Results for 2015

Kenya’s former world record holder Patrick Makau successfully defended his in 2:08:18 the first to win back-to-back since Ethiopia’s Tsegaye Kebede in 2008 and 2009 writes Ken Nakamura. “After the pacemakers dropped out at 25km, everyone was waiting to see who is going to take over the lead,” said Makau.

Until then runners were very close to 3 mins/km pace for a time around 2:07:00. But it abruptly slackened to 3:07 for the next kilometre and they never recovered. 30km was passed in 1:30:49, with 10km to go at 32km, the lead pack was down to Makau, his compatriot Bernard Koech, Ethiopia’s Feleke and local Japanese hope Satoru Sasaki. Just before 35km Koech surged but Makau quickly moved up to join Koech. Makau made his own move with 5km to go ahead but did then did just enough to keep ahead.

2:08:18 was the world record time that Australia’s Rob De Castella ran in the 1981 Fukuoka Marathon 34 years ago. Feleke and Sasaki both passed Koech in the closing stages. Kenya’s world record holder Dennis Kimetto fell off the pace after only 3km and dropped out at 5km.

Eight men (excluding pacemakers) went through halfway in 1:08:56. Despite Julius Maisei pushing the pace much of the time, the lead pack had only dropped by two at 30km. Maisei continued to dictate the tempo for most of the next 5km still to little effect but when he surged at 35km he was never headed. 2013 Singapore Marathon winner Luka Chelimo came through strongly in the final 5km after trailing the leaders by 14 seconds at 35km but picked off all except Maisei over the next 6km.

Nine women passed halfway in 1:25:16 and 25km in 1:41:00 but over the next 3km marathon debutante Doris Changeywo and fellow Kenyans Peninah Arusei and Sharon Cherop upped the pace to drop all others. After 35km Arusei started to fall back. Then Changeywo started to drop Cherop as they approached 40km. In the final 2km Cherop struggled and Arusei went past her to take second place.

There were 2100 entries from 33 countries over all six events which included two trail races. 1650 started and 1490 finished. Two thousand Euros were raised for the Run 4 Books charity. The next edition of the race will be on 27 November 2016.

The trio that made the podium were together as they entered the last kilometre but Tamirat Tola accelerated away with 500m to go writes Paul Gains. “I led after 2km; I pushed and nobody went with me, and I went on to win,” he said, with disarming simplicity.

In the women’s race Mamitu Daska put almost a minute between herself and her nearest rival. She broke clear just after halfway and continued to extend her lead over the uphill second half of the course. “The course and the wind were very difficult. I was very happy to participate in this race – Haile’s last race – and happy to win. I knew I was in good shape”.

The Great Ethiopian Run returned to its birthplace with both start and finish on historic Meskel Square for the first time in three years. Another new bit of history added was that it was to be Haile Gebreselassie’s swansong, performed in the race of which he is Patron.

More than 40,000 participants lined up, most of them resplendent in green t-shirts bearing his image and the slogan ‘Running For The Planet’.
Gebrselassie first fired the starter’s pistol before jumping in with the masses to accompany several government ministers. He later presented the awards with other leading Ethiopian athletes such as Tirunesh Dibaba, Sileshi Sihine and Genzebe Dibaba, who were all present for this carnival-like event.

“This year is a very special year and it’s not because I ran,” Gebrselassie explained. “For the last two years we were not in Meskel Square because of construction [of a city-wide light railway network]. Three years ago many participants walked here. Today, because of the new light rail train many people came on the train. That is different. Thanks to the government for allowing us to return to this square.”

“I saw [the ministers] only at the beginning. I had to move and run fast but it was not fast enough: 33 minutes. I should have started with the elite athletes to at least run 30 or 31 minutes. I started behind the group. I did a lot of what you call zig-zag,” he said.

Ethiopia’s Amane Gobena defended her title but fell short of bettering the course record she had targeted writes Phil Minshull. She led by 25 seconds at 5km and one minute at 10km. Her lead just kept growing for the rest of the race and she crossed the line with an advantage of almost nine minutes.

