Update: Bill Rodgers has finished his first Boston Marathon in a decade, in an official time of 4:06:49.
Summary - two races that looked to be developing in totally different ways - funerally slow for the women, blazingly fast for the men - but they kind of converged so that both turned into 10-12 runner packs. Then in the men, the decisive move came from Ethiopian Merga at the tactically precise point as they went into the first of the Newton hills, while the women waited for the long run-in from Boston College with Kara Goucher trying everything to burn off the competition and ultimately falling 2 places short. The final times in both races will not raise many eyebrows in Paris, Rotterdam or London. Both were fascinating tactically and thrilling for American followers of the sport. You have to go back to 1985 when Gary Tuttle was 2nd and Lisa Larsen Wiedenbach won to find Americans in the top 3 of both Boston races, so some consolation and sign of improvement. But when it came to the crunch Ethiopia and Kenya still delivered.
2:08:42 Merga, 2:09:32 Rono, 2:09:40 Hall officially.
No. Rono waves to the crowd to edge Hall's 2:09:40. 2:08:44 for Merga, Kosgie 2:32:16, Tune 2:32:17, Goucher 2:32:25.
As Hall sweeps down Boylston in 3rd, the question is can he catch Rono to better Goucher by 1.
Kosgei, who has previously won in Singapore, Prague and Paris, now takes her first World Marathon Major victory. Merga is cruising to the win,
Goucher is visibly upset as she walks off with husband Adam, as Tune is receiving medical attention, flat on the finish line.
Tune Kosgie keep swappoing the lead. Tune loses the photo finish this year, Goucher 3rd. Kosgei walking away from the first major win of her career.
Coming under Mass Ave. Goucher visibly fighting threw off her gloves at a moment when every ounce matters. The final turn Kosgei & Tune have 5 m on Goucher -now it's Tune & Kosgei.
Kosgei, who has not led a step, has edged past Goucher with Tune right alongside. AT this moment it looks like another 3rd for Goucher but she's putting her head down and moved right back to the leader. Now it's Tune in front. This is more exciting than 1 than last year's 2-woman finish.
Less than a mile go go as the women hit Kenmore Square. Goucher's long drive for home has given her a top 3 - but has it given her the win? Now it's going to be sheer pace.
No prizes for guessing who most of the crowd are cheering for - and at a drink table Goucher has put a yard on Tune & 3 on Kosgei. Probably not final but suggestive.
Currently 3 women from 3 different countries pound down Beacon Street. Goucher, Tune, and Kosgei, with Bekele now 20m back.
YES AGAIN. Bekele has now drifted 10m back. Goucher's pace is telling.
Still the question - can Goucher split this pack with 2 miles to go - YES. Only 3 to beat - Tune, Bekele and and Salina Kosgei (who we mistook for the similarly-clad Alemu).
Goucher is working hard to try and split the pack - no further victims so far. Hall may be thinking back to London a year ago when he picked off Merga in the last mile - but 39 seconds is a long way to go.
Hall and Rono are running stride for stride in 2nd/3rd 39 seconds back from Merga.
And Goucher is fulfilling our test with Timbilili now struggling a few yards at the back of the group. Goucher has cut the pack down to 5 - Kiprop and the 3 Ethiopians, Tune, Bekele, and Alemu.
The test will be how soon Goucher begins to force some dropoffs from the group. No sign of damage yet and Tune is shadowing her very closely.
1:46:25 at 35k for the men, 2:08-ish pace.
Seven women are led through Brookline by Goucher. Tune, Bekele, Alice Timbilili, Grigoreyeva, Alemu, and Kiprop (back w/ the group). Their strides as they roll down Beacon Street, Goucher trying shed her pursuers. She has decided on a long, powerful run in as her best chance, which for a runner with her half marathon and 10,000 credentials is good strategy. She will be fast at the finish, but you never know who might be faster, with little-know factors like Bekele and last year's down to the wire sprint by Tune.
