place finish 2014 World Best 10k (29:58) . . . 11th place finish Bloomsday 2013 (36:00) . . . Ran 1:04:06 at 2014 New York City Half Marathon . . .

124 – – Matt Williams . . . 27 . . . San Antonio, Texas . . . 8th place finish 2014 Austin 10/20 10 Mile (50:58) . . . Ran 1:05:06 at 2014 Houston Half Marathon . . . 13th place finish 2013 Bix 7 Mile (35:00) . . .

125 – – Dan Greeno . . . 26 . . . Roseville, Minnesota . . . 4-time NCAA Div. III All-American . . . Ran 1:06:26 at 2014 Houston Half Marathon . . . 8th place finish 2014 Shamrock Shuffle 8k (23:53) . . .

126 – – Chris Chavez . . . 27 . . . Burlingame, California . . . Ran 2:19:20 at 2013 L.A. Marathon . . . Ran 36:44 at 2012 Bay to Breakers 12k . . . Champion 2014 Kaiser Permanente Half Marathon (1:06:25) . . .

127 – – Kevin Kochei . . . 24 . . . Kenya . . . Personal bests of 64:30 for Half Marathon and 29:13 for 10k . . .

128 – – Hillary Chesire . . . 22 . . . Kenya . . .

– MASTERS MALES –

150 – – Kevin Castille . . . 42 . . . Lafayette, Louisiana . . . Masters Champion Bloomsday 2012 (37:09) . . . Masters American Record Holder for various distances including 3000m (8:14), 5000m (14:00), 10000m (28:53) and 10 Mile (478:57) . . .

151 – – Sammy Kiplagat . . . 40 . . . Kenya . . . Champion 2013 and 2014 Trolley run 4 Mile (18:18; 2014) . . . 2nd place finish 2014 green6.2 10k (30:50) . . . 8th place finish 2014 Crescent City 10k (30:02) . . .

152 – – Uli Steidl . . . 42 . . . Seattle, Washington . . . 2nd Master Bloomsday 2012 and 2013 . . . Masters Champion 2014 Boston Marathon (2:19:48; 22nd overall) . . .

153 – – Greg Mitchell . . . 40 . . . McMinnville, Oregon . . . Champion 2014 US Masters 8k Championships (25:07) . . . Champion 2014 US Masters Cross Country Championships 8k (26:55) . . .

TOP FEMALE RUNNERS

2 – – Mary Wacera . . . 25 . . . Kenya . . . Champion 2014 World’s Best 10k (32:06; 10th fastest 10k time in the World for 2014) . . . Silver Medalist at 2014 World Half Marathon Championships (67:44) . . . 5000m Personal Best of 15:20 . . .

3 – –  Risper Gesabwa. . . 25 . . . Kenya . . . Champion 2014 Crescent City Classic 10k (31:43) . . . 2nd place finish 2014 Hy-Vee Half Marathon (1:11:41) . . . 3rd place finish 2014 Shamrockin Run 8k (26:09) . . . 10th place finish 2014 World’s Best 10k (33:17) . . .

4 – –  Rkia El Moukim. . . 26 . . . Morocco . . . Champion 2014 Hy-Vee Half Marathon (1:11:18) . . . Champion 2014 Shamrockin Run 8k (25:42) . . . 3rd place finish 2014 Crescent City Classic 10k (32:07) . . .

5- –  Etalemahu Habtewold. . . 23 . . . Ethiopia . . . Champion 2014 Hy-Vee 10k (32:36) . . . 6th place finish 2014 Shamrockin 8k (26:33) . . . 2nd place finish 2014 Cooper River Bridge Run 10k (32:20) . . .

6 – –  Lineth Chepkurui. . . 26 . . . Kenya . . . 7th place finish 2014 BAA 5k (15:35) . . . Champion 2013 Peachtree 10k (32:09) . . . Champion 2013 Utica Boilermaker 15k (50:33) . . . 3-Time Bloomsday Champion (2008, 2009, 2010) . . . Set Bloomsday Course Record in 2010 – 38:10 (Fastest 12k ever run in the World at the time) . . . Owns 5th fastest Bloomsday time in race history (38:37; 2009) . . .

7 – –  Gelete Burka. . . 28 . . . Ethiopia . . . 2008 World Indoor 1500m Champion . . . 3rd place 2014 Houston Marathon (2:26:03) . . .

8 – –  Blake Russell. . . 38 . . . Pacific Grove, California . . . 2008 Olympian . . . Ran 55:26 at 2014 Cherry Blossom 10 Mile . . . 6th place finish 2005 Chicago Marathon (2:29:10) . . . 15th place finish 2005 World Cross Country Championships . . . Champion 2006 US Cross Country Championships . . .11th place finish 2006 World Cross Country Championships . . .

9 – –  Brianne Nelson. . . 33 . . . Golden, Colorado . . . Ran 54:33 at 2014 US 10 Mile Championships . . . 7th place finish 2013 US 12k Championships (40:11) . . . 3rd place finish 2012 Bolder Boulder 10k (35:43) . . .

10 – – Millicent Kuria . . . 28 . . . Kenya . . .  4th place finish Bloomsday 2013 (40:39) . . . Ran 54:49 at 2014 Cherry Blossom 10 Mile . . .

