Another case of the runs⏱

Oct 13, 2021

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The Second City Marathon 🥈

‘I guess that’s why they call it The Windy City!’ said many tired runners, probably, who confused gusts off Lake Michigan for the true origin story of Chicago’s nickname. One man who wasn’t bothered by the historical political sliminess of those streets was Ethiopia’s Seifu Tura, who blew through the competition and into the finish-line in a time of 2:06:12. (If, like me, you’re wondering why that name sounds vaguely familiar, maybe it’s because he also out-kicked you six years ago during a 3k in Madrid.) Much was made of the conditions pre-race as temperatures were expected to be warm, but the wind ended up playing just as much of a factor late in the race. A sizable pack came through halfway in 62:29, but with a personal best of 2:04:29, this was not uncharted territory for Tura, although he had never won a major before.

The race unfolded like a cycling race as they filed in behind one another to draft off the leader, but similarly, once a gap forms it is tough to close it back down. After yo-yo-ing off the front group for 90 minutes, it was Galen Rupp who emerged as the only lingering threat in the final 5k. The camera’s perspective created ambiguity as to whether or not Rupp was sitting in his pocket or if things were actually over. Hopefully the on-screen graphics that have found their way into Diamond League coverage make an appearance in road racing soon, where it would be significantly more useful.

After the race Tura cited Rupp’s track speed as something he had to look out for late in the game, further proving that just because someone is good at running, doesn’t necessarily mean they know why. Having the speed to run a 3:50 mile eight years ago has no bearing on one’s ability to close out a marathon — that’s strength baby!

Taking it out! 💨

Some athletes prefer to run alone. On Sunday we learned that Ruth Chepng’etich, the 2019 World Champion, is one of them, as she took home her first World Marathon Major crown in a time of 2:22:31.

It was a confusing day at the office for her male pacer, Johnny Rutford. Apparently, right before the race his instructions were changed to run 5:25’s (2:21 pace) and sit in just behind Sara Hall, who had two male pacers of her own in what was originally billed as an American Record attempt. But almost immediately, Chepng’etich was having none of the more conservative plans and took right to the front and started hammering. She then clicked off 5-minute miles as her assigned pacer did his absolute best to help. She came through 10k in 31:22, which is six seconds faster than Brigid Kosgei was in her 2:14:04 WR.

Eventually the dynamic-duo, Ruth and Johnny, were ahead of a pack featuring multiple elite American men. Johnny peeled off a bit earlier than planned — just before the nine mile mark — but it’s fair to say he more than earned his payday. Fortunately Chicago starts the men’s and women’s race at the same time, which has its benefits in situations like this.

I personally think having multiple sets of personal pacers just makes a race feel like a bunch of overlapping time trials. But I suppose we can choose to look at it like New Jersey’s “you can’t pump your own gas because we need to create jobs” situation? The Chicago Marathon: Economy Stimulator.

Ruth ran a nasty positive split, going 67:34/74:57, which isn’t the most fun way to win — but it was still effective. Although she was closing hard as one of the few negative splitters on the day, Emma Bates didn’t have enough real estate to make a dent in that lead. Bates’s 2nd place finish came in a shiny new personal best of 2:24:20, and was undoubtedly a career highlight worth celebrating. While this was admittedly not the deepest international field, her performance was the 4th fastest for an American in Chicago history — and on a slow day! Maybe she is the rightful heir to the throne of Deena Kastor’s American Record?

The 125th Boston Marathon 🔵🟡

Like many younger siblings, Benson Kipruto has found himself following in the footsteps of his older brother. Although Benson’s 2:09:51 at the Boston Marathon on Monday gave him the first World Marathon Major win of his career, it was the fourth in his family — his older brother, Dickson Chumba, already has a trophy from Chicago and two from Tokyo. Together they are halfway to the Infinity Gauntlet!

Kipruto is one of those athletes who quietly skated under the radar before the race, but afterwards you’re kicking yourself for never considering him for the win. Perhaps it’s because there were four previous champions originally listed on the start list, or maybe it’s that his 2:05:13 PR didn’t pop off such a decorated page. His most recent notable outing came when he won the Prague marathon earlier in the year in 2:10. In Boston he confirmed that performance was legitimate by shutting the door with a 14:06 final 5k.

For much of the race, the cameras were focused on CJ Albertson, who darted out to an early and massive lead. For a quick refresher, he’s the self-proclaimed best downhill runner in the world, and he finished 7th at the 2020 Olympic Trials. After the race CJ said he was simply playing to his strengths by hitting it hard from the gun. His gambit apparently went completely unnoticed by Kipruto, who confessed afterwards he had no idea that someone had gotten away. Viewers were torn whether this was some sort of ploy to get 90+ minutes of television coverage or a legitimate race strategy. Albertson came through the half 2 minutes 13 seconds ahead of the peloton, and generally speaking guys this good aren’t willing to throw away two thousand miles of a build-up for attention. The most impressive part of the race is that after he got swallowed up, there was still some fight left in his legs, as he ended up holding on to finish 10th (2:11:44).

