Posted: February 10, 2005

Athletics: 2004 Olympic Bronze Medalist Deena Kastor To Run Chicago

Athletics: L.A. Marathon XX Counts Down

In 2004, David Kirui of Kenya might have been the first runner to cross the finish line of the Los Angeles Marathon XIX…..were it not for Tatyana Pozdnyakova of the Ukraine. He had to settle for finishing first among the elite men.

How could it be that a woman won the race when natural differences in strength and muscle mass would almost guarantee a male victor?

Last year, in an exciting new format created by the L.A. Marathon, elite men and elite women were pitted against each other on a level playing field for the first time in the history of running a marathon, to see just who would be King or Queen of the 26.2-mile road. “The Challenge,” which allows the elite women to start roughly 20 minutes ahead of the elite men, is on again for 2005 and will determine who will be King or Queen of the 26.2-mile road at the L.A. Marathon XX.

Both defending champions return – Pozdnyakova to defend her title and Kirui to settle the score.

Will Tatyana hold on to her title? Will David make the pass?

In the Wheelchair Division, newcomer Kurt Fearnley of Australia will have to complete the course in under 1:27:07, the record held by Saul Mendoza, to take top honors… and word on the street is he can do it.