The Next Generation of Champions
Ryan Hall wins Olympic Trials in record time in the most exciting and emotional men’s marathon in American history
New York, November 3, 2007—Is American distance running making a comeback? Today in Central Park, Ryan Hall, Dathan Ritzenhein, and Brian Sell convinced the world that American marathoning is not only entering a revival, but its top contenders are well equipped to dominate.
Under skies clouded by the threat of Hurricane Noel, history was made at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Men’s Marathon on a hilly multi-loop course. Hall, already the American marathon debut record-holder (2:08:24) and half-marathon record holder (59:43), broke yet another record with his 2:09:02 win—the fastest Trials time ever. Following Hall’s near two-minute lead, Ritzenhein and Sell completed the team.
The first two miles opened in a modest 11 minutes, with Michael Wardian leading the pack. The chase pack caught up at six miles, where Fasil Bizuneh of Boulder, CO, took the reins for a 5:19 seventh mile. Bizuneh’s lead was short lived, as Abdi Abdirahman coasted into the top spot at mile eight for the next two miles, where he increased the pace to just under 5:00-per mile. At mile 10, 2004 Trials winner Alan Culpepper led the pack, which consisted of Hall, Meb Keflezighi, Ritzenhein, and Dan Browne. Culpepper, suffering from severe hamstring fatigue, would drop out at mile 16.
After a 4:55 11th mile, American marathon record-holder Khalid Khannouchi departed from the chase pack and began to chase the leaders. Hall assumed a slight lead after the halfway mark, passed in 1:06:17. He soon tossed aside his cap, took control of the race, and never looked back.
Hall, of Mammoth Lakes, CA, later said he was “surprised by his [fast] splits.” He maintained a serene expression for the remainder of the race. His second half was an astounding 1:02:45, which is unofficially the fastest half-marathon ever run in Central Park. His 18th mile was his fastest (4:32). After the race, Hall called the day a “dream come true” in which, after taking the lead, imagined himself “at home in Mammoth on a training run with [his wife] Sara riding her bike beside me and encouraging me.”
Ritzenhein, of Eugene, OR, relied on his experience running in Central Park, where he set a course record in May at the Healthy Kidney 10K (28:08), to hold on to second place. The modest Ritzenhein reported that he was nervous between miles 21 to 25 due to cramping, and only became confident of his runner-up finish with 800 meters to go. He took the number two spot in 2:11:07.
The fight for the final coveted spot began around mile 17 between Browne, a 2004 Olympian in 10,000 meters and the marathon, and 2004 Olympic marathon silver medalist Keflezighi. At this point, the effects of the challenging course began to show, and drama ensued. Keflezighi dropped back, suffering from stomach pain, and calf cramping caused Browne to stop and stretch for a few seconds. Although he didn’t know it then, this was Sell’s window of opportunity. The 2006 Boston Marathon fourth-place finisher and possibly the hardest working man in Rochester Hills, MI, Sell surged past Browne in the 23rd mile; meanwhile Khannouchi unleashed another gear. Sell’s average 160-mile weeks paid off in the end, and he rounded out the 2008 U.S. Olympic Marathon Team with a 2:11:40 finish. Khannouchi, who had been suffering from a foot injury and was racing in new orthotics, finished fourth in 2:12:34, and will serve as the Olympic marathon alternate.
The top-10 finishers included Jason Lehmkuhle, fifth in 2:12:54; Browne, sixth in 2:13:23; Nate Jenkins, seventh in 2:14:56; Keflezighi, eighth in 2:15:09; Josh Rohatinsky, ninth in 2:15:22; and Jason Hartmann, 10th in 2:15:27.
Shortly after the race concluded, it was announced that Ryan Shay of Flagstaff, AZ, who had collapsed at 5½ miles and was rushed to the hospital, had died. “We extend our deepest condolences to the Shay family, and ask that everyone please give them the respect and space they need right now,” said Mary Wittenberg, race director and New York Road Runners president and CEO.
It was a tearful finale to a parade of heroic performances. The most exciting Olympic Trials race ever concluded with the Olympic torch being passed from veterans Culpepper and Keflezighi to rising stars of the next generation, and to the memory of a fallen compatriot.