Merga is now on Heartbreak, making hard work with his head down but still keeping a strong pace. A quick glance shows that he's well clear and he's uncompromising in his effort up the final strides of this infamous climb. No sign of weakness as we watch him closely towards the top of Heartbreak. Now the road is leveling, he takes another look over his shoulder and he's confidently away on the downhill.
Merga is looking strong as he climbs the hills. He would have to massively collapse to lose this lead. Not a fluid or elegant runner, he's thrashing his wiry frame and showing total superiority on the uphills. The women have crested Heartbreak Hill and Tune is striding out in front closely shadowed by Bekele as they near Cleveland Circle with Kiprop having dropped off.
Hall has regrouped after a his bad patch and has passed Molla and taken over 3rd place.
With the women still in close pack of 7, the men's race has been blown apart by Merga, who now has 10 seconds on Rono. No one else visible and we hear that Hall is 24 seconds back at 30k.
Running Times just talked to Alberto Salazar, Gouchers coach. He said, "I didn't think it would be this slow, but we don't care about the time. She looks good, real calm and relaxed. I'm happy she hasn't been leading."
Merga and Rono both have strong records. Merga was just edged by Hall for 5th at London last year, running his best time of 2:06:38, then was way ahead of him in 4th in the Olympics, then came to America in January to blitz the CR at Houston with 2:07:52. He's also done a very fast recent 15k and half marathon (41:29/59:18). Rono has a career of 7 marathons and has finished in the top 3 in all of them, including 3rdf at NY last Novermber and his PR 2:06:58 at Rotterdam. He's an excellent bet to show.
Men - The story has really started. Passing mile 18 hauling up a sharp hill Merga and Rono are clear with Molla 20m back. Hall has regathered himself and is with 3 chasers another 20-30m back.
Goucher is clearly in front for the first time of a lead group, with that group down to 10. Dryer drifting a few yards back again, the rest spread across the road, still watchful, Goucher a yard ahead of the Russian. Goucher's decision now this late in the race is should she rely on her track speed in the last mile or should she try to use the hills to secure a safe margin.
Two Ethiopians lead through the rolling hills and have begun to put daylight into this lead men's pack. Merga and Solomon Molla are now followed only by Daniel Rono with 10 yards back to Robert Cheruiyot and the rest of the group struggling to reclose the gaps with Hall now 10 seconds behind the leaders. The Ethiopians seem conversational as they catch some of the slower women and it's quite clearly now this group of 3, the 2 Ethiopians plus Rono, with the rest spread out behind them, and Hall towards the back if that straggling line probably 20 seconds now behind the leaders in 9th. The men's race has taken shape.
1:16:09 25k for the men, about 2:08 pace - Kiogora sprinted away as they crossed the timing mats as if they were a sprint start line. With Timothy Cherigat in tow they have opened 15m. They are training colleagues in Boulder and said on Friday "We plan to run together." They're doing exactly that now. The groups is now reforming with Merga and Cheruiyot moving back in front. Dryer has rejoined the women's pack, suggesting the pace is not high pressure.
One for the ages (or aging) - De Reuck has moved to the front again and is pushing the pace and opening a small lead, with Goucher in tow. No sign in the lead pack of the Russian defending masters champ Sultanova, so it seems that De Reuck is heading for a masters victory as well as a likely to-10 placing at age 45.
Bill Rodgers through 5K in 25:55.
The women are into the hills and Kiprop has put some pressure on with De Reuck drifting a little off the back of the group before re-catching the train through Newton. There are now 10 in the lead women and in the men's Stephen Kiogora has surged to the front but without much effect. Cheruiyot looking strong in the middle, Hall on the outer right all moving strongly. We noticed particularly how perky Robert the younger Cheruiyot looks
1:03:38 halfway for the men - still a dozen together in a pack and in the women Girgoreyeva has now taken the lead for the first time. All the lead women are still on the same soft shuffle so there's now serious pace but Goucher is close to the leader and clearly keeping an eye on every move at the front.
