Bank of America Chicago Preview, by Alfons Juck, EME News

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon always has great races up front. This year, should be no different. I would not be surprised to see Moses Mosop versus Dennis Kimeto. Kimeto was training with Wilson Kipsang, and word is, Mr. Kimeto is quite fit. Speaking of quite fit, Moses Mosop admitted that he was 85 percent fit in 2011, when he won. In 2013, ” I am 95 percent fit.” admitted a confident Mosop.

On the women’s side, Atsede Baysa and Rita Jeptoo are back, but my dark horse is Aliaksandra Duliba.

The battle for Chicago, October 2012,

photo from Chicago Marathon

On the American side, Dathan looks good for a 2:06 time, and I believe that Matt Tegenkamp will break Alan Culpepper’s debut marathon AR of 2:09.41.

Only time will tell.

Watch for stories on Moses Mosop and Matt Tegenkamp on Saturday.

CHICAGO PREVIEW

CHICAGO (USA): USA’s fastest legal marathon course and IAAF Gold Label Road Race, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, features top class elite fields for both men and women, informs the IAAF. Sunday’s 35th edition of the race includes five men who have run sub 2:06 and seven women who have run sub 2:24. 2011 Champion, Moses Mosop of Kenya is the fastest runner in the field, having run 2:03:06 in Boston in 2011. The race will also feature the fastest ever debut marathoner (2:04:16, Berlin 2012) and 2013 Tokyo Marathon champion Dennis Kimetto (KEN), 2011 London Marathon champion Emmanuel Mutai (KEN, 2:04:40), 2012 Dubai Marathon champion Ayele Abshero (ETH, 2:04:23, debut), 2012 Houston Marathon champion Tariku Jufar (ETH, 2:06:51) Sammy Kitwara (KEN, 2:05:54), who was 4th in Chicago last year, Kenyans Mike Kigen (2:08:24) and Micah Kogo (2:10:27), who are both racing their second marathon after making their debuts earlier this year, Five-time World Half-marathon champion and World Half marathon record holder Zersenay Tadese (ERI, 2:10:41). The US challenge will likely come from Olympians Dathan Ritzenhein (2:07:47) and Matt Tegenkamp (debut). The US debut record is 2:09:41, held by Alan Culpepper. The women’s race will feature the top two from last year’s race Atsede Baysa (ETH, 2:22:03) Rita Jeptoo (KEN, 2:22:04) who finished only one second apart and both set personal bests, Merima Mohammed (ETH, 2:23:04), 2013 Rotterdam Marathon champion Jemima Jelagat (KEN, 2:23:27), 2nd placer in Dubai this year Ehitu Kiros (ETH, 2:23:39), 2nd placer in Rotterdam this year Abebech Afework (ETH, 2:23:59), 2003 World Cross Country champion Werknesh Kidane (ETH, 2:26:15), Yukiko Akaba (JAP, 2:24:09) and Belarusian record-holder Aliaksandra Duliba (2:26:08). Jeptoo is fourth in the current World Marathon Majors rankings; a win here would give her a 10 point lead with one race left (NYC Marathon). Cash prizes on offer include 100000 USD for the male and female winners and 75000 USD for course records. The course records, which are both US all-comers records, are Tsegaye Kebede’s 2:04:38 and Paula Radcliffe’s 2:17:18.

Author

Larry Eder

Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys.

Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

View all posts