Although he didn’t get the same screen time, it was the Reebok Boston Track Club’s Colin Bennie who ended up as the top American in 7th (2:11:26). For better or worse, the running world is full of harsh critics who are not easily swayed by a single big run. It normally takes a few, and now with today’s performance paired with his 9th place finish at the Olympic Trials and a 2:09 at the Marathon Project, maybe Bennie will finally start getting the respect he earned. It’s not like he graduated Syracuse without any accolades — he was a top 10 finisher in three NCAA Championships — but now he’s found his distance.

Have you met Diana? 👑

Boston is like a box of chocolates: you never know who is going to show up and eat all of them. This year it was Kenya’s Diana Kipyogei, who, despite running 2:22:06 to win the 2020 Istanbul Marathon, would not have been considered a household name, even if your household is a strange one like mine where this is the sort of thing that’s constantly being discussed. Monday was her first WMM major, but after today there will be one hundred percent reason to remember the name next time she returns to Boston. (Fun fact: In 2017-2018, Kipyogei ran 13 half marathons in 595 days and she won 8 of them.)

While the men’s race featured early drama, the women lagged until Heartbreak Hill when Netsanet Gudeta caught back up to Kipyogei who had opened up a small gap. This provided the eventual champ with a much needed wakeup call and shortly after, Kipyogei laid it down and averaged 5:10 for the next three miles to run away with the victory. In the background of the picture, it became clear that 41 year old, Edna Kiplagat had something left in the tank — the legend who has three WMM majors and two World Championship titles is a mother to five. (As if you needed more reasons to root for her, two of her children are hers biologically, two children were her sister’s who died from breast cancer, and the fifth was a neighbor’s who passed away during childbirth. What a blessing of a human!)

On the American side, the top finisher of the day is someone who Victory Lap subscriber’s will be super familiar with: the unsponsored Nell Rojas, who ended up 6th (2:27:12). Now 33 years old, she graduated from Northern Arizona University with a modest 5k best of 17:11, but took up triathlon and obstacle course racing before making her way to the roads. And the second American was Elaina Tabb in 12th (2:30:33) who appropriately made her marathon debut in Boston donning the BAA kit for the final time. She recently moved to Pittsburgh and is teaching — which for some inexplicable reason is such a popular profession for professional runners looking to live a double life. Why must they always insist on choosing such a difficult and time consuming second career?

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Walking off into the sunset🚶‍♂️🇪🇸

I know this is primarily a running newsletter, but please take a moment to appreciate the career of 50km race walk legend, Jesús Ángel García Bragado, who has officially retired after an Athletics record EIGHT Olympic Games. Do you know how much Spanish national team gear that is? His entire wardrobe must be Joma stuff. When athletes retire in our sport, we are collectively quite good at honoring their finest moments, but we can be better at celebrating longevity. While I am retroactively rooting for Bragado to have won an Olympic medal, there is a long list of names who have done that — though only one person can say they accomplished what he has.

Thanks for the memories 🥂

Knowing an athlete’s story is the easiest way to become invested in their success. Having been a contemporary of Chanelle Price, I was fortunate to experience her career as a passenger along for the rollercoaster ride. When most high schoolers were gearing up for the state meet, Chanelle was competing at the 2008 Olympic Trials, having qualified by running 2:01 at the Pre Classic. As a Tennessee Volunteer, her best performances came not as an individual but on record setting relay teams. The standout race of Chanelle’s professional career came at the 2014 Indoor World Championships in Sopot, where she won a gold medal at 800m after dominating with her signature strategy — run hard from the front.

Then there was then an endless series of serious injuries and for five straight years, Price failed to break 2 minutes. Under the guidance of the Oregon Track Club, she eventually regained her footing and returned to top form at the Olympic Trials where she finished 5th in a lifetime best of 1:58.73. Chanelle’s career has been long, decorated, and most certainly exhausting — no one would have blamed her had she retired in frustration much earlier. That’s why it was a bit of a shock when after the best season of her career, Price decided to announce her retirement last week. But by doing so, she provided perhaps the best insight into why she was able to overcome so many challenges — the only person Chanelle was ever trying to prove something to was herself — and she did that.

Broad Street Run Ten Miler 🥊

Back from the dead! In what has to be considered her best race since the 2018 New York City Marathon, Allie Kieffer broke the 10-mile course record at the historic Broad Street Run in Philadelphia with a time of 52:56. There may have been injuries, coaching switches and life changes along the way, which she has always candidly shared with her social media followers, but Allie is starting to roll again. On the men’s side it was Dennis Kipkosgei breaking the tape in 46:13.

