LIVE stream: 63 Degrees and sunny
Wiegner looks for huge PR.
Chicken Tender Runner (CTR) hoping to capitalize on recent multi-sport success.
DEVELOPING...
5K UPDATE: Murphy (17:04), CTR (17:37), Daly (18:08)...Murphy running 5:30s, Tender 5:40s...Daly/MikeC together running 5:50s...15:36 for Wiggy (5:02s)
10K UPDATE: Murphy (34:05), continues to run 5:30s, CTR (35:36), slows slightly to 5:45s, Mike C running 5:50s, Jimmy is running 5:55s. No update from Wiggy.
10 MILE UPDATE: Murphy - 56:09, MikeC - 58:37 (steady 5:51s throughout race), CTR/Daley together at 59:41. Still no update from Wiggy. Note that tracking was late delivering his 5k split
FINISH: New GRCer Jerry Greenlaw - 1:10:18, Patrick Murphy - 1:14:47, Mike Cotterell - 1:16:25, Andy Sovonick - 1:18:40, Jimmy Daly - 1:19:20
REPORT: Men's leaders go out VERY fast; 4:30, 9:06, 13:30 (14:00 - 5k). Race favorite Ryan Hall, "running his own race", is nowhere to be seen near front. Former NCAA XC Champ Bairu among leaders. Shalane Flanagan his 10k in 31:45, 10 miles in 51:44 (is in 4th). 45:42 split for men's leader at 10.
TOP 10 MEN
10 Matthew Kisoro 1:00:153 Gebre Gebremariam 1:00:25
2 Abderrahim Goumri 1:01:33
11 Peter Some 1:01:34
8 Simon Bairu 1:02:08
14 Alistair Cragg 1:02:15
9 Wesley Korir 1:02:40
6 Shawn Forest 1:02:44
5 Brett Gotcher 1:02:50
39 Boaz Cheboiywo 1:03:01
EYEWITNESS: Surprisingly tough day. Not terribly hot, but muggy and sunny on last 4 miles. Music was slow and lame out along the river.
Many people didn't believe me that the reversed course was going to be completely different, but it was. The music was terrible and ths speakers were blasting you in the face in a real loud manner.
ReplyDeleteAll in all, two thumbs down for Rock and Roll Philadelphia - bring back Philly Distance Run!
lame music on the course. I only got pumped at the start. Good to see the guys out there.. Unfortunatly for me the race did not go as planned from about mile 7 on and I ate it pretty hard. No worries... I am going to take the next couple of weeks real easy and light if anyones down for some light miles and company.
ReplyDeleteRM - How was the course "different"? Does that mean "harder"? If so, why?
ReplyDeleteShoot! I just wrote up a whole thing and it didn't take. Blah.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, the general idea of it was that while the course was merely reversed, I felt like there was less rhythm. The first 3 miles had just as many turns as before, but you seemed to be running into HARSH sunlight for a longer time. I also think the later start time affected that.
It was definitely a warmer morning than the last few years, which may have thrown some people off too, so I won't discount that.
When you return to the start, previously you went to the left and ran the gentle downhill with the sun at your back before crossing the river and returning slightly uphill in the shade.
Now, you break right, which is generally downhill but features some rolling hills that soften the legs. Then you cross the bridge in the opposite direction and come back up the other side of the river. The incline doesn't seem as bad on that side, but you're running into the sun and it's more exposed.
The final kick in the pants was the 160m short but steep uphill to finish.
So while the winning time was quick, I think it was a byproduct of the field rather than the course. I certainly don't think it was faster. I realize how absurd it is that I'm complaining about a course that is flat and fast as it is, but I genuinely do think it was harder.