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Eliud Kiptanui runs 2:05:29, destroying VW Prague Marathon’s men’s CR: 2:05:29, photo courtesy of Volkswagen Prague Marathon.

Well, as they used to say in the ad world: Farvignugen! On the sleeply little streets of Prague, in the Czech Republic, Eliud Kiptanui ran the third fastest marathon of 2010! His 2:05:39 was nearly seven minutes better than his only previous marathon, the Safaricom Marathon in Kisumu,Kenya. On December 6, 2009, Eliud ran his first marathon in a 2:12:17. Four months later, and nearly seven minutes faster, it should be further disheartening for his competitors to find out that Mr. Kiptanui is all of twenty-one years old!

On the women’s side, Helena Kiprop promised and delivered. Ms. Kiprop promised a 2:25 marathon before the race, and her 2:25:29 broke the previous course record (2:26:33) by one minute, four seconds! And just below this paragraph, our globerunner, Pat Butcher puts the race in perspective for us!

prague, sunday, may 9, 1230gmt

KENYANS ERUPT IN PRAGUE MARATHON

Vienna’s loss was Prague’s gain. Volcanic ash prevented Eliud Kiptanui of
Kenya going to the Vienna Marathon three weeks ago, but an explosive
performance, winning the Volkswagen Prague Marathon in 2.05.39 this morning
(Sunday) has rocketed him into the top 20 marathoners in history.

Not bad for a young man not yet 21, whose only previous marathon, in torrid
conditions in Kenya four months ago was won in 2.12.34. Such was his torrid pace
in Prague that Yemane Tsegay of Ethiopia, second in 2.07.11, and Nicholas
Kipruto Koech of Kenya, third in 2.07.23 were also under the previous record of
2.07.48, set last year by another Kenyan Patrick Ivuti, who suffered from
injuries this year, and could only finish 19th in 2.21.20.

Yet another Kenyan, Helena Kirop made good on her promise to run 2.25, and
break the women’s course record. She dominated the race, breaking away at
halfway, and winning in 2.25.29, over a minute faster than Italian Maura
Viceconte’s record of 2.26.33, set back in 2001, now seen as the dark ages of
marathoning.

His anonymity, coupled with his aggressive front-running may have led his
rivals to think Kiptanui was a pacemaker. But that was dispelled in the latter
stages of the race. There is a saying among marathoners that the race really
begins at 35k, and when Kiptanui ran away from the last of his rivals at that
very stage of the 42.2k race, no one was in any doubt that he would win.

By that time, race favourite Tsegay, fourth in the IAAF World Championships
last summer had dropped off the pace into fifth place, leaving his colleague
Getu Feleke to lead the vain pusuit of Kiptanui. But while the youngster was
running the second half of the race almost a minute faster than the first, in
62.23 to 63.16, the minor places underwent a radical change. Tsegay regrouped,
to finish second, while Koech got the better of Feleke for third.

When Kiptanui won the Safaricom Marathon in Kisumu, Kenya in December, it
was in humid conditions with the temperature well over 30C. But, he won there by
over seven minutes.
“I was expecting a better time than 2.12,” said Kiptanui
immediately after the race here with, one feels, a degree of understatement. “I
thought I could do 2.08, 2.09, but 2.05 is incredible, I’m very happy”.

His time is sixth fastest in the world this year, but more importantly the
17th all-time, on a list led by Haile Gebrselassie, with 2.03.59, on the rapid
Berlin course. Kiptanui’s manager, Volker Wagner was on hand, reminding everyone
that the Prague course, with several kilometres of cobblestones is far from
being the fastest in the world.

“With a time like this, he can now get into races like New York, Chicago
and Berlin,” said Wagner. Asked about a faster time in, say Berlin, Kiptanui
responded, “If the field is good, I can go faster”.

The $75,000 in prizes and bonuses here should also be a reminder of
further possibilities. But in common with many of his compatriots, including
Kirop who runs a foundation so that deprived girls can get schooling, Kiptanui’s
first thought, when asked what he would do with the money, was for his family.
“My brothers (two) and sisters (three) are still in school, I have to assist
them”.

Despite fighting back to gain second place, Tsegay did not disguise his
disappointment. “Some people might think 2.07.11 is a good time,” the 25 year
old Ethiopian said at the press conference. “But I’m not happy with this time.
What I think is a good time is 2.05”.

In contrast, debutant, Koech was overjoyed with his 2.07.23. “I ran well in
the half-marathon here, it’s my favourite course, I’m very happy because it was
my first marathon”.

Kirop was equally pleased with her first victory in a dozen marathons. “I
ran with friends until 20k, then pushed it until 35k. I’m very happy, because
it’s the first time I’ve won a marathon in my career”.

Ashi Kasim of Ethiopia tracked Kirop through halfway, but blew up, and let
Alevtina Ivanova of Russia through for second in 2.27.36. Kasim held on for
third in 2.29.54.

RESULTS
place/bib no. name   country time

MEN
1 36 Eliud KIPTANUI KEN 2.05.39
2
2 Yemane TSEGAY ETH 2.07.11
3 11 Nicholas
KOECH KEN 2.07.23
4 9 Getu
FELEKE  ETH 2.08.04
5 13 Wilson
KIPROP KEN 2.09.09
6 12 Denis
NDISO  KEN 2.10.51
7 4 Kenneth
MUNGARA KEN 2.10.53
8 6 Dereje
DEBELE ETH 2.11.13
9 5 Solomon
BUSENDITCH/KEN/2.11.51
10 37 Josephat
KEIYO KEN 2.12.21

Helena Kiprop, VW Prague Marathon, photo courtesy of VW Prague Marathon

WOMEN
1 F1 Helena
KIROP KEN 2.25.29
2 F5 Alevtina
IVANOVA RUS 2.27.36
3 F4 Ashu
KASIM ETH 2.29.54
4 F122 Yulya
RUBAN ROM 2.31.13
5 F11 Florence
CHEPSOI KEN 2.32.18
6 F7 Larisa
ZYUSZKO RUS 2.32.55
7 F2 Lyubov
MORGUNOVA/RUS/2.33.17
8 F6 Eyerusalem
KUMA ETH 2.39.15
9 F117 Valentina POLTAVSKA/UKR
2.39.26
10 F112 TetIana MESENTSEVA/UKR 2.40.05

For more on Pat Butcher, and his travels, please click on, www.globerunner.org

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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