An Unpredictable Run for Glory

New York, November 3, 2007—This was the year of firsts at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Men’s Marathon, which coaxed marathoners, local runners, and spectators out of their cozy apartments early this morning to line Central Park. This Olympic Trials race was the first to be held in the calendar year preceding the Olympic Games (the 2008 Games will be held in Beijing next summer); this was the first men’s marathon Trials to accept athletes who qualified with 5000- and 10,000-meter times; and this race is setting the tone for the ING New York City Marathon in an unprecedented weekend of world-class running in New York. In a race that broke new ground on many levels, it is only fitting that the results were also surprising. In the greatest gathering of American male marathoners the world, and this city, has ever seen, there was no telling what kind of race would unfold today.

Three runners with relatively pedestrian qualifying times broke into the top 10: Jason Lehmkuhle of Minneapolis, a member of Team USA Minnesota, finished fifth in 2:12:54, nearly a four-minute PR; Nathaniel Jenkins of Lowell, MA, ran a two-minute PR, 2:14:56, to take seventh place; and Jason Hartmann of Boulder, CO, wearing bib number 24, was 10th in 2:15:27.

Another surprise was the fourth-place finish of American record-holder and former world record-holder Khalid Khannouchi of Ossining, NY. Though he wore bib number 1 thanks to his 2:07:04 clocking at the 2006 Flora London Marathon, Khannouchi was a big question mark today due to a chronic foot injury that had left him with only nine weeks to prepare. Khannouchi pronounced himself delighted with his finish and said he would gladly accept a spot on the marathon team in Beijing should one of the top three choose not to compete or suffer an ill-timed injury.

Inevitably, some of the surprises were heartbreaking. Meb Keflezighi, who took silver in Athens in 2004 and is the only American to win an Olympic marathon medal since Frank Shorter in 1976, suffered calf problems and finished eighth. Alan Culpepper, the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Men’s Marathon champion, Abdi Abdirahman, the three-time USA 10,000-meter champion, and Peter Gilmore, who qualified with a 2:12:45 in his seventh-place finish in Boston last year—all dropped out, citing fatigue (Culpepper), injury (Abdirahman), and illness (Gilmore).

Ryan Hall’s triumph in 2:09:02 astounded even his most ardent admirers for its complete mastery of the challenging Central Park course. Runner-up Dathan Ritzenhein quieted any doubts that he is unable to perform on the world stage, and Brian Sell’s breakthrough third-place finish proved that through hard work and dedication, anything is possible.

In a race unlike any other in Men’s Marathon history, New Yorkers were fortunate to see dreams become reality for at least three American athletes on home turf today. There are sure to be more dramatic moments to come in the ING New York City Marathon 2007 on Sunday.

Tragically, Trials competitor Ryan Shay died at 8:46 a.m. after collapsing on the course and being rushed to Lenox Hill Hospital. The shocking news was announced after the race was completed. NYRR extends its very deepest condolences to Shay’s family and friends, including many fellow Trials runners.