Khannouchi still chasing the Olympic dream

NEW YORK - It wasn't too long ago that top American runner Khalid Khannouchi was blazing through the streets of Philadelphia in the prestigious Distance Run where it seemed like he was a threat to the World Record in the half marathon every time he toed the starting line. It wasn't just in Philadelphia or the half marathon, either. The citizens in London and Chicago also have seen Khannouchi torch the field in the full 26.2-mile marathon distance featuring some the best distance runners ever. Between October of 1999 and April of 2002, Khannouchi set both the World and American records in the marathon twice - once apiece in each city.

By the end of 2002, when he was just 31 years old and coming into his prime years as an endurance athlete, Khannouchi had the world in the palm of his hand. Newly naturalized as an American citizen in May of 2000, Khannouchi not only owned the most-coveted records in his event, but also had established himself as the greatest marathoner of all time by virtue of his five best times. He had run the fastest debut marathon ever; he was the first human to break 2:06 in the distance and added the 20K world best to his impressive resume, too.

Better yet, he had set up his home base in New York's Hudson Valley where he and his wife Sandra were knee deep in the American Dream. The only thing missing amidst the record times and the victories in major marathons was a chance to stand atop the podium in the Olympics as the "Star Spangled Banner" played.

As 2002 turned into 2003, the thought that Khannouchi would represent the U.S. in the Athens Games and win a medal was as solid a bet as one could make. In fact, the very notion seemed inevitable. Khannouchi had missed his shot at the Olympics in 2000 when his naturalization could not be expedited in time for him to compete in the Trials. Instead of travelling to Sydney to race in the Olympic Marathon, Khannouchi went to Chicago where he won that marathon for the third time in four years and shattered the American record with a 2:07:01.

Yes, by the time 2003 rolled around and Khannouchi had lowered that 2000 American record to a world best 2:05:38, it seemed as if there was nothing the man could not do.

But it never happened. Khannouchi did not get to the podium at the Olympics as most expected in 2004. Actually, he didn't even make it to the starting line at the Trials. Since then, he's been doing all he can to find an ounce of consistency to a career that was once as sure as the tides.

When the dreaded injury bug rears its head and bites it makes many athletes wonder about what could have been. Most athletes, that is, except for Khannouchi.

"I don't regret anything. Injuries are a part of our game," he said. "You have to be a man and accept what you get. I was happy I was able to get great times and win major marathons when I was in shape, but injuries are part of the game and you have to do the best you can to treat them and get back to running. That's what I've tried to do though I might not be in the best of shape for the U.S. Olympic Trials."

But these days, with the 2008 Olympic Marathon Trials set for this Saturday, Khannouchi has to wonder if this is his last shot. Now quickly approaching his 36^th birthday with his fastest times seemingly behind him, Khannouchi might have just one more chance to get to the Olympic podium.

That is if he even makes the Olympic team for the Beijing Games in 2008.

This Saturday's Olympic Trials that will take place over a challenging (read: undulating terrain) criterium-style course in New York City's Central Park, is said by more than a few seasoned experts to be the deepest field for the race ever. First held in 1968, the Olympic team is determined by the top three finishers in the trials race. If an injury (or something else) knocks one of the top three out of the Olympics, the spot is filled by the fourth-place finisher (and so on) from the Trials. It's quite an egalitarian - better yet - American way to select an Olympic team. With all three members of the last Olympic team slated to race (Alan Culpepper, Meb Keflezighi and Dan Browne), along with a handful of the up-and-coming U.S. marathoners - including Ryan Hall, the 23-year old Californian who ran a 2:08 in London last April for the fastest debut ever by an American - Saturday's field is stacked deep. As many as 10 runners have a legitimate shot to crack the top three to earn a spot to go to Beijing.

The race will be just as tough on the runners mentally as it will physically.

"There's definitely a lot more depth and it will be a lot more challenging, and the course itself is challenging, so it's tough," said Keflezighi, who won the silver medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Needless to say, Khannouchi, of course, is one of those contenders. He enters the race with the fastest qualifying time - a 2:07:04 in London in 2006 - but one would be hard pressed to find too many pundits penciling the Morocco native into their top three.

Why? Isn't it a bit curious that the current American record holder and two-time world record holder is being written off in favor of guys like Hall, Keflezighi and young guns Abdi Abdirahman and Dathan Ritzenhein? How can the only guy in the field who has run slower than 2:07:19 just twice in his nine career races be considered a dark horse?

