Two Course Records at 2004 Honolulu Marathon By David Monti (c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
HONOLULU (12-Dec) -- Unusually cool and windless conditions allowed Kenyan Jimmy Muindi and Russian Lyubov Morgunova to topple both the course and event records here today, each claiming the overall titles at the 32nd edition of the Honolulu Marathon.
For Muindi, 31, who trains in the Ngong area of Nairobi, it was the fourth time he mounted the top step of the podium in Honolulu. His time of 2:11:12 broke not only Erick Kimaiyo's 1997 course record of 2:12:17, but also Ibrahim Hussein's event record of 2:11:43 set back in 1986 on a somewhat easier course.
"At last we got it," said a smiling Muindi of the record. "I just wanted at least to break it."
Muindi got a little help from both a friend and family today. He brought his 22 year-old brother, Nicholas, to handle the pacemaking, and the younger Muindi led a pack of seven men through the halfway point in a conservative 1:06:01. Also in the pack was the petite David Mutua --Muindi's Ngong training partner who finished sixth here last year-- along with three-time Honolulu champion, Mbarak Hussein, and Kenyan compatriots Boniface Usisivu, Matthew Sigei and two-time Honolulu champion, Erick Kimaiyo.
The younger Kimaiyo would retire two miles later, and the remaining six contenders seemed content to run slightly slower than five minutes per mile. Not Muindi.
"The pace was slow and I wanted to get the course record," he explained after the race. "I wanted to get it."
After taking a drink at the 30 km elite fluid station, Muindi surged hard. Hussein immediately fell back, leaving Mutua, Usisivu and Sigei to organize the chase. Muindi burned through the 19th mile in 4:44, then knocked out a 4:51 for the 20th and a 4:50 for the 21st. The damage was done, and although Mutua knew he couldn't win, he kept his eye squarely on second
place.
"I was ready for the move," said Mutua, standing just behind the champion after the race and before they hugged each other. "When I saw the other guys drop I maintained that pace."
Muindi's lead was insurmountable, and his flowing strides clearly indicated that he had plenty left in reserve. He continued to press the pace, and even the biggest hill on the course up the Diamond Head volcano in mile 25 did not deter him. He sprinted into Kapiolani Park, with both the race and the record well in hand.
"I'm happy, very happy," he said, struggling to find the words to explain the depth of his satisfaction. "You know, it is like a dream come true."
The victory netted Muindi a $40,000 payday in prize money in time bonuses, but he would no doubt make much more once his appearance fee was added in.
Mutua was able to shake Sigei and Usisivu to take second in a solid 2:12:52 (a time which would have won her 25 times), while Hussein, whose worst finish here had been fifth, used a patient approach to catch the other two Kenyans.
"I didn't lose hope," said Hussein, who lives in Albuquerque. "I didn't panic that much."
Climbing Diamond Head he moved into fourth, passing Sigei, and when he crested the hill he went by Usisivu to take command of third place. He finished in 2:14:00. Usisivu would finish fourth (2:14:20) and Sigei, barely able to remain on his feet, wobbled over the line in fifth (2:14:48).
HAYAKAWA DOWN BUT NOT OUT
When defending champion Eri Hayakawa of Japan reported that she felt feverish the day before the race, she probably thought that would be her greatest obstacle to victory. Little did she know it would be a cup of water.
Running in second place a bit behind Morgunova and pacemaker Olga Romanova, Hayakawa reached for a cup of water offered by a volunteer at the mile-four
drinking station. She misjudged her reach for the cup, the water splattered on the front of her body, and the puddle already on the ground from the leading men caused the 86 pound athlete to slip and fall hard on her left hip.
"It was like slow-motion," she said through an interpreter, unable to rise from the cot in the medical area where she sat after the race. Her uniform bottom was stained with blood from a huge bruise and cut on her hip; her left arm and knee were bandaged, her left shoulder gashed.
After the fall, Hayakawa bounced up from the pavement quickly, and continued to press forward in her pink Nike racing flats. Morgunova and Romanova were running well under course record pace, and Hayakawa had to push forward alone to catch them. Like a wounded animal, her she suppressed the pain and she tried not to think about it.
"The pain came when I finished," she said.
The Russian duo went through halfway in 1:13:40, 42 seconds ahead of the Japanese. Morgunova, who missed last year's race when she was injured in a car accident just a week before the event, was still worried about Hayakawa, but also had her eye on her own event and course record of 2:28:33 she set in 2000.
"I felt that the Japanese was very close," she said through an interpreter, adding a moment later, "I would be very disappointed about losing."
The Russian managed to hold the lead she had at half way, finishing with her arms raised in 2:27:33. She earned $37,000 in prize money and bonuses. Hayakawa, pumping her arms furiously, crossed next in 2:28:11, a personal best by nearly four minutes.
"It was a huge victory for me after a big break," said Morgunova holding back tears of joy. Last year's car accident had injured her hip so badly she couldn't run at all until last May, and did not start running hard until last September. She left her Moscow home because of the cold and snow, and
went to one of the Baltic republics to complete her training. Today's race was her first since winning the Toronto Marathon in September of 2003.
As for Hayakawa, she managed to smile through the pain, and told reporters that she needed to work on a few fine points in her training. The 23 year-old usually runs alone and isn't comfortable running in groups. She also needs to practice her drinking station skills.
"My biggest challenge is practicing to pick up the water," she mused.
A trio of Russians --Albina Ivanova (2:32:44), Alevtina Ivanova (no relation, 2:35:48) and Tatyana Petrova (2:36:34/debut)-- rounded out the top-5.
Over 24,000 athletes, most of them from Japan, registered for the race. Throngs of them were seen walking or jogging slowly at the 7 mile mark as Muindi was headed for his final mile on the mostly flat out-and-back course.