The overall picture is that the women's race has been slowly winding up after a gentle start, while the men's race has been slowing down after a ferociously fast start led by Hall. Still big groups in both races and a lot of swiveling heads as the runners check out who is still present. One absentee now from the women is Dryer, who is now 20m behind.
A real move in the men's race with Merga surging to the front and splitting the pack open. Merg
1:18:12 for the women at halfway.
1:00:19 for 20k for the men, slower than 2:07 pace.
In both races now we have Ethiopian leaders - Bekele is back in front of the women after a brief showing by Helena Kiprop of Kenya and Asfaw is back leading the men, though defending champ Cheruiyot is looking positive. We're hearing reports that the wind is increasing, which suggests that Hall's decision to hide in the pack is a wise one.
Women's race - the first exit from this lead group is Mary Akor, who has drifted now 20m behind, as Alemu, wearing a white hat that looks almost like a Santa hat, has edged in front, though there is still no serious pressure.
For the first time the "other" Robert Cheruiyot is clearly visible at the front. At 20 years old he's running only his second marathon after an astonishing 2:07 debut late last year in Frankfrurt. Even he doesn't know his full potential. Also in the front line is Merga, who shared much of the lead in the Beijing Olympic marathon, eventually losing the bronze medal only on the track. But most important, in both races, no sign yet of significant dropoffs from either lead pack. These 2 races have developed in totally different ways but the situation right now in both is identical. A pack of about 12 are braced for the coming hills.
The women are at the sound tunnel of Wellesley College with Bekele shadowed by the woman who took her national half marathon record 2 months ago, Tune, who won here so narrowly last year. There is close rivalry between these 2 Ethiopians who are watching each other carefully, with Alemu to their right and beginning to move into the front of the picture.
Men 15k at 44:44, 2:05:44 pace, just 7 seconds ahead of CR pace.
Hall has moved aside and slowed a little as Asfaw takes the lead, with Cheruiyot and Merga between them, but the whole pack still together and apparently unexcited.
A move in the women's race at last, with Bekele moving to the far left of the street to surprise the pack and move into a 5-meter lead. It's not yet a serious move but she's positioned herself to put some pressure on. Akor is still there in 2nd but Grigoreyeva is now is showing up in 3rd. The pack has reformed; that was probably Bekele feeling out the group rather than seriously trying to take the lead, but with the Newton hills not far away Bekele has shown that she's in the race for real.
The men are just going up a slight uphill where we would expect Hall's pace to tell at the back of the pack, but no sign as yet of any of these 13 men showing trouble. Status quo in the women's race; Dryer with a serene-looking Goucher 2 strides behind, and to her left, Akor and De Reuck still looking strong.
As the men go through Framingham, Hall tossed off his gloves, just as from the first pace of the race he threw down the guantlet. Hall still lead; his 10k split is 30 seconds ahead of Cheruiyot's CR pace, but all 12 others are all still in the lead pack. So Hall's relentless, pace, which he just checked on his watch, has not yet burned anyone off.
Women's race is also delighting the spectators with 4 Americans in front - De Reuck & Dryer shadowed by Goucher & Akor. Behind them the mixed African/Russian pursuers.
The second wave has started, with 4-time champion Bill Rodgers making his first run here since '99.
55:41 at 15k for the women, which works out to a 2:36 finish. Goucher just took fluid - in New York, she skipped some of the early stops and ran out of energy in the final miles.
The men hit 10k in 29:30, a 2:04:30 pace.
5 miles at 23:40 for the men, still 2:03 pace. Perhaps this is the hard lesson learned by Hall in Beijing from from Sammy Wanjiru and Merga, when he opted not to go with their blazing early pace and found himself in No Man's Land. Today Hall is asserting his authority in a manner most reminiscent of Paula Radcliffe. In the women's field it's still impossible to pick a dominant figure though we note Goucher looking calm and strong and Bekele, Tune and Alemu all hovering dangerously behind Dryer and De Reuck.
Men 14:33 at 5k, well ahead of the CR split of 15:23 clocked by Robert Cheruiyot in 2006.
The women passed 10k in 37:05, the pace picked up to a 2:35+ finish. It's a race that will continue to wind up.
