Top BAA Half Marathon Results

Wow, that must have been one hell of a men's race. Sucks to lose $4000 on a lean, in a half-marathon.

BOSTON, Mass. – On a Columbus Day weekend reserved to remember one of the greatest distance runners who ever lived, many of the 3,181 starters (4,309 entrants) of the Fourth B.A.A. Half Marathon, presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and The Jimmy Fund, dedicated their race to John A. Kelley who passed away this past Wednesday at the age of 97.

Luke Metto, 28, of Kenya, beat countryman Wilson Kigen, 24, in a sprint on the old style cinder track at the race’s finish at Roberto Clemente Field in Boston’s Back Bay Fens neighborhood. Both this year’s winner and runner-up were officially timed in one hour, two minutes, 57 seconds, and third place finisher Abderrahim Haji, 26, of Morocco, was only one second back in 1:02:58. The first four finishers – Gilbert Koech, 24, of Kenya, was fourth in 1:03:03 – all ran faster than the course record (2003; Laban Kipkemboi, 25, Kenya, 1:03:04).

In the women’s race, champion Lornah Kiplagat, 30, of The Netherlands, won in a wire-to-wire run in a time of 1:12:05. Russians Galina Alexandrova, 28, and Valentina Yegorova, 40, were second (1:13:54) and third (1:15:55), respectively.

Mark Carroll, 32, of Ireland and who resides in Providence, Rhode Island, led the men’s race in the early going, running 5:04 for the opening mile. The Irish Olympian and Providence College graduate, who is training for the Fukuoka (Japan) Marathon in December, had an 18-second margin over the rest of the field by the one mile mark, and he had a 21-second margin by Mile Two (9:49).

Metto, Kigen, Haji, and Koech, along with Kenyans Isaac Arusei, Samuel Ndereba, Ronald Mogaka and New Zealander Jason Woolhouse and Irishman Vinny Mulvey were all in the chase pack. Carroll increased his lead by as much as 28 seconds by the third mile (14:52) before the pack began to close. By the four mile mark (19:43), Carroll’s lead was down to a mere 10 seconds, and by the fifth mile (entering Franklin Park), Metto and Kibet were running along side of him.

The six-mile mark and the race turnaround are within the picturesque Franklin Park Zoo, one of the course highlights. Lead vehicles are not allowed in the zoo gates, as they would disturb the animals, so runners find themselves on their own as they run approximately one half mile on a narrow path of asphalt and dirt. Exiting the zoo and heading back towards the Fenway, Kibet and Metto ran abreast of each other while the aforementioned other six comprised the pack just off the lead pace. By this time, Carroll trailed by 30 seconds.

Metto made a move on a downhill exiting Franklin Park (7 miles), but by the eighth mile he again had company in the persons of Kigen, Ndereba, Kibet, Koech, and Haji. It was there that Kigen motioned the pack to quicken the pace (they ran a 4:30 mile from mile 7 to 8), and it was down to four (Metto, Kibet, Kigen, and Koech with what appeared to be Haji being able to just barely hold on) by the nine mile mark. Through the tenth mile, not much changed in the lead pack, as they only began to drop Ndereba more rapidly. The eleventh mile saw Metto make another attempt to break up the pack. He surged, Kigen was able to cover it, but Kibet, Koech, Haji were forced to play catch-up, but now they were running in single file.

Over the last mile, the course makes a perimeter loop around the Fenway, and Metto began a long kick with 600 meters to the finish to which Koech succumbed early but Kigen and Haji continued to fight. Even with 100 meters remaining, it was too close to call, but by the tape Metto held a one meter advantage over Kigen with Haji right there, as well.