Does that make sense?

Well, kind of.

For one thing, Khannouchi has completed just two marathons since winning Chicago in 2:05:56 in 2002. For another, all of his marathons were run in Chicago and London, two courses (to be generous) known to be runner-friendly and where a sidewalk curb could be considered a gain in altitude.

And of course the biggest reason why Khannouchi isn't as feared as he once was is those nagging injuries. It was the injuries that kept him from completing a single marathon during 2003, 2005 and, yes, even 2007. During Tuesday's pre-race conference call, Khannouchi revealed that his training had been hampered by a neuroma between the second and third metatarsals on his right foot. He says even easy running causes him pain, though his sponsor, New Balance, has designed a special shoe to fit in a specially designed orthotic that has been wearing throughout his training during the past two months.

Add in the fact that a bulk of Khannouchi's training occurred during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, where it is customary for followers to fast during daylight hours, and no one is really sure what to expect this Saturday.

"I really don't know what kind of shape I'm in right now because I didn't perform well in my races," Khannouchi said, noting that he ran a less-than stellar 1:05:04 in the San Jose's Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon.

Meanwhile, Khannouchi notes that he wasn't able to run his typical 130-miles per week, settling instead for a more modest 105. To accommodate his training, Khannouchi traveled from Ossining, N.Y. to Manhattan to do midnight runs over the Trials course in Central Park. That was followed by rising a few hours later to start the process all over again.

"I had to make some adjustments. I didn't do as many miles as I usually do before a marathon," Khannouchi explained. "This is the first time I had to train through Ramadan, in the past I would do easy runs and easy workouts. I think I did a pretty good job. If the race is a tactical race and I don't have to run 2:07 to be on the podium [it will help].

"I would do my first run at 5 p.m., two hours after breaking the fast, and I would have to wait until midnight to do my second workout. My wife was with me all the time, every day. That's the motivation and sacrifice you have to do if you want to achieve your dream."

Could Khannouchi be playing possum? Is he using a little reverse psychology to make his competitors believe he isn't quite as good as he once was?

Maybe. But then again, maybe not.

But the American dream still burns for Khannouchi, though maybe not as brightly as it once did. Finishing in the top three on Saturday would prove to be the topper to an epic career.

"Not as much as I did before," Khannouchi said in response to a question about whether the Olympic dream still burns as hot as it once did. "But to be honest, I still have the drive and this is a very important dream for me.

"For me it's a dream to represent my country in the Olympics and do the same [as Meb]. I've worked as hard as I can. I did the best I can and I feel I can do as well as everybody else."

So how will it shake out on Saturday? Can Khannouchi battle the course and the competitors to finally get there? Does he have what it takes for one last hurrah?

"It's tough to say because the marathon is always so unpredictable," Khannouchi said. "To be honest, I don't have a tactic that I'm going to use in the race. But we all assume that it will be a slow first half and then everything will be played in the last lap or two.

"This is not a race like a big city marathon that you have to win. But I think everyone wants to make the team. If you ask me if I want to work really hard and try to go for first place, or do you want to make the top three, I will say that I want to make it easy for myself and try to make the top three."

From there, it's off to chase the dream one more time.

More: Khannouchi still chasing the Olympic dream

Breaking Down the Trials... Sort Of 

Counting Down to the Trials 

Counting down to the Trials

At this point in the game, the runners in the Nov. 3 Olympic Marathon Trials are beginning to think about their taper. With months of 120 to 140 miles weeks behind the top runners, there isn't too much many more hard workouts will do for a guy other than wear him out. A hard long run or a serious set of intervals this late in the game is almost like studying for an exam the night before - if you don't know it by now, it's too late.

So with 11 days to go before the biggest marathon of the year, all that's left is to hype the race... and relax a bit.

It is funny (in the ironical sense) that the taper period is the most difficult part for runners to get through. Going out there every day to run 15 to 20 miles is always less scary than the very idea of cutting back the training.

Anyway, this year's trials could be the deepest ever. In fact, Khalid Khannouchi, the American record holder in the marathon (2:05:38) says in an interview with Runner's World that there are "seven or eight" legitimate contenders to take the top three spots to earn a position on the Olympic team. Of that seven to eight, there are two runners whose injuries could prove to ruin their chances at making the team.