There’s a new team on the block 🏔

A new team has emerged out of Colorado Springs and it is being led by former WCAP veteran Haron Lagat. For those unfamiliar with the World Class Athlete Program, it is set up for Active, Reserve or National Guard soldiers to have support to continue training and competing. This has been a popular path to American citizenship for many NCAA standouts who would go on to represent the United States internationally. While in the two year program, an athlete can not have an individual shoe sponsor — though some will have that opportunity afterwards. Much of this new team, which is not associated with WCAP, was previously coached by Scott Simmons including the likes of Lawi Lalang, Girma Mecheso, Dominic Korir, Frankline Tonui and Elkanah Kibet — one helluva starting roster for a brand new squad.

Money talks 🤑

Pic I took of Spike Lee watching the NYC Marathon

Athletics fans are obsessed with the finances of professional running, considering the peanuts up for grabs pale in comparison to other sports. That’s because it’s all so secretive! This article was a fascinating peek behind the curtain from David Monti, who in addition to his work with Race Results Weekly, was the elite athlete coordinator with NYRR for 19 years — he had all the secrets!

With six-digit figures for a single marathon performance, it’s no wonder more athletes are moving to the roads earlier. Those numbers don’t include the subsequent paydays that will likely follow in appearance fees and more favorable bonus structures. A win in New York is a lot of money now, but there is even more money coming later!

It’s too bad NDAs exist — those subplots would certainly be one way to drum up the excitement. Remember how devastating it was for Marcel Hug to miss a turn in the last moments of this year’s Boston Marathon? He missed out on a $50k course record bonus by 7 seconds and afterwards he was rightfully PISSED! It’d be fun to see a 2:03 guy sprinting his ass off to get under 2:14 for 15th place so he could still get his advertised bonus. Until the athletes can admit the true reasons for choosing to do one race over another (re: money) we’ll be forced to suffer through made up rationalizations like growing up as a Michael Jordan fan or the Italian beef from Portillo’s.

Meet the man behind the mask 😷

This has to be the longest anyone who isn’t a close friend or relative has ever heard Galen Rupp speak, right? Context is obviously important here (the interview was conducted in Nike’s Chicago office so don’t expect any hard hitting questions) but still, this podcast is sure to add some color to what most fans know about the guy as a person. Rupp comes off as personable, engaging, and shares some genuinely great advice for other runners and insights on the sport. It’s honestly an enjoyable listen!

It’s pretty remarkable that the most polarizing US athlete in the sport got that way by legitimately never saying anything at all. He just shows up and wins stuff and yet half of all domestic fans of the sport can’t stand him. Yet to others, Rupp is the epitome of a badass — he does not care what you think of him, because he’s so focused on performance! Opinions and gray areas aside, that’s kind of cool, right?

I don’t fault you for falling into that first camp. When making character evaluations, the old “if there’s smoke there’s fire” adage is at least one way to go about it. But suppose all the Rupp haters are wrong, and he’s never crossed any moral lines. If that’s the case then a lot of fans have sort of missed out on following one truly incredible career.

I don’t know Galen’s motivation for suddenly opening up like this. (Is this all part of the plan to enjoy a post-career Renaissance a la Alex Rodriguez?) But what we do know is that Rupp is now being guided by the well-liked and highly respected Mike Smith. With a couple strategic PR moves like continuing this — by his typically silent standards — media blitz, or racing kids on a Nick Symmonds video, it’s possible we may all forget who Rupp’s old coach was.

Rapid Fire Headlines 🔥

-Mary Cain has filed a $20M lawsuit against Alberto Salazar and Nike over alleged abuse she suffered during her 4 years on the Oregon Project. (Article)

-Emily Sisson has pulled out of the New York City Marathon due to injury and revealed she had been dealing with it since the lead up to Tokyo. (Post)

-It was three marathons in three days for Jordan Tropf, who averaged a 2:30:30 between Baltimore, Chicago and Boston — yes, this was a World Record for orthopedic surgeons and not. (Post)

-You may have noticed Molly Huddle didn’t line up in Boston and that’s because she is expecting her first child! Mazel Tov! (Post)

-In her newsletter, Colleen Quigley announced that she purchased a home in Flagstaff and will be splitting time in the mountains there and in Los Angeles. (Post)

-Hot off an Olympic silver medal in the Men’s Team Triathlon, Morgan Pearson started a new YouTube channel — he has run 62:15 for the half marathon.

-It was the first time an American man won the Boilermaker 15k since 1991. Syracuse native, Stephen Rathbun ran 47:31 and is now a local legend.

-Shalane Flanagan followed up her 2:46:39 in Chicago with a 2:40:34 the next day. She will run the Tokyo Virtual Marathon next!

-Human growth hormone, EPO and not cooperating are the three things that Nigerian sprint star, Blessing Okagbere, is being charged with by the AIU.

-The Newbury Park boys team is building their case to be considered the greatest high school team in history. Their top 4 went 14:29, 14:33, 14:34 and 14:43 for 5k at the Clovis Invitational.

Big thanks to Lever Running for sponsoring this week’s newsletter! If your brand is interested in getting in front of diehard running fans, reach out at TheLapCount@gmail.com — look, you’re still reading it!