Another big day for the Kenyans
Puskedra hangs in, but winners are Chumba, Kiplagat
Luke Puskedra was the biggest surprise Sunday at the 38th Bank of America Chicago Marathon. And not just because he stands 6- 4.
Puskedra, formerly of the Nike Oregon Project, hung with the lead pack and was the highest-finishing U. S. runner in fifth. His time of 2 hours, 10 minutes and 24 seconds was a personal best.
‘‘ I have a lot of respect for those guys,’’ Puskedra said. ‘‘ I watched videos of those guys training. It was almost surreal.’’ It was no surprise that Kenyans won both the men’s and women’s races. Dickson Chumba made a late move to separate from countryman Sammy Kitwara to win the men’s race in a curiously slow 2: 09: 25.
The best show came on the women’s side. Florence Kiplagat won in 2: 23: 33 and finished theatrically. She fell to the ground after running through the ceremonial tape, then rolled over with a wide smile, got up and began jumping up and down. She said it was for her ‘‘ two beautiful daughters,’’ who had asked her to ‘‘ do something for us.’’
‘‘ I jumped because I love my kids,’’ Kiplagat said. ‘‘ I told them this would be my year. I told them, ‘ When I win, I will jump.’ ’’
Kiplagat is the women’s worldrecord holder in the 15k, 20k and half- marathon. Her last marathon victory came in 2013 in Berlin. She was third last year in Chicago.
Unlike the men, the women went out hard. Halfway through the race, Kayoko Fukushi of Japan led with a time of 1: 10: 25. She eventually finished fourth.
‘‘ The beginning was fine, but because of the high winds, we could not run any faster,’’ said Yebrgual Melese of Ethiopia, who finished second. Countrywoman Birhane Dibaba was third.
The men’s lead pack started slowly ( 1: 05: 11 halfway through the race). But Chumba made a push in the 20th mile and broke the pack into smaller pieces. In the 23rd mile, he broke free of Kitwara.
‘‘ I looked back because maybe Sammy was coming,’’ he said.
The top three men’s finishers were Kenyans: Chumba, Kitwara and Sammy Ndungu.
‘‘ It was fun to be able to run the whole race with those guys, an inspiration,’’ said Puskedra, who only reached out to executive race director Carey Pinkowski three weeks before the race to enter.
NOTES: Tatyana McFadden, a product of the University of Illinois’ top program, overpowered the women’s wheelchair field in a course- record 1: 41: 10. It was her fifth consecutive title in Chicago and sixth in the last seven years.
Kurt Fearnley of Australia won the men’s wheelchair race for the fifth time in 1: 30: 46.
‘‘ I am concerned the gap between the boys and Tatyana is getting less and less,’’ a joking Fearnley said.
Deena Kastor, whose first marathon victory came in 2005 in Chicago, came back at 42 to run a 2: 27: 47 and smash the U. S. masters mark of 2: 28: 40 set by
Colleen De Reuck in ’ 05. ‘‘ I felt like putting myself on pace from the beginning, then grinding out the last 10k,’’ Kastor said.
She gave a nod to the millionplus spectators who turned out when she said, ‘‘ They electrified the course out there.’’
The elite athletes went off on a cool morning ( 54 degrees at the start) with light south winds. Conditions became tougher as the race went on, with winds increasing to nearly 30 mph and temperatures climbing into the mid- 70s.