Posted: April 18, 2005

Athletics: Ndereba And Negussie Win Boston; Culpepper Fourth

From David Monti

(c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

BOSTON (18-Apr) -- Catherine Ndereba of Kenya continued her dominance of the BAA Boston Marathon here today, notching a record fourth victory, while Hailu Negussie became the first Ethiopian man to win here since Abebe Mekonnen in 1989.

With Ndereba and Negussie finishing first, the African dominance of the event continued, especially on the men's side where an African has won 14 of the last 15 years.

But there was something to celebrate for the home country this year as Alan Culpepper, 32, of Lafayette, Colo., became the first American man to finish in the top-5 here since Dave Gordon finished fourth in 1987.

"It's very special," said Culpepper after finishing fourth in 2:13:39, his slowest marathon so far. "It's one of the greatest events in the world."

Like last year, warm conditions played a significant role here, but to a lesser extent. Temperatures were in the middle 60's F at the start of the all-women's race at 11:30 a.m., but had warmed up to around 70 by the time the men and the rest of the recreational runners started at noon. The runners also faced a stiff head wind.

Ndereba Stalks The Field

The conditions dictated a conservative pace, and the women took the first downhill mile in a pokey 5:52, around a 2:35 marathon pace. But Lyubov Morgunova of Russia, last year's Honolulu Marathon winner, got impatient and shot ahead. She was followed by the 43 year-old Firaya Sultanova-Zhdanova, Romanian Nuta Olaru, and last year's runner-up, Elfenesh Alemu of Ethiopia.

But soon Morgunova yielded the lead to Olaru and Alemu, while Sultanova-Zhdanova dropped back. The Romanian and the Ethiopian then ran side by side mile after mile, passing through half-way in 1:12:11. Just before the 25 km mark, Alemu surged and took the lead alone. Ndereba, who was running fourth at the time and a solid 50 seconds back, was just getting going.

"I was just running as my body was feeling," said Ndereba after the race. "First of all, I felt like my legs were kind of heavy when we started. I kept on doing it, taking it easy." She then added, "My body started responding."

Responding, indeed. From 20 km to 25 km, Ndereba ran 17:04, 26 seconds faster than Alemu. From 25 km to 30 km she clocked 16:57, 22 seconds faster than Alemu. In short order, the lead was gone, and before 35 km was reached, the two were running together.

"I didn't look back when she was coming," Alemu said after the race. "I was dong my best to keep my pace. It was a little bit windy."

In a replay of last year, the two ran side by side in the last miles of the race, but with a difference. In 2004, Ndereba made her move for victory with just one mile (1.6 km) to go. But this year, she slipped away from Alemu in the 23rd mile, running a 5:23 and a 5:19 to put the race out of reach.

"As I kept on pushing the pace, I felt my body was moving. I felt like I could do it."

It was all over bar the shouting. Covering the second half in 1:11:42, she got to the finish on Boyleston Street in 2:25:13, almost two minutes up on Alemu's 2:27:03. Coming from behind, Bruna Genovese of Italy finished third in 2:29:51. Only three women broke 2:30, the same as last year when the race introduced an all-women's elite start.

The top U.S. finisher on the women's side was Emily LeVan of Wiscasset, Me. The mother and nursing student finished 12th in 2:43:14.

"It doesn't define me," said LeVan of her running. "I enjoy all the things that I do." She then added, "Running is part of that balance in my life now."

Ethiopia On Top For First Time Since 1989

The men's opening miles were downright slow: 5:10 and 5:12, a 2:16 marathon pace. That was fine with Negussie.

"I knew the pace was slow so I was holding back," he explained. He was wary of the big pack of Kenyans who could later surge on him in the race. "I was worried about that."

The slow pace was an incentive for the pack to stick together, and most did except for Stephen Kiogora, a training partner of defending champion Timothy Cherigat, and a little known Moroccan, Khalid El Boumlili. This odd couple teamed up and had built up a 20 second lead by the 20-K mark. They were absorbed by the chasers at the 25-K point, and the huge pack had recongealed. The race was lacking leadership and Negussie decided to step it up.

"I made the move because I know there were a lot of Kenyans and I had to break away some place," Negussie later explained.

He didn't fool around. After cresting Heartbreak Hill in the 21st mile, he surged hard in the mostly downhill 22nd mile, covering it in a blazing 4:29. For good measure, he knocked out the next mile in 4:47, and the damage was done.

"For day and night I dreamed of winning the Boston Marathon," said a smiling Negussie who said he had prepared particularly well.

His 2:11:45 winning time was the slowest since Toshihiko Seko ran to the Boston title in 1987, five seconds slower. Wilson Onsare, second in 2:12:21, and Benson Cherono, third in 2:12:48, were the only men who remained of the lead pack who finished well. Culpepper, holding steady, passed Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, Cherigat and Benjamin Kipchumba to take fourth. His steadiness paid off.

"It was deceivingly hot out there," commented Culpepepper. "No, honestly, I was just tyring to maintain."

Unheralded Peter Gilmore of San Mateo, Calif., finished tenth in 2:17:32, putting two U.S. men in the top-10 since 1993. Ryan Shay of East Jordan, Mi., finished 11th in 2:18:17.

"I think I may have underestimated the hilly sections from mile 16 to 21," said Shay who also said that the heat was definitely a factor. "My core temperature was getting too hot."

NOTE: Look for detailed results in tomorrow's Race results Weekly --Ed.