![]() ![]() It was a short incline at 22.5 miles that decided the outcome of the 121st Boston Marathon: Kirui surged - wickedly - Rupp responded, then faltered, and that was it. Common to them both, though, was the relaxed nature of their strides, remarkable at so late a stage in the race. The contrast in styles was marked: Kirui, short, compact and efficient Rupp, tall, loping, fluid as water. Soon the aforementioned Osako had shifted into third, but the battle to watch was up front between a pair of Boston debutants in Rupp and Kirui. Shortly past 20 miles (1:39:52), a surge by Rupp was followed up by a strong acceleration by Kirui, upping the ante and forcing Abdirahman to fall behind. What was a ten-man group at 25K (15.5 miles) turned into a three man show by 20 miles: American Rupp, Kenya’s Kirui, and USA Masters ace Abdi Abdirahman. Yet again the famed inclines served to shake up the pack, dropping top contenders one by one. Those who know the Boston Marathon course well understand that the Newton Hills often serve as the turning point in races year after year. The pack had stayed close all the way through Wellesley, passing halfway in 1:04:35. All the main contenders were content working together, saving energy for the hills and anticipated heat to come. Through the opening 10K in 30:26, raucous crowds were out in full force spurring the elites on as they clicked off mile after mile. ![]() American Galen Rupp was second in 2:09:58, followed by teammate Suguru Osako of Japan in third (2:10:28). Yet the warm temperatures did not deter Kenya’s Geoffrey Kirui, who stormed to victory in 2:09:37 in his Boston Marathon debut. As the elite men toed the starting line, the mercury in Hopkinton hovered close to 65F with hardly a cloud in the sky. Kenyan Kirui took home the title after battling American Galen RuppĪs runners assembled in Hopkinton for the 121st running of the Boston Marathon, it was the weather as much as the competition that was the focus of greatest conjecture. ![]()
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