Korir, Cherop win 2012 Boston Marathon

Photo Credit: ibtimes.com

Kenya dominated the 116th running of the Boston Marathon today taking the top three spots on both the men's and women's sides. High temperatures led to a much slower race than a year ago and neither of this year's winners would've even finished in the Top 10 in 2011 with the times they ran.

Wesley Korir became the 19th Kenyan men's winner in the last 22 years with a winning time of 2:12:40, the second slowest race since 1985. Still, don't let the term "slow race" fool you. It still works out to like a 5:04/mile pace. I ran ONE 5:05 mile ONE TIME... Like 15 years ago... Trust me, that's FAST. Last year's winner Geoffrey Mutai dropped out after 18 miles with stomach cramps.

On the women's side, Sharon Cherop edged out Jemima Jelagat Sumgong by 2 seconds finishing with a winning time of 2:31:50. It's the fifth straight year that a sprint to the finish has decided the women's race. Cherop finished 3rd a year ago just 6 seconds behind winner Caroline Kilel.

Meanwhile the drought for the U.S. continues as no American has won the Boston Marathon since Lisa Larsen Weidenbach won the Women's event in 1985. The last American man to win the race was Greg Meyer in 1983. Jason Hartmann of Boulder, Colorado led the Americans today with a 4th place finish and a time of 2:14:31. Mayumi Fujita was the top American finisher on the women's side at 2:39:11 while fellow American Sheri L. Piers came in 10th.

Top Ten Men

1. Wesley Korir 2:12:40 - Kenya
2. Levy Matebo 2:13:06 - Kenya
3. Bernard Kipyego 2:13:13 - Kenya
4. Jason Hartmann 2:14:31 - USA
5. Wilson Chebet 2:14:56 - Kenya
6. Laban Korir 2:15:29 - Kenya
7. Michel Butter 2:16:38 - Netherlands
8. David Barmasai 2:17:16 - Kenya
9. Hideaki Tamura 2:18:15 - Japan
10. Mathew Kisorio 2:18:15 - Kenya

Top Ten Women

1. Sharon Cherop 2:31:50 - Kenya
2. Jemima Jelagat Sumgong 2:31:52 - Kenya
3. Georgina Rono 2:33:09 - Kenya
4. Firehiwot Dado 2:34:56 - Ethiopia
5. Diana Sigei 2:35:40 - Kenya
6. Rita Jeptoo 2:35:53 - Kenya
7. Mayumi Fujita 2:39:11 - USA
8. Nadezdha Leonteva 2:40:40 - Russia
9. Svetlana Pretot 2:40:50 - France
10. Sheri L. Piers 2:41:55 - USA

Boston Marathon

Happy Patriots Day! This one goes out to Heidi Koski who I promised I would write a blog on the Boston marathon if she agreed to follow my blog. So Heidi, here you go:

Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai won the 115th running of the Boston Marathon today in 2 hours 3 minutes and 2 seconds. Process that for a second. 2:03:02. That's the fastest recorded time anyone has EVER run 26.2 miles. The previous fastest time was 2:03:59 set by Haile Gebrselassie in Berlin in 2008. I ran a half marathon once and it took me 1:45:48 to finish. And I was dead. This guy could've pretty much run the half marathon course twice in the time it took me to run it once. That's unreal... The women's race was won by Caroline Kilel to give Kenya the sweep. Kilel finished with a time of 2:22:36.

The Americans fared well today also with Ryan Hall placing 4th in the men's race with the fastest time in American history at 2:04:58 while Desiree Davila was just 2 seconds away from winning the women's race finishing at 2:22:38. Another American woman, Kara Goucher placed 5th at 2:24:52. No American, male or female, has won Boston since 1985.

Top Ten Men

1. Geoffrey Mutai 2:03:02 - Kenya
2. Moses Mosop 2:03:06 - Kenya
3. Gebregziabher Gebremariam 2:04:53 - Ethopia
4. Ryan Hall 2:04:58 - USA
5. Abreham Cherkos 2:06:13 - Ethiopia
6. Robert Kiprono Cheuiyot 2:06:43 - Kenya
7. Philip Kimutai Sanga 2:07:10 - Kenya
8. Deressa Chimsa 2:07:39 - Ethiopia
9. Bekana Daba 2:08:03 - Ethiopia
10. Robert Kipchumba 2:08:44 - Kenya

Top Ten Women

1. Caroline Kilel 2:22:36 - Kenya
2. Desiree Davila 2:22:38 - USA
3. Sharon Cherop 2:22:42 - Kenya
4. Caroline Rotich 2:24:26 - Kenya
5. Kara Goucher 2:24:52 - USA
6. Dire Tune 2:25:08 - Ethiopia
7. Werknesh Kidane 2:26:15 - Ethiopia
8. Yolanda Caballero 2:26:17 - Colombia
9. Alice Timbilili 2:26:34 - Kenya
10. Yuliya Ruban 2:27:00 - Ukraine