The men passed 10km in 28:32 but the pace settled soon after as Elias Chelimo and four others went through half way in 1:04:00. By 35km just Chelimo, Evans Kiplagat and Silas Limo remained at the front but over the next 5km Chelimo opened up a gap of 90 seconds over his fellow Kenyans. He faced a final 2km which he later described as “killer” but kept ahead to win by over 400m. Kiplagat was second again after also finishing as the runner up two years ago.

Kenya’s Paul Lonyangata outpaced two-time defending champion Stephen Mokoka to win in a course record writes Vincent Wu.

The men’s race started fast in good conditions and a lead group of 10 passed 10km in 28:20 but then slowed reaching 20km in 59:40 and 30km in 1:30:50. By the last 10km it was down to four runners and Mokoko was the first to try to pull away but Lonyangata was still with him at 36km and by 37.5km it was the Kenyan who started to take over the lead. The 30-year-old Mokoka held on as best he could and improved his PB of 2:08:33 which had stood since his marathon debut in 2010.

Rael Kiyara held off a strong challenge from Ethiopia’s Letebrhan Haylay to win the women’s race. Earlier this year she had set a course record of 2:31:22 at the Lanzhou Marathon. Haylay was running only her third marathon after her debut in Hong Kong in January and a thirdplace finish in Prague.
Her compatriot Rahma Tusa finished behind her in her marathon debut.

The trio paced the race for most of the first half, passing 15km in 52:22. Tusa slowed down near the half-way point while Haylay built a sole lead before passing 30km in 1:43:20. Kiyara bided her time and narrowed the gap little by little to take the lead after 36km and she then never looked back.

This year’s Shanghai International Marathon attracted 15,000 participants with another 15,000 running in associated events including a half marathon, 10km and 5km.

As the sun rose over the Mediterranean Sea a record 14,320 runners departed from the start line on the iconic Promenade des Anglais in warm autumn sunshine and under a clear blue sky. The course is set against the stunning backdrop of distant alpine summits but clings to the relatively flat corniche road and passes through many of the French Riviera’s most famous places before finishing on the world famous Boulevard de la Croisette in Cannes. 28% of runners came from outside of France to take part, representing 63 nationalities.

In the men’s race Barnabas Kiptum gradually burned off his rivals until he was left as sole leader by 30km. He had finished second the previous year.
Fellow Kenyan Rose Chepchumba took her second consecutive title and won by a huge 10-minute margin.

The Relay Marathon offered runners of all abilities a chance to complete the course as part of a team by completing stages of between 3km and 11km, 520 teams of friends, colleagues or family members took part. The third edition of the 2×21.1km Alpurna race attracted 1450 teams of 2 runners each.

Two-time U.S. Olympian Kara Goucher and Kenyan Elisha Barno recorded the second-best race times ever ahead of nearly 7000 runners.

Both pulled away in the last third of their races on this flat scenic course in downtown Monterey and Pacific Grove.

A pack of eight runners headed the men’s race after 3km including five Kenyans, a Moroccan, a Canadian and an American. Among them were two-time defending champion Jacob Chemtai and Nelson Oyugi, runner up in the last two races. After the turn-around near 13km alongside the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean, Elisha Barno and fellow Kenyan Macdonard Ondara who won in 2007 and 2010 dropped everyone else. Barno pulled away in the last 1500m, the third fastest winning time ever.

Goucher pushed the pace from the start in the women’s race. Others kept her company at times but she pulled away after 13km to win comfortably in the second-fastest time ever recorded in this race. Christine Kennedy, 60, ran 1:27:26 to break the previous over 60 record by 15 minutes. She now holds record for four different age groups.

The 4th edition took place as part of the City of Aguascalientes anniversary and the “Skulls Festival” celebrations. The Festival is one of the most important events in Aguascalientes. Its purpose is to preserve the All-Saints Day Mexican Tradition by honouring José Guadalupe Posadas, an outstanding cartoonist and artist born in Aguascalientes. Music, theatre, culture, tradition and entertainment are all mixed together and the race is part of these festivities.