The biggest name of the bunch is Meb Keflezighi, the silver medalist in the 2004 Olympic Marathon, whose calf injury forced him to shut down his normal training routine for a few days. If Meb is going to make another Olympic team he's going to need healthy calves to negotiate his way over those five-mile loops on the criterium-style course in Central Park.

Khannouchi, the former world-record holder, is another runner who always seems to battling through one injury or another. However, Khannouchi turns 36 in December and knows that he doesn't have much time left if he wants to make an Olympic team or run fast times. Actually, the Nov. 3 Trials could be Khannouchi's last shot.

It could be the last shot for a lot guys, too. But you can read/watch all about that on your own. The New York Road Runners - host of the Central Park Trials - has put together a comprehensive web site complete with profiles of the runners and the uncompromising course. Runner's World site is loaded with interviews of the top runners and the latest news.

My favorite bit from the RW site is the interview with contender Brian Sell, who when asked the reason why he puts in the 150-mile weeks was for his mileage was for his "body or his head," just laughed and said, "head."

"I don't have any advantages over those guys in terms of talent so knowing that I ran 20 to 30 miles more per week it gives me the strength."

Sell's answer is better than mine when folks asked me why I ran 100-mile weeks when preparing for a marathon.

"Because that's what it takes."

Truth be told, it's more for my head than for anything else.

More: Breaking down the Trials... sort of 

*** Speaking of my head, my hour-a-day plan has entered its second week though there have been a few hiccups here and there. One was a two-day visit to the hospital for our youngest boy, Teddy. The little fella got a virus/cold that resulted in a 103-degree fever. Because he is just seven-weeks old, his doctor decided around-the-clock care at Lancaster General was the smart plan.

So yeah, I skipped a day.

Meanwhile, I ran from my house near Franklin & Marshall College/Lancaster Country Day to Columbia, Pa. on Sunday during the hottest part of the day, and today I did 10 in 69:05 (splits: 34:36; 34:29) aching from a spasming calf and an old-fashioned head cold.

Needless to say it was a struggle. And frankly, if I feel this way before the Harrisburg Marathon I'm going to take the DNS. That could mean a full calendar year without a marathon...

But that won't last. My manager (wife) and I went through the schedule and crunched the numbers and decided to target The National Marathon in Washington, D.C. on March 29.

The plan is to regain my strength and drop some weight for the next eight weeks before putting my 14-weeks plan into full effect.

The training plan? Here it is with unexplained jargon:

Week 1 2 miles easy + 2 x 2 miles @ 5:35/mile + 9 miles easy + 3 miles @ 5:35/mile + 2 miles easy

4 miles easy + 5 x 1 mile @ 5:10/mile + 5 miles easy

Week 2 20 miles in 2:15

2 miles easy + 10 miles in 58 2 miles easy

Week 3 4 miles easy + 8 miles in 48 + 1 mile in 5:35 + 6 miles in 36 + 1 mile in 5:35 + 2 miles easy

knockdown in 33, 32, 31

Week 4 22 miles with 5 miles in 28

knockdown in 32, 31, 30

Week 5 22 miles in 2:28

2 miles easy + 10 miles in 58 + 2 miles easy

Week 6 20 miles with 12 in 72

knockdown in 32, 30, 29

Week 7 22 miles with 5 in 28, 10 easy, and 5 in 28

knockdown in 31, 30, 28

Week 8 22 miles in 2:27

4 easy + 10 in 57 1 mile cool down

Week 9 23 miles with 12 in 72

knockdown in 31, 31, 27

Week 10 22 miles with 5 in 28

knockdown in 32, 30, 29

Week 11 22 miles easy

4 miles easy + 5 x 1 mile @ 5:10/mile + 5 miles easy

Week 12 BLAST WEEK

Week 13 22 miles easy

5k or 10k race

Week 14 * 13 easy * 10 easy * 4 miles warm up and cool down + 3 in 16 * 6 miles easy * 4-5 miles easy * 3 miles easy * 4 miles easy

Time for racin'

As the weather gets warmer and spring slowly morphs into summer – or something like that – the running and racing season gets into full swing. These days, certainly, there is no dearth of racing opportunities for anyone looking for a 5k anywhere on any weekend, but the well known, long-standing road races are looming.

Around here there is something called the Red Rose Run that is quintessentially a local five-mile run as opposed to a five-mile race that attracted world-record holders and Olympians that it did during its heyday. That’s fine, I guess, because I doubt most people really care if it’s Kenyans or local racers at the top of the leaderboard. Most people who run (based on my uneducated experience) don’t particularly care if they get faster from race to race or what place they finish. Everyone has a reason for running, and sometimes one doesn’t have to be fast to enjoy it – that’s the beauty of it.

