Ayalew, Henehan Win 32nd Marine Corps Marathon
By Steve Nearman, Running USA wire
Posted Monday, 29 October, 2007
ARLINGTON, Va. - (October 28, 2007) - It has been since the mid-1990s since Tamrat Ayalew ran a 2:12 marathon, the Hoffa International Marathon.
Now 33, Ayalew has slowed considerably over the years but he was fast enough Sunday to earn the Middendorf Trophy, the top prize for winning the 32nd Marine Corps Marathon. He crossed the finish line ahead of 21,226 starters and over 20,600 finishers in 2 hours, 22 minutes, 20 seconds, exactly two minutes ahead of his nearest competitor, two-time defending champion Ruben Garcia of Mexico City.
Ayalew has been racing the roads of America for the past two years as a member of the Foot Solutions Racing Team out of Atlanta as he seeks political asylum from his native Ethiopia. His ultimate goal is to become an American citizen; Sunday's goal was to be triumphant in the nation's fourth-largest 26.2-mile race.
"I didn't do well last year," said Alayew, who ended up eighth here last year and became only the second Ethiopian to capture Marine Corps. "I decided after that race that I wanted to win."
Kristen Henehan of Silver Spring, Md., meanwhile, approached Marine Corps as more of a fun run. She did turn serious, however, with a half-mile remaining, pulling away from her nearest competitor and friend Lisa Thomas for a 2:51:14 in her marathon debut. Thomas, who said she was "very disappointed," followed her across the line just 26 seconds later in a personal-best performance by more than three minutes.
Ayalew spoiled Garcia's three-peat attempt and thwarted the efforts of Carl Rundell of Birmingham, Mich., runner-up to Garcia for the past two years, to finally notch the big win. All three athletes were part of a large pack which did not throw caution to the wind, and there was wind.
After some early sharp hills in Arlington, the pack still numbered 15 at nine miles, 10 at 12 miles, seven at the midpoint (1:12:39) and six at 15 miles. Shortly after, in East Potomac Park in Washington, Rundell dropped out of contention when Ayalew surged into a strong headwind.
Coming out of the park after 19 miles, it was just Ayalew, Garcia and Garcia's teammate in the Mexican Navy, Jose Miranda, heading onto the 14th Street Bridge. At the other end of the bridge in Virginia, Ayalew made his final surge.
"At 21 miles, I looked back and then I went," said Ayalew, who placed fourth in 2:24:41 at the ING Miami Marathon in January. "I felt good. I picked up the pace."
Garcia could not respond, he said, as his hamstrings began cramping. Ayalew would quickly pull away, gapping Garcia by 20 seconds at Mile 22 and 42 seconds at Mile 23. "Sad and frustrated," the 36-year-old Garcia said through an interpreter. "That's my whole reason to come here, to three-peat."
Rundell, who passed up the Olympic Marathon Trials this coming Saturday in New York City and finished fifth Sunday as he did in 2004, vowed "to return until I win this race."
It took Henehan only one shot in the women's competition. The rookie marathoner was no novice runner, starring for Carondelet High in Concord as a California state champion in distance running and for Georgetown University as a three-time All-American on a four-year scholarship as Kristen Gordon.
"My goal was to finish and want to run another marathon," said the 28-year-old Henehan, who graduated from Georgetown in 2001 and took a break from running until July when she started training for Marine Corps.
Her longest race before this one was the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach eight weeks ago, and before that, a 10-miler.
"When I signed up for this, I just wanted to do it for fun," said the lobbyist, who like a pro ran 40 seconds quicker over the second half. "I didn't know what to expect."
Will she try to qualify for next year's Olympic Marathon Trials, some four minutes faster? "I'll see how I feel when I wake up tomorrow morning."
32nd Marine Corps Marathon
Washington, DC, Sunday, October 28, 2007
MEN
1) Tamrat Ayalew (ETH), 2:22:20
2) Ruben Garcia (MEX), 2:24:20
3) Jaron Hawkins (USA / MD), 2:25:34
4) Jose Miranda (MEX), 2:26:03
5) Carl Rundell (USA / MI), 2:26:28
Top master (40+)
Greg Menegat, 40, CA, 2:36:41
WOMEN
1) Kristen Henehan (USA / MD), 2:51:14
2) Lisa Thomas (USA / VA), 2:51:40
3) Claudia Colita (ROM), 2:54:19
4) Gina Shaw (USA / TN), 2:56:43
5) Martha Merz, 45, USA / MD, 2:56:46, top master
Full results at: www.MarineMarathon.com
i