From the lead press truck, Kiplagat was the only woman in sight with a lead of more than 100 meters over the rest of the field … and that was with a deep international field and by the end of the first mile! She was just under course record pace (2003; Marie Davenport, 28, Ireland, 1:10:57) through two miles, but by three miles she had backed off the pace slightly. The fifth place finisher at 10,000 meters at this summer’s Olympic Games in Athens, however, decided to make her tune-up prior to next month’s New York City Marathon a worthwhile one, as she ran alone or with some of the race’s top men throughout the race’s first half. By the entrance to the zoo, Kiplagat’s lead over Alexandrova was one minute, 50 seconds, and Zinaida Semenova, also of Russia, 42, was in third, approximately two minutes behind Kiplagat).

Kiplagat, who changed her citizenship from Kenya to The Netherlands in 2003, was in 15th place overall (that is, among the combined men’s and women’s field) leaving the zoo, and even moved to as high as 14th place, running with Bob Busquaert and Terry Shea, both of the Hanson’s-Brooks Distance Project, of Michigan.

Kipligat held her course record pace through the ninth mile [Note: Davenport also ran alone for the entire race and won the race from the front in 2003], but slowed down over the final four miles. She began to tire in the tenth mile, working hard but not laboring. Her thirteenth and final mile was her slowest of the day (6:06 split), indicating that she got her workout in early. Her fastest mile, for the record, was from seven to eight, in which she ran 5:01. Yegorova, who won the gold medal in the marathon at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona and who followed up that effort with a silver medal marathon performance at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, is now 40-years of age. As such, she claimed the check for first place in the masters, division, as well as third place overall.

Tony Noguiera, 36, of Glen Ridge, New Jersey, who won the push rim wheelchair division in 2003, improved his time by 4:36, finishing this year’s race in 53:07. His performance was a course record, bettering his own time of 57:43 last year. Laurie Stephens, 20, of Wenham, Mass. also defended her women’s title in the push rim wheelchair division, with her 1:09:44 course record performance, improving upon her time of 1:10:43 in the 2003 race.

NOTES:

Dan Verrington, 42, of Bradford, Mass., was first place in the masters division in 1:14:14.

The Boston Athletic Association Running Club won the overall men’s and women’s team titles, as well as the men’s masters division team title. Merrimack Valley Striders prevented a B.A.A. sweep by winning the women’s masters division team title.

A prize purse of $30,000 was awarded to the top individuals, masters and push rim wheelchair division finishers. Top teams also won prize money awards.

With a temperature of 60-degrees Fahrenheit at the race’s start (8:00 a.m.), the 2004 edition of the 13.1-mile road race marked the first time in the event’s history (four years) that 3,158 finishers – including ten in the push rim wheelchair division – did not have to contend with precipitation.

A portion of each entry fee benefits the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, the organization charged with overseeing Frederick Law Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace park system in Boston and Brookline.

Nearly 300 Dana-Farber Runners ran to raise money in a fund-raising effort for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

The Fourth B.A.A. Half Marathon was presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and The Jimmy Fund and was also sponsored by adidas, PowerBar/PowerGel, Gatorade Thirst Quencher, Long’s Jewelers, Veryfine, New England Apples, and Belmont Springs Water.

The organizing Boston Athletic Association offers special thanks to the City of Boston, Town of Brookline, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, The Boston Parks and Recreation Department, Franklin Park Zoo, and the hundreds of volunteers who helped administer the race.

A moment of silence prior to the race was observed in memory of Johnny Kelley, whose funeral will be held on Monday, October 11 at 11:00 a.m. on Cape Cod. The legendary figure’s theme song, “Young at Heart,” was played several times from the public address system.

funny how the money ended at 10th place & 1:06...

11th place and no dough: 3 whole minutes later at 1:09.

Mark Carroll, 32, of Ireland and who resides in Providence, Rhode Island, led the men’s race in the early going, running 5:04 for the opening mile. The Irish Olympian and Providence College graduate, who is training for the Fukuoka (Japan) Marathon in December, had an 18-second margin over the rest of the field by the one mile mark, and he had a 21-second margin by Mile Two (9:49).

Carroll increased his lead by as much as 28 seconds by the third mile (14:52) before the pack began to close. By the four mile mark (19:43), Carroll’s lead was down to a mere 10 seconds, and by the fifth mile (entering Franklin Park), Metto and Kibet were running along side of him.

