John Korir defends Boston title, sets CR of 2:01.52!

John Korir defends Boston title, sets CR!

John Korir showed so much self-control today, running his own race.

John defended his title in 2025, giving him two consecutive victories.

The pack was out fast, in 14:20 for 5k, 29:04 for 10k, hitting the half in 1:01.50. Milkesa Mangesha took the lead for a while, with Korir with him. Then, John Korir decided to get serious, just around 20 miles in 1:33.59.

John Korir ran his second half in 1:00:02! John just moved away, checked his watch, and kept pushing the pace.

It was a study in domination. John Korir had a tough race in Chicago in 2025. I asked his coach, Ron Mann, about that bad race. Coach Mann told RunBlogRun that this time around, John is comfortable in his own skin. He enjoyed the training and got more out of it. He increased his mileage.

John Korir, Ben Cesar, ASICS, Bank of America Chicago Marathon
October 13, 2014
Chicago, Illinois, USA,
photo by Kevin Morris

The 130th Boston will go down for the ages as the race where the top three went under the course record, but most importantly, it was the race where John Korir, running his own race, showed the artistry of a veteran marathoner and set a masterful course record of 2:01.52, leading fifteen men under an amazing 2:06.06!

I was asked on the BBC if we will see a sub-two-hour marathon. I believe we will, but in the presser, John Korir told a reporter that he was not focused on the world record; he was focused on winning. I like that!

John Korir, defending his title, in Boston, with a new course record of 2:01.52, breaking the CR set in 2011 by Geoffrey Mutai!

2026 Boston Marathon, Top 15 Men

1. John Korir, Kenya, 2:01.52 CR

2. Alphonse Felix Simbu, TAN, 2:02:47

3. Benson Kipruto, KEN, 2:02.50

4. Hailemaryam Kiros, ETH, 2:03.42

5. Zouhair Talbi, USA, 2:03:45

6. Tebelloa Ramakongoana, 2:04.18

7. Charles Hicks, USA, 2:04.35

8. Richard Ringer, GER, 2:04:47

9. Alex Masai, KEN, 2:05.32

10. Milkesa Mengesha, ETH, 2:05.35

11. Clayton Young, USA, 2:05.41

12. Ryan Ford, USA, 2:05:46

13. Joe Klecker, USA, 2:05:56

14. Rory Linkletter, CAN, 2:06:04

15. Yemane Hailiselassie, ETH, 2:06:06,

#BostonMarathon,

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."

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