by Larry Eder
Shadrack Biwott, photo by PhotoRun.net
The streets of San Jose, California , on the first weekend in October, provide cool weather, and fast streets for the nealry 17,000 runners who ran 5k, 10k and half marathon options this weekend at the 11th edition of the Rock N Roll San Jose Half Marathon and 10k this weekend.
The men’s race was dominated by Shadrack Biwott, a member of the ASICS Mammoth Track Club, coached by Andrew Kastor and his wife, Deena Kastor. Shadrack is in training for the upcoming TCS New York City Marathon, and was in San Jose to test his fitness.
And the test was successful!
Here is his race story!
Shadrack Biwott is a fine athlete. Possessed of a fine sense of humor and a huge appetite for training and racing, Shadrack runs for ASICA Mammoth Track Club and is an American citizen. Shadrack went to the University of Oregon, and ran quite well there. In high school, Shadrack impressed with a 4:02 mile. Coming from a strong running family, Shadrack’s brother, Duncan Kibet, has the course record in San Jose, and has a 2:04 marathon to his name.
Shadrack Biwott, photo by PhotoRun.net
Shadrack is preparing for the New York City marathon under the watchful and thoughtful eyes of Coach Andrew Kastor. Shadrack had been down from altitude for the past week as he put final preparations on his test prior to New York: the RnR San Jose Half marathon.
Patrick Smyth and Shadrack Kibet opened the race with a 4:41 mile. They had company at the time, with Daniel Tapia, Scott MacPherson, Fernando Cabada. By the time Biwott and Smythe hit two miles, in 9:22, another 4:41 mile, they were alone.
The pair, switching off a bit after two miles, hit three miles in 14:01. Patrick Smyth, a long time elite runner who has found success on the track, roads, trails and now, ultras, looks silky smooth. Shadrack Biwott has this confident bounce as he flies along the roads.
5k was hit in 14:31, and they were on a 1:01:30 pace, pretty darn good for an early morning in October.
Patrick Smyth, photo by PhotoRun.net
Biwott and Smyth were together at 4 miles, and then five miles, passed in 23:22. Just after five miles, Shadrack put twenty meters on Patrick. By six miles, it was 28:06 for Shadrack and 28:17 for Patrick.
“I felt good, and I liked having the pace truck nearby,” noted Shadrack after the race. The pace truck was very close as RNR PR Manager Dan Cruz provided fans a great view via Periscope, with comments from Josh Cox, US 50k AR holder, four time Olympic Trials contestant and athlete manager, and coach Ben Rosario of the HOKA ONE ONE Northern Arizona Elite.
Shadrack Biwott continued to dominate, hitting 10k in 29:10, hitting seven miles in 32:52, eight miles in 37:31, and nine miles in 42:20 as he passed Lincoln High School. In the pace truck, I was able to watch his every move, as Shadrack continued to fly across the streets of San Jose. 15k was passed in 43:53 (14:31, 14:39 (29:10), and 14:43 (43:53). Without competition, could Shadrack keep up this fine pace?
Ten miles were passed in 47:09, with Shadrack running a 4:42 mile, and, with 200 meter lead, Biwott continued to look relaxed and within himself. At eleven miles, Shadrack Biwott, with the pace truck just in front of him, and thousands of runners running the 10k and half marathon to the right of him, continued to pour it on, hitting 11 miles in 51:50.
It was at this time that the pace truck sped up, heading to the finish line. “After the pace truck left, I kind of fell asleep for 11, 12 miles. I woke up before the finish.”
And wake up he did, running 1:01:55 for the win. “I ran within myself, and now, I have four more weeks before the New York City Marathon!” noted a confident Biwott.
After the race, I spoke with Patrick Smyth, of the Nike Trail team, who runs trail, ultra, track and cross country. ” I am fortunate, in that, Nike Trail team gives me a lot of room to race. I race trail, but I can run on track and also was able to concentrate on the Olympic Trials.” Now, for Patrick, it is the New York City Marathon. Patrick ran 1:03:21.
Daniel Tapia, photo by PhotoRun.net
Third placer Daniel Tapia ran 1:04:13. He is focused on the Cal International in December and his next race is the Big Sur Half Marathon. ” I am happy with today, as it is four weeks into my training.”
Ryan Dohner, of HOKA ONE ONE Northern Arizona Elite, ran 1:04:26 in his debut half marathon. ” I liked the distance, I always thought, though, I was a mile ahead of where I actually was!”
Fernando Cababa, who took fifth here in 1:04:53, is focused on the upcoming Amsterdam Marathon.
The San Jose RNR course is a very fast course, with great local support and a crazy fast course! Try it in 2017!
Place, Name, Age, Hometown, Time