Over 1500 people were inspired to participate by the Marathon Aguascalientes’ 2015 motto: “My legend begins today”. There were 326 in the marathon, 550 in the half, 460 for the 10km and 200 for the 5km. One wheelchair athlete and one blind athlete took part. Runners came from 26 different states in Mexico and 8 different countries.

The inaugural Mini Marathon was run the day before to promote running among children and youth.

A large group of 18 athletes formed the lead pack with a fast early pace and reached halfway in 1:02:56. But high humidity and rain splashing up from the road took their toll. For the last 10–15km runners looked as if they had all hit the wall. Like last year Bernard Kipyego coped best with the difficult conditions. Taking the lead near the Rijksmuseum, he entered the Olympic Stadium alone and shaved three seconds off his personal best.

Abdi Nageeye threw his arms up in the air as he crossed the finish line to make the Rio Olympic qualifying time. Fellow Dutch runner Michael Butter fell agonisingly short with his 2:11:08. Nageeye said: “I’m thrilled but I feel for Michel and Khalid. For three Dutch athletes [go under] 2:12 is a tremendous feat. The qualifying time is so much faster than for other countries, I don’t understand it.”

Joyce Chepkirui knocked 5 minutes off her best and recorded the eighth fastest women’s time ever run at the TCS Amsterdam Marathon.

44,028 runners gathered at the Olympic Stadium for the various events (Marathon, Mizuno Half Marathon, TCS 8km and races for children). Nearly 16000 runners registered for the marathon.19,000 entries over all events were from 105 other nationalities. The race was broadcast live in 137 countries.

A heavy storm the day before dampened expectations but Purity Rionoripo managed to set a marathon course record writes Antonio Fernandes. The strong winds and rain had left a lot of debris and water on the roads and there was further wind and rain during the race itself.

Rionoripo stepped up from the half that she ran last year to make her marathon debut. She ran alongside compatriot Margaret Agai during the early stages but made a break and passed halfway [1:11:59] 32 seconds ahead. She increased her lead to the end.

In the half marathon a lead group stuck together well into the race but with just a few kilometres remaining Beatrice Mutai, Wude Ayalew and Rebecca Kangogo emerged to battle it out for the podium spots. Mutai became the 11th Kenyan woman in the past 14 years to win the half marathon.

The men passed halfway in 1:04:41 in a pack but by 30km only Samuel Theuri and Abel Kipsang were left. They stayed together for several kilometres before Kipsang forged ahead. The only non-Kenyan winner in Lisbon came in the men’s half marathon, which was also the most competitive race of the day.

A pack of six ran together until 15km but a few kilometres later the lead pack was down to four, then three and then only Nguse Amlosom and Atsedu Tsegay who battled right to the end before Eritrea’s African 10,000m champion Amlosom edged ahead by a second at the finish line.

Guadalajara, Mexico’s second city, has a long colonial history and is home to the Charrería, the Mariachi and to tequila. There is a new “Tapatía” tradition which is the Guadalajara International Marathon’s joy and relaxed hospitality, shared for the last 31 years with people all around the country and many foreign visitors. 4000 national and foreign runners took part this year. Even the children got the chance to compete in some small races with the dream of being Marathon runners of the future.

For the second time in three years, Kenyans recorded a double victory writes Stephen Reilly. Florence Kiplagat asserted herself in front of a lead pack of seven runners for most of the race before pulling away in the final 5km. Up to 15km [49:40] the pace was sub-2.20 but began to drop approaching half way [1:10:27]. The pack was whittled down one by one, leaving Kiplagat and Yebrgual Melese out in front. With just a few kilometres of running left, Kiplagat pulled away for her first marathon victory outside of Berlin.

“With no pacemakers, I was trying to control the front,” said Kiplagat, who earlier this year broke her own world half-marathon record with 1:05:09 in Barcelona. After winning she attempted to leap for joy but instead fell and rolled over. Still smiling, she gave a thumbs-up from the ground as she dedicated the race to her two daughters.