Nevertheless, there are a few of us who don’t do this for our health. Deep down we’re aggressive, hostile and competitive. Running is the perfect place to channel those feelings.

Anyway, speaking of racing and really good runners, Khalid Khannouchi was back racing in a 10k through Central Park last weekend after dropping out of the London Marathon in April. Actually, the fact that Khannouchi was racing in New York was such a big deal that The New York Times offered a pre-race feature on the runner as he prepared to race against American Dathan Ritzenhein and Australian Buster Mottram. After the race Ritzenhein told reporters that he was “intimidated” at the starting line to see Khannouchi, the American record holder in the marathon, standing there.

As followers of the sport know, Ritzenhein finished the race in a Central Park-record 28:08, 17 seconds ahead of Mottram. Khannouchi, meanwhile, was 14^th in 30:06.

Perhaps the injuries that plagued Khannouchi in London resurfaced in Central Park? I couldn’t find any post-race comments from Khannouchi online aside from a rhetorical question posted on his web site:

Is Khalid back?
Obviously, not yet!!

According to the story in The Times, Khannouchi wants to race in Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Games and then call it a career. First, however, he has to make the U.S. marathon team, which doesn’t sound too difficult noting that he has the fastest qualifying time for the trials and that he is the only man in history to run under 2:06 three times. Khannouchi’s five best marathon times make him the fastest ever.

Yet for some reason his name doesn’t enter the conversation when talking about who will finish on the podium and make the Olympic team at the marathon trials in November. Never mind that there is no other American within three minutes of his best times. For some reason Ritzenhein, Ryan Hall, Alan Culpepper, Brian Sell, Meb Keflezighi and Abdi Abdirahman are the runners to beat, while Khannouchi seems to be forgotten in the, “oh yeah… him,” sense.

Is that because he missed the trials in 2000 and 2004 with injuries that some whispered weren’t serious enough to really keep him out of a race like the Olympic Trials? Is it because of his age (he’s 35)? Could it be that he has completed just two marathons since running Chicago in 2:05:56 in 2002? Forget that only one American was even in the neighborhood of the times he did register (2:07:04 in London in 2006 and 2:08:44 in Chicago in 2004); he has run 2:05… three times!

Either way, the trials in Manhattan in November should be quite interesting. Take Khannouchi out of it and it’s the deepest American field in a long, long time. Add him into the mix it’s possible that the American marathoner could be one of the strongest teams in Beijing in 2008.

Anyway, I think I’m getting closer to deciding whether I will run a local road race or two in the upcoming weeks. Aside from that, I’m also continuing to build up for a marathon in October and/or November. So far my strength and recovery is pretty good but my speed… well, let’s just say I’m strong.

Here’s how the week of May 14 to 20 broke down:

Monday - 18 miles in 1:59:38
I was consistent and strong for the entire run. It helped that the weather was perfect, of course, but this was a good one. I only started to feel slightly tired toward the end and I'm quite sure that I could have busted out another hour with no trouble.

First 5: 33:21
2nd 5: 33:05
3rd 5: 32:56

Aside from a slow first loop, I was pretty rock steady consistent.

Tuesday - 13 miles in 1:26:48
Felt pretty good in the beginning. My legs had a little snap and I was raring to get out the door and get busy. But it was hot and sunny, which slowed me down as the run wore on. It wasn't anything major, but it was quite obvious that the sun and heat were a drag.

Splits:
1st 5: 33:05
2nd 5: 33:24

Elsewhere, I read that Deena Kastor has skin cancer and has been battling the issue for a little while. Not so seriously (except for where it pertains to my finances), my car came dangerously close to overheating and I had to take it to the garage. Hopefully it's not too major.

Tomorrow: ART.

Wednesday - 13 miles in 1:26:16
I actually veered into the Brick Yards today for some reason. I also had a fairly quick pace thanks in part to hard winds blowing a nice tailwind. Better yet, the wind and approaching rain storm brought the temperatures down to something more conducive to distance running. If only the weather would be 55 and overcast for two hours every day...

Thursday - 10 miles in 64:00
I didn't sleep well, so I decided to get up and run early. Surprisingly, it went fairly well. I kept the pace steady and ran a few surges, though nothing that would constitute speed work or to get too excited about.

