From Runners World:
Update 1: On a cloudy, chilly windy morning, the 86 Olympic Trials marathoners got off to a fair, even start. The first 9 miles are essentially a straight shot to the downtown section of Birmingham where they will then run 3 laps of a 5.43-mile circuit.
Peter Clusener and Teddy Mitchell shared the early lead, reaching the first mile in 5:05. The pack is about 8 seconds back.
Update 2: Teddy Mitchell appears to be attempting to steal the race. He ran the second mile in 5-minutes and the pack has let him go. The pack is approximately 130 meters back of Mitchell, followed by Keith Dowling and Shea Lehmkuhle.
Mitchell has run the third mile in 5:05.
Update 3: After 3 miles, Mitchell continues to lead, reached in 15:12. Clusener is a few seconds back. The lead pack is approximately 30 seconds in back of Mitchell.
At 4 miles, Mitchell has opened his lead to about 150 meters. His 4th mile was a 5:10. Clusener has dropped off. Brian Sell has moved up into second.
Update 4: After 5 miles, Mitchell continues to lead the pack by about 90 meters. Mitchell's split after 4 miles was 20:17. He has reached 5 miles in 25:18. Sell remains in second. The lead pack has moved up on Sell.
Update 5: Mitchell continues his aggressive front running. His 5-mile split is 25:30, 15 seconds ahead of Sell with the pack about 10 seconds in back of him. The favorites appear to be tightly bunched in the lead pack, content to let others break the wind and do the front running.
At 6 miles, Mitchell leads in 30:35, another 5:08 mile, about a 2:13 marathon pace. Mitchell looks back to Sell who has closed the gap. The pack has also closed the gap on Sell. Sell is only 25 meters behind Mitchell.
Update 6: The official 6-mile split was 30:40, a 5:11 mile by Mitchell who continues to lead by 25 seconds on the lead pack.
Sell has overtaken Mitchell just before the 7-mile mark and the two are running together. It appears they are working together to break the wind. Sell passes the 7-mile mark in 35:50 with Mitchell at his side.
Update 7: Sell's official 7-mile split is 35:47 with Mitchell a step back but appears to be struggling. The 26-runner lead pack is approximately 50 seconds in back. Keflezighi and Culpepper are running easily in the middle of the pack, but Browne appears to be uncomfortable at the back of the pack. The lead pack is approximatley 40 seconds in back of Sell.
Update 8: At mile 8, Sell leads in 40:51 and pulls ahead of Mitchell as they near the downtown loops. At mile 9, reached in 45:50, Sell continues to lead. Jim Jurcevich and Keith Dowling appear to have falled off the back of the lead pack.
Sell appears to be running comfortably as he leads entering the downtown loops where the crowds are.
Update 9: Sells reaches 9 miles officially in 45:02, a 5:11 mile. The pack is about 25 seconds back. Sell runs the 10th mile in 4:55, but the pack is starting to break up. The leaders of the pack have cut a few seconds off Sell's lead.
Update 10: Sell officially reaches 10 in 50:54--a 4:52 mile. The pack--headed by Ryan Shay, Alan Culpepper, Todd Meyer and Scott Strand--runs a 4:49 mile and closes slightly on Sell.
Update 11: Sell cruises a 4:50 mile and goes through 11 miles in 55:47. He has a 34-second lead on the pack which is beginning to splinter. Sell goes through 12 miles in 1:00:43 and gets a reassuring word from his coach,. one of the Hanson brothers.
Josh Cox, Keith Dowling and Kevin Collins are attempting to bridge the gap.
Update 12: The pack includes Cox, Hellebuyck, Culpepper, Dave Morris, Keflezighi and Scott Larson.
At halfway, Sell leads in 1:06:17--a 2:12 pace. The pack is about 20 seconds back.
Update 13: Sell continues to lead, reaching halfway officially in 1:06:18. Sell goes through 14 miles in 1:10:45. Peter Gilmore appears to be leading the first pack which includes 10 runners, including Peter Julian, Culpepper, Larson, Keflezighi and Josh Cox.