And in the men, the position changed at a drink station. Asfaw surged into the lead, but 2 minutes later we're back to Hall leading and the rest watching.
The women's pace has picked up a little. The men have passed 5k in 14:35, 2:03 pace.
For instance, we haven't spotted Brian Sell, although he normally starts slow and comes from behind. Most significantly we can see at least 50m of empty road behind this front group. Hall showing no wish or need to shelter behind, he looks very comfortable in front and indeed a surge to a drink station seems to have dropped one or two off the back of the group.
Hall's pace is already showing. We're used to very big lead packs in most major marathons. This pack is already down to a baker's dozen only 9 minutes into the race.
So at this moment, 34 minutes into the women's race and 7 into the men's, both races are led by Americans, with Dryer and De Reuck still in front of the watchful women's pack, and Hall still looking confident yet relaxed, a stride in front of his African minders.
Hall has done significant research into the topography of Boston, and practiced running the first mile in 4:18, at altitude. Let's see how it works today. He's also practiced the long downhills following the example of Rob De Castella who win in 86. Hall just took a long look over his shoulder and he saw 2 strides behind Geshaw Asfaw (ETH), Dereber Merga (ETH) and Robert Omar Cheruiyot (KEN). First mile 4:38, 2:02 pace.
10:00 - The men are off. The same mixture of arm warmers and bare arms. And instantly the pace looks brisker than the women's. This is probably the best field gathererd at Boston, and Ryan Hall is leading emphatically, confidently and striding beautifully. No question, no heistation Ryan Hall has thrown down the gauntlet.
Two Coloradans, De Reuck and Dryer, along with Yokoyama and Goucher, are now the front 4, an unusual situation of no Africans in the lead, though Tune is lurking significantly with Bekele also very close.
9:55 With the women keeping us in suspense and waiting for the real race to start, also waiting are the men who are now gathering on the start line for the 10 a.m. start. They'll lead the first huge wave of regular mortals, but as one said to us at the expo yesterday, "we are all elites."
18:59 for 5K, dropping the pace to 2:39-2:40 pace, significantly as they approached the drinks table at 5k, several of them easily picked up the pace to be sure to get to their drinks. We noticed especially Goucher and Girgoreyeva ease to the front of the checkout line.
9:50 Buried in the group are such potential winners as Dire Tune, Elfenesh Alemu, Lidiya Grigoryeva and Kara Goucher. It's becoming a test of patience and watchfulness. A move could come and the challenge then is to decide how serious it is and whether to go with it, or it may be that the pace will slowly pick up. On the track the speedsters would be inwardly smiling but in the marathon, especially one that is so tough in the latter stages, there's plenty of work ahead even after this easy-looking opening. Back in front, Colleen De Reuck and Mary Akor. The rest are simply trying to be invisible.
Nearly 15 minutes into the race, 6:05 second mile, still slow for a considerable elevation drop. So in this group of about 20 we can ID all the expected players, plus some who are unlikely to be in at the kill, like American Elva Dryer, who has just moved alongside De Reuck and Yokoyama at the front of this gently crusing group. Dryer, in her 4th marathon, is looking for Boston redemption after DNFing in last year's Trials race here.
Mary Akor, one of the most prolific marathoners, is near the front. The former Nigerian raced here last year in the Olympic Trials, then ran several more 26-milers in the next few months.
9:37 Since she's there let's pay credit to Colleen De Reuck with one of the most sustained careers in world elite running. A South African Olympian she then move to Boulder, CO and took American citizenship and represented the U.S., winning the 2004 Olympic Trials marathon. She was unable to defend that title here last year because of her second child, Tara, who is in Boston to support her today. She has an excellent chance of being first woman master, though she will have to beat Firaya Sultanova-Zhdanova the masters CR holder from Russia.
The leaders have passed the mile in in 6:25, still on 2:49 pace. This is reminiscent of the dawdling pace of 2 years ago, but that was into the teeth of the infamous Nor'easter.