Friday - 15 miles in 1:36:49
This was really good one. The weather was perfect -- 55, cloudy with drizzle -- and despite feeling a little tight when I woke up, I was solid and smooth the entire time. Who knows... maybe I'm starting to get into shape.

Saturday - 12 miles in 1:18:24
I ran well and felt strong. I'm sure I could have put in many more miles, but I don't want to overdo it quite yet. I guess I stopped because I want to pace myself. On another note, I added a few faux strides when I was finished. I definitely feel as though I have to do a better job with my speed work.

Sunday - 6 miles in 36:32
This one proved that I'm not in great shape and/or that I need to start getting busy with the speed workouts. I tried to run up tempo with the possibility of running a 5k time trial, and it didn't really go as planned. I ended up just doing a tempo run, which wasn't spectacular. I didn't push it because I didn't feel too good, but the times when I did push it ever so slightly, it didn't feel good either. I ended up doing five miles in 29:24, which was disappointing, but at the same time, I really didn't push it. Nevertheless, the point is that I have to get to work.

That’s 87 miles for the week.

Wet and wild redux

Perhaps the best thing about the two consecutive weather postponements for the Phillies is that Freddy Garcia gets that much more time to rest up before taking the mound. Of course Garcia hasn’t pitched all season and is on the mend from biceps tendonitis, which isn’t good, but you get the point. Tendonitis typically occurs because of overuse and the best remedy to fix it is rest.

No rest equals bigger trouble.

According to the Phillies, Garcia is ready to go so we all finally get a chance to see Pat Gillick’s big off-season acquisition in action on Tuesday night against Tom Glavine and the Mets.

On another note, Garcia is a really big dude with really wide shoulders. He looks like he should be able to throw really hard.

***
Meanwhile, the Phillies sent out a release this afternoon stating that Citizens Bank Park won the “Best Ballpark Eats”at the first-ever “Food Network Awards.” According to the press release:

Citizens Bank Park, home of the Phillies, was honored last night for having the “Best Ballpark Eats” during the premiere of the Food Network’s first-ever awards show, the Food Network Awards. The 90-minute show celebrated achievements in the world of food and entertaining in an offbeat awards ceremony unlike any other on television.

Citizens Bank Park offers many features that make it “Not Your Typical Ballpark.” From foods with Philadelphia flavor such as Rick’s Steaks, Tony Luke’s sandwiches and cheesesteaks, Chickie’s & Pete’s Crab Fries, Planet Hoagie and The Schmitter sandwich … to eateries such as Bull’s BBQ, Harry the K’s Broadcast Bar & Grille and McFadden’s Restaurant & Saloon. Plus, there are many traditional favorites such as hot dogs and fries at the Hatfield Grill stands, pizza from Peace A Pizza, ice cream products from Turkey Hill, Bubba burgers and many local and national brews. For more information, please go to www.phillies.com.

An internal panel led by Food Network Kitchens selected the nominees for the awards; the same panel, which represents all departments at the network, chose the winners, in addition to five viewer’s choice categories that were determined by votes on www.foodnetwork.com.

Citizens Bank Park beat out the other ballpark finalists: Camden Yards in Baltimore, AT&T Park in San Francisco and Safeco Field in Seattle.

Notes from Boston
While the Phillies take the day off because of the weather, the Boston Marathon was full of intrigue for those of us interested in that type of thing and most of it was on the women’s side of the race.

All runners, it appeared, chucked out their time goals and simply competed, which made for a very tactical race. With steady 20-mph headwinds with 50-mph gusts and temperatures that started at 50 degrees and dropped like a rock to the bottom of a swimming pool, survival was the rule of the day. It definitely was no day at the beach.

Perhaps that’s why American Deena Kastor struggled in her Boston debut to finish nearly six-minutes off the pace for fifth place. A pre-race favorite, Kastor said her training for the race was “flawless” and based on how she dominated at the national cross-country championships, it was evident. But Kastor threw in a second straight “clunker” in a major marathon after running a 2:19 for the American record and the victory in the London Marathon last April, a victory in Chicago in October of 2005 and a bronze medal in the Olympics in Athens in 2004.

It’s a little baffling because Kastor clearly is tough. The Athens Olympic Marathon was run over a course very similar to the one she raced over today in Boston under conditions that were not conducive to running. In that race Kastor ran smart and solid to bring home the bronze.