A fast time in the men’s race was not guaranteed without the use of pacemakers, which was evident as 10 runners passed halfway in 1:05:11. They only began to separate after 30km. Dickson Chumba, Sammy Kitwara and Ethiopia’s Abera Kuma forced the pace to cover 30–35km in 14:38. They opened up a 15-second gap. Kuma fell behind with about 5km remaining, as Chumba made his break to stretch out to a 25-second winning margin over Kitwara.

“Running today was like a long run training time,” said pre-race favourite Kitwara: “A slow pace was tough.”

The men’s race was fast and furious as Tisia Kiplangat took an early lead. As he passed halfway in 1:06 course record holder Lamech Mokono and defending champion Daniel Kipkoech were hanging on. Kiplangat continued to blaze away at the front but he started cramping at 40km and collapsed in the final kilometre. Kipkoech passed him to take the win.

Defending champion and favourite Lioudmila Kortchaguina was leading for most of the race but with 1km to go Erin Burrett attacked and passed Kortchaguina with 300m remaining. Kortchaguina finished 20 seconds behind herb but broke her own Masters record from 2014.

Burrett, in her marathon debut, finished 8th of 1204 finishers – the highest ever finishing position by a female in the 36 years of the race. 6800 finished all the events, including 1200 in the Marathon.

The course run is believed short by approximately 500m.

Overnight rain was quickly drying up by the time Marathoners and 30km runners departed in ideal conditions: 14C under an overcast sky. Dániel Soós crossed the line first, also taking the top spot in the Hungarian national championship. Among the women Tímea Merényi repeated her 2012 win but was hard pressed by veteran Simona Staicu who had made the Rio 2016 qualifying time in Berlin only two weeks previously.

In marked contrast to the chauvinistic reputation currently ascribed to the Hungarian Government the Budapest Marathon is one of the most foreigner-friendly events to be found anywhere in the world. Runners are cheered in along the home straight with their name and country of origin announced – along with thanks for their participation. The Coca-Cola Wake Your Body 30km was won by a Norwegian man and a Spanish woman.

In total a record 27,860 runners from 80 countries took part in one or other of the weekend’s events. The oldest Marathon runner to participate was 80-year old György Kiss who improved his time of last year by 15 minutes.

Tilahun Tariku won the seventh edition in ideal conditions, setting a new course record after gradually easing away from Henry Kibet in the second half of the race. The duo were on 2:16 pace to start but on the final of the four 10km laps around the ancient city centre the wind slowed them. The women’s contest between Sarah Kebaso and Rebecca Tallam followed a similar pattern with defending champion Kebaso overcoming the early challenge to eventually finish six minutes clear.

Asefa Hunde and Gadamnesh Yayeh were completely dominant in the half marathon. Behind them over 200 local and international participants completed two circuits of the same lap used for the marathon. Around 8500 in the 10km ran a popular new course that took in a substantial area of the city and entered the city centre using the Wadi Saqra. The finish was the same as for the other races at the166 AD Roman amphitheatre.

The event was held for the second time under the Run Jordan organisation, who have been instrumental in promoting the sport. They now organise four events in Jordan with a total of 16000 participants and founded the Jordan Road Running training club.

The Standard Chartered KL Marathon has been cancelled due to an urban haze which reached unhealthy levels. The medical team, the Malaysian Athletics Federation (MAF), and the Institut Sukan Negara advised cancellation because the rapidly deteriorating air quality presented a danger to the health of participants. This decision was supported by co-organisers, Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur, and the title sponsor, Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia. Registered participants can collect finisher entitlements from 06.00–12.00 noon, on 4 October 2015 or by arrangement on a later date.

A record 11,000 took part in all races from 49 countries. After being paced through halfway in 1:04:00 29-year old Kenyan Samuel Kosgei picked it up in the last 5km to clock a new pb and the 5th fastest winning time in Europe this year. He missed Lawrence Kimaiyo’s 2012 course record by only six seconds. The first three men all improved their personal best times.

Ethiopia’s Mulu Diru led from the start and passed halfway in 1:15:11 but faded slightly for a 2:35 win.

Six thousand runners entered the marathon, up 10% on last year. Another 14,000 took part in the Half Marathon, a relay marathon (with 682 teams of 4 persons each) and a school marathon (with 255 teams of 6).