Update 14: Sell leads as the group heads onto the second loop of the downtown course. The 25-year-old from Michigan has opened up a minute lead on the pack and goes through 15 miles in 1:15:32. He is on 2:12 pace.
Update 15: Sell's 16th mile is 5-minutes, reaching 16 miles in 1:20:30. His lead is about 60 seconds as he heads into the wind. Meb, Browne, Culpepper, Larson and Helleybuck and Trent Briney are among the leaders of the pack. Shay and Dowling are behind with Verran dropping off the pace.
Update 16: Sell's official 16-mile split is 1:20:28--a 2:12 marathon pace. Sell does not have the "A" standard of 2:15 so he needs to either win or run faster than that and finish in the top 3 to qualify for Athens.
The second pack is down to 6, including Culpepper, Keflezighi, Collins, Browne, Hellybucyk and Larson. Meb and Culpepper are heading the pack. Strand has dropped off the pace.
The second pack is down to Culpepper, Briiney, Meb and Browne.
Update 17: The pack has narrowed the gap to 28 seconds. Sell leads at mile 18 (1:30:30). Culpepper heads the second pack with Browne and Meb nearby.
Update 18: Culpepper has moved up considerably to narrow the gap on Sell to about 30 seconds. The four runners making up the chase pack are Culpepper, Briney, Kefleizghi and Browne.
At 19 miles, Sell reaches in 1:35:35.
Update 19: Sell continues to lead, but the gap has closed to about 125 meters. Culpepper, Briney, Browne and Keflezighi make up the chase group--about 30 seconds back--with nobody else in sight.
The 19-mile official split is 1:35:37.
Update 20: The 20-mile spit is 1:41, but Sell's lead has shrunk and is less than 25 seconds behind Sell. Sell doesn't appear to be floundering, but might not be hold onto the lead. Sell's lead is less than 15 seconds as Culpepper begins to move.
Update 21: It appears that Browne, Briney, Culpepper and Meb are working together to reel Sell in. They are now on the final 5.43-mile loop and Sell appears to be tiring as he tries to hang onto the loead.
Sell is looking back to see how back the pack is which continues to close. Sell reaches 21 miles in 1:46 with the chase group less than 10 seconds back.
Update 22: Sell's last mile is 5:16 and his lead is about three seconds. Meb, Browne and Culpepper appear ready to pounce. Briney is cramping. Sell has now been passed by Culpepper, Browne and Meb.
Sell is now in fifth. Of the three, Browne appears the least comfortable. Culpepper looks relaxed.
Mile 22, Browne, Culpepper and Keflezighi have control of the race at the front.
Update 23: Culpepper has assumed a short lead past 22 miles (1:50:47) and appears to be the most comfortable. He has a step or two lead on Kelflezighi and slightly more on Browne. Briney is in fourth. Browne is fighting for third. Sell is no longer in the picture.
Past 23 miles in 1:56, Culpepper and Meb havge separated themselves from Browne.
Update 24: Keflezighi and Culpepper, 2000 Olympic teammates and good friends, are controlling the race from the front. Meb looks back toward Browne who appears to be laboring. Meb and Culpepper are on 2:11 pace and rolling toward the finish. The finish terrain is a key. There is a slight uphill and then two turns to the finish. Kelfezighi ran the finish several times yesterday. Snow flurries are beginning to fall. There is a huge crowd awaiting the Olympians at the finish.
At 23 miles, Culpepper and Meb went through in 1:55:38. At 24, they went through in 2:00:34 with Browne third.
Update 25: Culpepper and Meb have put the hammer down. Meb has dropped slightly in back of Culpepper and is drafting off him. Browne is way back, but still holding onto third. At 25 miles, Culpepper and Meb go through in 2:05:45. Browne is 50 meters back. Briney is in fourth.
Update 26: Browne is safely in third as Briney has dropped off the pace. Culpepper and Keflezighi are locked in a battle royale for the win.
Culpepper wins, followed by Keflezighi and Browne.
No comments:
Post a Comment