According to this account, the Africans chasing Carroll went through miles 1, 2, 3, and 4 in 5:22, 10:10, 15:20 and 19:53 for splits of 5:22, 4:48, 5:10 and 4:33. I know these guys are known to surge or otherwise run erratically, but could those splits really be correct? Carroll's weren't exactly even either so maybe there's something about the course I am unaware of.

the course if very rolling. splits were all over the place.

Reading the article and looking at my splits it is funny because they match up...well kinda. Mile one was not hilly, but the pack just stayed back and went easy. I was with that pack at the mile and was nervous I was going out too fast - I was suprrised to see a 5:24(for me) and to be running stride for stride with those guys. My 2nd mile was a 5:05 and they had put a huge gap on me like I was standing still. My 3rd was back up to a 5:23, then a 5:09 fourth. My 6th mile was actually a 5:38, but then a 5:13 7th, and a 5:03 8th....5:33 10th and a 5:04 11th....then died the last two...but my point is that the course was up and down and fast in areas and slow in others. Very hard if you are looking for a pacing effort, but very fun if you are looking to race.

Is this right? wrote:

According to this account, the Africans chasing Carroll went through miles 1, 2, 3, and 4 in 5:22, 10:10, 15:20 and 19:53 for splits of 5:22, 4:48, 5:10 and 4:33. I know these guys are known to surge or otherwise run erratically, but could those splits really be correct? Carroll's weren't exactly even either so maybe there's something about the course I am unaware of.

Sucks being a guy. Vinny Mulvey runs 1:06 and picks up $100, Milena Glusac runs 1:20 and picks up $400! Cathy Pearce $100 for 1:29!

Chicago was worse...women were picking up $6000-7000 for running 2:46.

Freakin riddikulus

$100 for 1:29 at the BAA Half? That's like 7:00 pace, isn't it? That's almost like a regular training run. Pathetic.

How was Glusac looking?

First time I have seen a result from her in a long while.

She ran 1:20, what else do you need to know?

well, how about, "how was she looking?" that's the question that was asked.

At Chicago, Jenny Spangler, age 41, split 1:13:46 for her first half and then "crashed" to a 1:19:50 second half (faster than Glusac). Says something about the lack of depth in American women's distance running.

Hazarding a wild guess I'd say she looked short, thin and slow.

maybe someone who actually saw her could give it a try.

She looked short, thin and slow...and cute in a weird schoolgirlish kinda way. :-)

Milena looked very healthy. Your wild guess is, well, just a wild guess. We spoke while on the starting line, it was one of the big pleasures of my weekend. This was a comeback event for her, if she can keep her health she will once again be a force to be reckoned with on the distaff side. FYI, I took her to the WC 1/2 in 2000 where she finished 10th overall in 1:10:xx, I'm sure your pr gives you the cred to make a call of "slow" eh?

Oh please get off your name dropping horse for a second and listen to yourself. No matter which way you slice and dice it, 1:20 is SLOW.

I don't recall anyone talking about her performance in 2000 or the relative merits thereof.

And for the record her half marathon PR is faster than mine, but that still doesn't make that 1:20 anything other than a slow time.

And while we're at it who said anything about her looking unhealthy...I guessed she looked thin, and I bet she is thin. Thin does not mean unhealthy. Too thin perhaps can be unhealthy but I didn't sat too thin did I?

Stater of the Obvious wrote:

Thin does not mean unhealthy. Too thin perhaps can be unhealthy but I didn't sat too thin did I?

it would not have mattered if you said it or not since you DID NOT SEE HER IN THE FIRST PLACE. nobody asked you for a review of her performance. nobody asked if you thought it was fast or slow. nobody cares what your half marathon pr is. they just asked what she looked like. what part of that dont you understand?

next time try understanding the obvious before stating it.

No need to drop names. I'm the WLDR National Champs Chair and work with these athletes on a daily basis. I advocate for and defend them as necessary.