Chicago marathon focused Ndereba, wins Crim Ten Miles

25 August 2002 - Flint, USA - Kenyan dominance of the Crim 10 Miler continued at the event's 26th edition as Catherine Ndereba notched up her fifth consecutive win, while Simon Rono collected his first men's title on an overcast and misty morning in Flint, Michigan on Saturday.

The women's race was the first meeting between Ndereba, the holder of the world's fastest time for the marathon, and 25-year-old Moroccan Asmae Leghzaoui since the latter blasted onto the world road racing scene with world best performances at 8km and 10km earlier this summer. And the two did not disappoint, scorching to the second and third fastest ever Crim performances, with Ndereba the victor in a personal best of 52:09.

While her 12 second margin of victory made it look easy on paper, Ndereba, who turned 30 last month, admitted it was anything but. "It was not easy," she said, "but it was a wonderful race."

Ndereba held a slight advantage through the first four miles, when Leghzaoui, led by a male pacemaker, took command and forged to a 100 metre lead. But the defending champion did not panic. "I just kept my pace and told my body to run how it feels." She caught Leghzaoui in the eighth mile, and slowly began to pull away.  Kenyan Agnes Ngunjiri was a distant third in 55:41, while Russian Tatyana Khmeleve (55:49) and Zivile Balciunaite of Lithuania (55:53) fought a hard battle for fourth.

It was the sixth overall Crim title for Ndereba, who will race next in Philadelphia's PhilaDistance Festival of Races half marathon on September 15th as a final tune-up before her eagerly anticipated match-up with Paula Radcliffe at the Chicago Marathon on October 13.

"It is going to be really tough," Ndereba said of her Chicago title defence. "With two sub 2:19 (runners), it is no joke."  She said she hasn't altered her training approach --75 to 100 mile weeks, with two days of speed work on the track-- adding that she will remain at her eastern Pennsylvania base until the Chicago race. While she refused to make any predictions, her quick come-from-behind victory here was certainly a confidence booster after two consecutive road losses this month. "I am hoping to break my own record."

In the men’s race, if the start time humidity which neared 100 per cent rendered an attack on Joseph Kamau's six year-old course record unlikely, the opening two miles hovering at near ive-minute pace left it impossible. Six members of the Hansen's Running Group from Rochester Hills, Michigan, led by Clint Verran, towed the lead pack of nearly two dozen runners through the first mile in 4:58 before slightly picking up the pace to 4:51 during the second.

The pack was reduced to 14 by the third mile before a quick 4:28 fourth mile left just a trio of Kenyans -- Simon Rono, Gabriel Muchiri and Gilbert Koech-- in contention.  Muchiri, who won last weekend's Parkersburg Half Marathon, began to struggle during the race's uphill portions, giving Rono, who was running his first race of the year after a return from injury, a clear advantage in the second half.  Rono made his decisive move as he approached the six mile point, and built a nine second lead by mile seven.

He closed with 4:48, 4:43 and 4:38 miles for his first major road win since the 2001 Indianapolis Life Half Marathon. Benjamin Kosgei (47:21) and William Kiptum (47:29), the 2000 New Haven 20K winner, passed the fading Muchiri in the eight mile to finish second and third.

"It was a very good race," said the 30-year-old from Eldoret. "I knew I was in very good shape and was feeling stronger later (in the race). It is terrific to win my first time here." Rono races next in Atlanta's USA 10-K Classic on September 2.

For the second year in a row, Kyle Baker was the top US finisher.  He was seventh in 47:55, up from 11th (49:10) last year.

Leading Results -

Men -

1. Simon Rono               KEN    47:13
2. Benjamin Kosgei        KEN    47:21
3. William Kiptum           KEN    47:29
4. Gabriel Muchiri          KEN     47:33
5. Christopher Cheboiboch KEN  47:34
6. Gilbert Koech            KEN     47:34
7. Kyle Baker               USA      47:55
8. John Kariuki             KEN      47:58

40+ -
1. Andrew Masai, 42          KEN  49:33 (overall 14^th place)

Women -

1. Catherine Ndereba       KEN   52:09
2. Asmae Leghzaoui        MAR  52:21
3. Agnes Ngunjiri             KEN  55:39
4. Tatyana Khmeleve        RUS  55:49
5. Zivile Balciunaite          LIT     55:53
6. Nicole Stevenson        CAN    56:02
7. Cori Mooney               USA    56:32
8. Tania Jones                CAN    57:39

40+ -
1. Tatyana Pozdynyakova, 47  UKR         58:10 (overall 9^th place)