1- 2 PUNCH
Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya wins in Chicago debut, while fellow Kenyan Rita Jeptoo repeats in women’s race
HOWDID YOU FINISH?
RESULTS, 4- 80
Eliud Kipchoge smiled away the final miles to win the hearts of Chicagoans Sunday and his first running of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. The 29- year- old Kenyan took his Chicago debut in two hours, four minutes and 11 seconds.
“I need to smile to enjoy the streets,’’ he said. “For these people, I needed a big smile.’’
About 1.7 million spectators were expected for Chicago’s largest sporting event, which courses 26.2 miles through 29 neighborhoods. More than 41,000 started the race.
The men’s elite race was tight through mile 20when three Kenyans — Kipchoge, Sammy Kitwara ( second, 2: 04: 28) and Dickson Chumba ( third, 2: 04: 32)— separated.
Then Kipchoge pushed the pace around mile 25 and took a convincing lead.
“It was not easy,’’ he said. “I tried to push [ before]. I tried the last time and succeeded. I realized at 40K nobody was following.’’ And his smiles blossomed. This was not the race expected on two levels.
The top men were expected to challenge the course record set by Kenyan Dennis Kimetto last year in 2: 03: 45.
The race started off absurdly fast with a first mile of 4: 34. But by the split, the time was off courserecord pace at 62: 09. On Friday, Kipchoge had talked about going 61: 40 in the first half.
Executive race director Carey Pinkowski was pleased with the competition and tactics, even if it came up short of a run at the course record.
And this race was expected to feature another fierce battle between Kipchoge and Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele, familiar competitors in track. Bekele, the world- record holder in the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters and considered the greatest track and cross- country athlete, was running his second marathon and making his Chicago debut after winning in Paris.
But when the trio of Kenyans pushed, Bekele dropped from the lead pack.
“I feel like relative tiredness, and my body was not reacting when they picked up the pace,’’ Bekele said.
He felt like he needed more experience and for training tactics to be changed.
“Maybe the body needs to change from track to marathon,’’ he said.
Weather not did not need changing, except maybe the breeze. The southeast wind, 8 mph at the start and 5 and 15 on course, was a factor. But temperatures were nearly perfect, 46 degrees at start and in the 40s for the elites on the course.