Yet after running and winning on two courses designed for speedy, and world-record times, Kastor struggled on two “classic” styled courses by finishing sixth in 2:27:54 and today’s fifth-place finish in Boston in 2:35:09, which under ideal weather conditions might have resulted in a similar time to the one from NYC.

So is the tactical-style of racing or the undulating terrain on courses like New York and Boston that tripped up Kastor? Who knows. All we know is that running is a fickle mistress – some days you have it and some days you don’t. That’s really deep, I know, but what else is there to say? There is no such thing as getting “hot” in running, meaning it’s conceivable that I could hit a home run off Roger Clemens or get “hot” and finish a round under par in golf. But there is no way I will ever be able to run a 2:10 marathon no matter how hard I train or if I have a good day.

Unlike other sports there is no such thing as luck in running.

note: The New York Times reported that Kastor struggled with stomach cramps during the race. Her plan, before the weather report turned from bad to worse, was to go out hard from the start. Later she changed plans to race tactically before making a move at Heartbreak Hill. Instead, when it came to make a move Kastor went for one of the many port-o-pots lining the course. Except for the cramps, Kastor says nothing else bothered her during the race.

“I knew coming in here that the competition would be great and I could conquer it,” she said. “That wasn’t the case today. We marathoners can get pretty hard on ourselves, but I felt I had the drive to push forward and the will to win the race. So I’m definitely disappointed knowing I was good enough to come here and win this race. I’m disappointed that didn’t happen.

“Usually, you can learn a lesson from a marathon. I’m not taking anything away from this one. There was no learning experience. A fifth-place finish is a fifth-place finish.”

So yes, it had to be something with Kastor. She's far too good of a runner to simply have a bad day. Just ignore the second-guessing.

Certainly that was the case for Lidiya Grigoryeva and Jelena Prokopcuka, who finished in first and second place in the women’s race. Grigoryeva, from Russia, won in 2:29:18 by surging with a 5:10 mile to take her from Brookline to Kenmore Square on the point-to-point course. She smartly stuck close to Prokopcuka, the two-time champ in NYC and now back-to-back runner-up in Boston, when the Latvian dictated a strong early pace into the teeth of the Nor’easter. By Heartbreak Hill, Prokopcuka and Grigoryeva gapped the chase back and left Kastor a minute off the pace with approximately 15 kilometers to go.

Though she didn’t win, Prokopcuka may have been the best runner in the race.

Robert Cheruiyot didn’t have the problem of being the best runner in the race and falling short. Like Prokopcuka, Cheruiyot set the pace as if to tell the other racers that, “It begins and ends here, fellas. Hang on if you can… ” In the end, Cheruiyot finished in 2:14:12 – way off the 2:07:14 he ran to set the course record last year, for his third victory in Boston.

As a side note, while watching the race I was struck by Cheruiyot’s running style and how he gobbled up ground with a powerful stride that was contrarily efficient and smooth. Then it hit me… he ran like Moses Tanui. You remember Moses Tanui, the two-time Boston champ from the Nandi District in Kenya who was the first human to run a half marathon under an hour? Of course.

Tanui was so tough that he won the silver 1995 World Championships in the 10,000 meters even after one of his shoes fell off.

Tanui ran two of the bravest races I had ever seen, coming from more than a minute off the pace at Heartbreak Hill to chase down two runners in the final 200 meters to win the 1998 Boston followed by the great 1999 Chicago Marathon where Tanui and American record holder Khalid Khannouchi dueled at world-record pace from the gun.

In that one, Tanui surged from the pack at the 17th mile to build a 60-second lead with five miles to go. That’s when Khannouchi decided to go after Tanui to catch him with about 5k left. The two took turns trying to break one another until Tanui reached for his water bottle at the 25-mile mark. That’s where Khannouchi really threw down the hammer using Tanui’s slight hesitation as the thin window of opportunity.

On TV, Khannouchi and Tanui disappeared into a tunnel together where cameras couldn’t send out a signal or the helicopter offering a bird’s eye view couldn’t hover. But when they came out Khannouchi was alone and blazing to set a world record in 2:05:42. Tanui finished in 2:06:16, just off the record Khannouchi had broken.

Anyway, it dawned on me that Cheruiyot’s gait was eerily similar to Tanui’s until the announcers revealed that he is coached by Dr. Gabriele Rosa – Tanui’s old coach. Then it all came together… it all made sense.

Nevertheless, Cheruiyot won his third Boston and he’s just 28. Wait until he gets to his prime.

And wait until you read this story...