11 – – Mattie Suver . . . 26 . . . Colorado Springs, Colorado . . . 3rd place finish 2014 US Cross Country Championships 8k (28:01) . . . 36th place finish World Half Marathon Championships (1:12:42) . . . Champion 2013 Go! St. Louis Half Marathon (1:12:22) . . . 3 time NCAA Div 1 All-American while attending University of Oregon . . .

12 – –  Sara Slattery. . . 32 . . . Phoenix, Arizona . . . 2006 Bolder boulder Champion (33:42) . . . 2nd place finish 2014 Mountain to Fountain 15k (52:54) . . . Ran 55:14 at 2014 Cherry Blossom 10 Mile . . . 7th place finish 2014 Crescent City Classic 10k (34:29) . . . 2008 US 8k Champion . . . 11 time NCAA All-American while attending University of Colorado . . .

13- –  Meaghan Nelson. . . 24 . . . Boise, Idaho . . . Ran 74:02 at 2014 Houston Half Marathon . . . Ran 16:06 for 5000m at 2014 Husky Invite . . . Ran 33:29 for 10000m at 2014 Stanford Invite. . .

14 – –  Alice Kamunya. . . 23 . . . Kenya . . . 2nd place finish 2014 St. Patrick’s 10k (33:29) . . . Champion 2013 Manchester Road Race 4.75 Mile (25:08) . . .

15 – – Aliaksandra Duliba . . . 26 . . . Belarus . . . 6th place finish 2014 Boston Marathon (2:21:29) . . . 4th place finish 2013 Chicago Marathon (2:23:44) . . . Champion 2013 LA Marathon (2:26:08) . . .

16- –  Luula Berhame. . . 19 . . . Eritrea . . . 2014 Eritrea 5000m National Champion . . .

17 – –  Almaz Negede. . . 27 . . . Ethiopia . . . 3rd place finish 2014 Hy-Vee Half Marathon (1:13:25) . . .

18 – –  Susan Jerotich. . . 27 . . . Kenya . . . Champion 2014 Shamrock Half Marathon (1:13) . . . 5th place finish 2014 Cooper River Bridge Run (33:58) . . . 5th place finish 2014 Crescent City Classic 10k (33:01) . . .

19 – – Ariana Hilborn . . . 33 . . . Tempe, Arizona . . . Ran 1:14:22 at 2014 US Half Marathon Championships . . . Champion 2013 Tuscon Half Marathon (1:15:47) . . . Ran 2:37:37 at 2012 US Olympic Trials Marathon . . .

20 – –  Jane Murage. . . 27 . . . Kenya . . . Champion 2014 T-C 10K (33:55) . . . 6th place finish 2014 Crescent City Classic 10k (34:00) . . . Champion 2013 Pike’s Peek 10k . . .

21- –  Stephanie Pezzullo. . . 31 . . . Blowing Rock, North Carolina. . . Ran 2:32:47 at 2012 Chicago Marathon . . . Ran 16:03 5000m Indoor in 2014 . . . Ran 16:10 at 2014 BAA 5k . . .

22 – – Agnes Cheserek . . . 26 . . . Kenya . . .

23 – –  Abnet Simegn. . . 27 . . . Ethiopia . . . 7th place finish 2014 Cooper River Bridge Run 10k (34:28) . . .

24 – – Nicole Camp . . . 28 . . . Longmont, Colorado. . . Ran 1:15:27 at 2014 Houston Half Marathon . . . Ran 2:39:10 at 2012 USA Olympic Marathon Trials . . .

25- –  Liz Camy-Blackwell. . . 30 . . . Camarillo, California . . . Ran 1:15:57 at 2014 Houston Half Marathon . . . Ran 57:07 at 2014 Cherry Blossom 10 Mile . . . Ran 34:49 at 2014 Mt. Sac Relays 10000m . . .

26- –  Kath Hardcastle. . . 32 . . . Watertown, Massachusetts . . . Ran 45:10 in Bloomsday 2013 . . .

 

– MASTERS FEMALES – 

 

50 – –  Dorota Gruca. . . 43 . . . Poland . . . 2013 Bloomsday Master Champion (43:04; 14th overall) . . . Master Champion 2014 Crescent City Classic 10k (35:56) . . . Master Champion 2014 Carlsbad 5000 (17:01) . . .

51 – –   Nicole Hunt . . . 43 . . . Deer Lodge, Montana . . . Ran 46:36 in Bloomsday 2013 . . .

52 – –   Lyubov Denisova. . . 42 . . . Russia . . . Ran 1:22:36 at 2014 Hy-Vee Half Marathon . . . Past champion of Honolulu Marathon (2006) and Los Angeles Marathon (2002 and 2005) . . . 2nd place finish at 2003 Boston Marathon and 2002 New York City Marathon . . .

53- –  Gwen Lapham. . . 44 . . . Seattle, Washington . . . Masters Champion 2013 USA Club Cross Country Championships . . . Ran 35:19 at 2013 Vancouver Sun Run 10k . . .

Want More? Join The Supporters Club Today
Support independent journalism and get:
  • Exclusive Access to VIP Supporters Club Content
  • Bonus Podcasts Every Friday
  • Free LetsRun.com Shirt (Annual Subscribers)
  • Exclusive Discounts
  • Enhanced Message Boards