Skechers Performance, photo by Larry Eder
The women’s race on Sunday at the 2018 Skechers Performance LA Marathon came down to the final 800 meters. In 2017, Hellen Jepkurgat took the lead after 23 kilometers.
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This year, the pack of fifteen women were together through the half marathon. Around twelve miles, Dire Tune started walking. Hellen Jepkurgat, Selu Gedu, Tsehay Desalegn, Jane Kibii were all together, with Joannes Reyes, Christina Vegera in close company. The pace was not fast the first half, but, little by little the pace quickened as the pack dropped to six, then, five, then, four, and finally three.
Who would move? Would Hellen Jepkurgat let it go until the very end? Selu Gedu had known 5000 meters speed, and Tsehay Desalegn was right there with Hellen Jepkurgat.
There is always a move in a close race. Someone has to make it, and Selu Gedu moved away with ease. Tsehay Desalegn took second and Hellen Jepkurgat, who told us she had nothing left to give, finished third, giving us an very exciting elite women’s finish.
Author
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."
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