Times lag, but woman’s victory worth $ 600,000
Rita Jeptoo ran like a half million bucks. Literally. The Kenyan repeated as women’s champion Sunday of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in two hours, 24 minutes and 35 seconds with a convincing finishing kick. The victory earned her $ 100,000 and another $ 500,000 for locking up the championship of the World Marathon Majors.
“The beginning nobody tried to push because everybody was looking forme,’’ Jeptoo said.
The 26.2- mile journey through 29 Chicago neighborhoods proved an odd race. The race was expected to be under 2: 20 and possibly flirt with the course record, but it came nowhere near that.
“There were pacemakers intended for us,’’ said Ethiopian Mare Dibaba, who finished second in 2: 25: 37. “But I do not think they were pacing all of us equally, they were working more with the Kenyan athletes.’’
Executive race director Carey Pinkowski said there were pacers for the women.
“It is a marathon, it became a tactical race,’’ he said.
One suited to Jeptoo. She broke away convincingly in the 23rd mile and ran strong to the finish. But her time was some minutes off a pace for sub- 2: 20 or a course record.
Great Britain’s Paula Radcliffe set the women’s course record ( 2: 17: 18) in 2002.
Jeptoo was coming off her personal best ( 2: 18: 57) on April 21 in Boston.
It was expected to be a race between Jeptoo and fellow Kenyan Florence Kiplagat. But Dibabe made her own kick and dropped Kiplagat to third at 2: 25: 57.
“The course was good,’’ Jeptoo said. “Weather was not good because it was windy, the last 15k was like windy.’’
Wind certainly played a factor. It was from the southeast, at 8 mph at the start and between 5 and 15 mph on the course. Otherwise, the weather was nearly perfect with 46 degrees at the start and staying in the 40s on course for the elites.
“The wind sometimes came from the side and we just slowed down,’’ Kiplagat said.
“It was a little windy, but you really can’t ask for better conditions,’’ said Amy Hastings, America’s top finisher at fifth.
Dibaba summed the race in next- year Chicago fashion: “I hope to come back here and run a faster time next time.’’