Sunday, December 13, 2009

Honolulu Marathon Up Date

7:28 AM: Svetlana Zakharova won the women's race in 2:28.33 (unoffical). It is her third Honolulu win and first since 2002.

7:12 AM: Ivuti wins in 2:12.14 (unofficial).

7:07 AM: Ivuti hits mile 25 at 2:05.48. Has slowed severely and might not break record. Should still defend his championship though.Meanwhile, Zakharova has about a 30-second lead at mile 22, hitting it t 2:04.50, Baxter reports.

7:01 AM: Less than 2 miles left, and Nicholas Chelimo Kipkorir is about a minute behind Patrick Ivuti.

6:50 AM: At mile 22, Ivuti still has a big lead at 1:49.09. But he ran a 5:23 mile, his slowest of the race, Gusukuma reports. "His form is breaking a little, but Jimmy is still far behind."

6:48 AM: Svetlana Zakharova has made a move and is out in front of Shimahara and Chepchumba after 19 miles.

6:46 AM: Defending champion Patrick Ivuti has slowed and hits 21 miles at 1:43.45. Still on record pace, and still leads comfortably. Analyst Toni Reavis: "Can his mind overtake what his body is telling him?"

6:38 AM: Pamela Chepchumba rejoins Shimahara and Zakharova at the front at mile 17.

6:31 AM: Pamela Chepchumba falls back a bit. Kyoko Shimahara and Svetlana Zakharova hit 16 miles at 1:30.58 in the lead.

Patrick Ivuti is running away with it, hitting mile 18 at 1:28.25. "He's at a sub-5-minute-mile pace and looks really good. The wheels would have to fall off for him to not break the course record," Gusukuma says.

6:28 a.m.: Masazumi Soejima wins the wheelchair race.

6:19 a.m.: Patrick Ivuti makes a move "and takes a sizable lead" at the 25K mark at Hawaii Kai, Chance Gusukuma reports. Kim Baxter reports that Kaori Yoshida has dropped back, leaving Shimahara, Chepchumba and Zakharova out front.

6:08: Chance Gusukuma reports that Ivuti hit the half-marathon point at 1:04.20, with Nicholas Celimo Kipkorir right with him and Jimmy Muindi about 10 to 15 meters back. The pacesetter, Chepkwony, has fallen back.

Lots of joyous cheering near the park as the main body of runners continues to stream by. Conditions much more pleasant than last year, when it rained hard through much of the race.

6:03 a.m.: The front women hit mile 11 in 1:02:27, still a group of four. "Shimahara looks strong in the lead," reports Kim Baxter.

5:55: The men slowed significantly at mile 11, running it in 5:07 after going under 5 minute mile pace to that point. Ivuti still leads with Chepkwony ... and six-time champion Jimmy Muindi is up front with them.

5:53 a.m.: The front women are 9 miles into it, around Diamond Head, at 50:58. Same four.

5:40 a.m.: Four women are out front: Shimahara, Zakharova, Yoshida and Chepchumba as they pass Kapiolani Park, 7 miles in 39 minutes, 12 seconds.

5:33 a.m.: Defending champion Patrick Ivuti, Gilbert Chepkwowny and William Chebon are out front, running a 2:06 pace as they head out to the highway.

5:20 a.m.: A group of seven women is out front, including defending champion Kyoka Shimahara, Svetlana Zakharova, Kaori Yoshida and Margaret Okayo. The pacesetter, Yuko Manabe, has dropped out of the race just a few minutes into it, Kim Baxter reports.

5:12 a.m.: A pack of eight men is out front after two miles, reports Chance Gusukuma. All six of the elite Kenyans and the two pacesetters. The pace was 4:57 for the first mile and 4:58 for the second.

5:02 a.m.: Fireworks continue as the thousands of runners make their way past the starting line. A total of 23,469 people have registered for the marathon, 237 more than last year. It will take a half hour for everyone to cross the starting line.

5 a.m.: They're off. We'll have updates from Chance Gusukuma and Kim Baxter who are in the pace trucks and will write stories on the winners for tomorrow's Star-Bulletin.

4:45 a.m.: 15 minutes to the start of the race. Quiet at the Kapiolani Park finish area where workers and volunteers are gathering and making final preparations for the onslaught to start in a few hours as more than 20,000 people begin to run into the park. Weather conditions are excellent and with strong elite fields organizers cautiously hope for record times.

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