A bit of a move now from Tomoe Yokoyama from Tokyo who has edged the pace up slightly.
1K in 4 minutes 2:49 pace - it looks like an early morning training run before things warm up.
9:32 And the women are off. The pace looks leisurely and watchful currently led by 45-year old Colleen De Reuck.
9:31 Kara Goucher, as well as many of the other women are indeed wearing arm warmers and gloves, which mix interestingly with the bare-midriff crop tops and short-shorts.
9:25 Five minutes to go for the women. The weather is always a factor in Boston, and can vary from the start to the finish. This morning, downtown Boston was bathed in bright sunshine and a noticeable breeze from the East. In Hopkinton, conditions were quite different, with an overcast and noticeable dampness in the air that sent many of the elites scurrying for warmth in their warmup house.
The masses have taken note of the weather as well; at the weekend's expo, the ASICS booth brought in 450 pair of arm warmers favored by the elites recently, and all of them sold out before the first day was out.
9.20 Late-breaking news: The confusion of Cheruiyots might be eased in future, as defending champion Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot has announced that he will in future take his Muslim name of Omar, which is how we referenced him a few minutes ago. The other Robert Cheruiyot today is Kiprono, an exciting new talent who is about to show the world, and himself, whether his debut 2:07 in Frankfurt last October truly announced the beginning of yet another great Kenyan career. And Evans Cheruiyot has a near-impeccable record, with a Chicago win.last October. Cheruiyots 1 -2 -3? a journalist's nightmare, as well as Ryan Hall's. Twelve minutes to the women's start.
9:02 - 30 minutes to go we will be watching the Ethiopina women with particular interest as they line up for the start in 30 minutes. A late addition is Elfenesh Alemu whose lowest place in 14 marathons has been 6th. There was already, to put it mildly, intense rivalry between the top Ethiopians Dire Tune and Bezunesh Bekele.
40 minutes from the start, this is how Jim & Roger see the 113th Boston Marathon. There are two ways of looking ahead to the race. 1. We're going to see 2 exciting races from strong fields., with, for the first time in decades, and American in each with a good chance of placing high, and quite conceivably winning.
2. Can Boston measure up as an elite men's event, with the new standards set during the last year, when 2:05 or better has become the new norm for winning? Can Boston match the results 2 weeks ago at Rotterdam (won in 2:04:27 with 4 men under 2:07) and at Paris (won in 2:05:47 with five men under 2:07) with London only 6 days ahead brandishing the strongest men's field ever, Boston's 2:07:14 CR looks old-fashioned, even allowing for the hills.
With 4 sub-2:07 men in the field plus CR-holder Robert Omar Cheruiyot the chances for new-style fast time look the best ever if the wind stays moderate.
So, three great races.
1. Cheruiyots (three of them) vs. Merga vs. Rono vs. Hall.
2. Tune vs. Bekele vs. Grigoryeva vs. Goucher.
3. Boston vs. Rotterdam vs. Paris, London, Berlin, etc.
It's tough at the top. Watch this space the oldest annual marathon in the world starts at 9:32 EDT (elite women) and we will be posting mile by mile.
Hello, and welcome to our coverage of the 113th running of the B.A.A. Boston Marathon.
Roger Robinson and Jim Gerweck of Running Times will be your hosts, updating this post throughout the morning to bring you constant updates of the elite men's and women's race, beginning around 9:30 a.m.
The start schedule:
Push Rim Wheelchair Start: 9:22 a.m.
Elite Women Start: 9:32 a.m.
Elite Men & Wave 1 Start: 10:00 a.m.
Wave 2 Start: 10:30 a.m.
Race day weather report: A runner logging six miles at 7 am this morning in downtown Boston encountered these conditions: mostly sunny, about 50 degrees, light (5 - 10 mph) wind from the east. In other words, almost perfect. That easterly wind could pick up during the day, however, and is likely to be the most important weather factor, since an east wind in Boston is a headwind.
Be sure to check back frequently for the latest updates. And, of course, check back later in the day for complete post-race recaps.
