2019 Boston Marathon - The American Men

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2019 Boston Marathon - The American Men

Shadrack Biwott | Jared Ward | Jeffrey Eggleston | Abdi Abdirahman | Dathan Ritzenhein |

At the current moment we'll argue that Galen Rupp stands ahead of all other USA male marathoers. But, with the exception of Rupp, the American runners at the 2019 Boston Marathon represent the best of the current crop and favorites to make the Olympic Team for 2020. Among the best, here are the best of the best:

Photo Credit: Victah Sailer

Shadrack Biwott
Country: USA
PB: 2:12:01, 2016 TCS New York City Marathon
Boston Best: 2:12:08, 2017 Boston Marathon

Biwott arrives at the 2019 Boston Marathon after a strong 2018 season in which he placed third at an exceptionally challenging Boston Marathon (2:18.35), second at the Rock N' Roll San Jose Half Marathon (1:04:04) and secured his spot in the U.S. Olympic Trials with a 2:12:52 qualifying time at the TCS NYC Marathon. Biwott's third place performance at the 2018 Boston Marathon (2:18:35), in cold and rainy conditions that resulted in an unprecedented number of drops from the elite field, shows a tenacity and toughness that are largely unrivaled. This followed a fourth-place finish at Boston in 2017.
A University of Oregon graduate raised in New Mexico, Biwott was a multiple time All-American and USATF Runner of the Year in 2015, when he placed on the podium in every event from the 10K to the marathon. He has since 2017 been training with the Hanson's Distance Project and steadily improving; His 2018 TCS NYC Marathon time did not place him as high in the field as expected after a too fast start, but his PR of 2:12.01 at the same event in 2016, which garnered him a top-5 finish and second American honors, show he has the skill and experience to race with the best in the sport.

Photo Credit: Victah Sailer

Jared Ward
Country: USA
PB: 2:11:30, 2016 Olympic Marathon, Rio de Janeiro
Boston Best: 2:15:28, 2017 Boston Marathon

A graduate of Brigham Young University and a breakout star of the 2016 Olympics, Ward faces his second Boston Marathon after finishing first American and 6th overall at the 2018 TCS New York City Marathon (2:12:24). Following a 2nd place finish at the 2014 Twin Cities Marathon, Ward began to gain attention when he won the USATF Running Circuit title in 2015, winning the USATF Championships in the 20K, 25K and Marathon, as well as placing second in the half marathon Championships at the Houston Half Marathon. Capitalizing on this experience in 2016, he placed 3rd at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials (2:13:00) and finished a surprising 6th overall and first American in the 2016 Olympic Marathon while also setting his PR of 2:11:30.

Currently coached by Ed Eyestone, the part-time statistics professor most recently raced the 2019 United Airlines New York City Half Marathon, placing fourth in 1:02:33.

Photo Credit: Victah Sailer

Jeffrey Eggleston
Country: USA
PB: 2:10:52, 2014 Gold Coast Marathon
Boston Best: 2:11:57, 2015 Boston Marathon

While Eggleston has a handful of wins at respected marathons including Pittsburgh and San Diego and may have run the most total marathons of this year's American competitors, he often struggles to make the podium at the most esteemed events. A University of Virginia alumni, Eggleston, who is now self-coached and residing in Colorado, spent his immediate post-collegiate years training in Flagstaff, AZ under Jack Daniels, a high-mileage devotee, often topping out at 150 miles per week before key events. While this mileage produced impressive PR's in both the Marathon (2:10:52) and Half Marathon (1:02:41, 2015 Houston Half Marathon), Eggleston hasn't yet been able to consistently marry that speed with race day conditions against the most competitive fields. Notable exceptions to this, however, are his performances at the 2014 and 2015 Boston Marathons, where he placed 3rd and 4th American, respectively. His experience running competitively on the Boston course as well as in two IAAF World Championship Marathons, combined with his strong performances on the hilly New York City and Pittsburgh marathon courses, could easily boost him into a top American berth in 2019.

Photo Credit: Victah Sailer

Abdi Abdirahman
Country: USA
PB: 2:08:56, 2006 Bank of America Chicago Marathon
Boston Best: 2:12:45, 2017 Boston Marathon

Abdirahman, a four-time Olympian, five-time IAAF World Cross Country Champion and 1998 PAC-10 Cross Country Male Athlete of the Year enters the 2019 Boston Marathon as one of the U.S.'s most prolific and experienced distance runners. His collegiate career at the University of Arizona included a 2nd place finish at the 1998 NCAA Cross-Country Championships; two years later, he competed in his first of four Olympic Games. Abdirahman, who holds multiple national titles in distances ranging from the 10K to Half Marathon, competed in the 10,000m event in the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, and the Marathon in the 2012 Olympic Games following a 3rd place finish at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Houston (2:09:47). While he did not compete in the 2016 Olympics, Abdirahman had a successful year, placing 3rd at the TCS New York City Marathon (2:11:23).

Now competing as a masters runner and regularly training with Bernard Lagat, Abdirahman continues to be a force in American distance running. While his recent performance at the 2019 United Airlines New York City Half Marathon (1:03:12) was well off his 2007 PR of 1:00:29 at the same event and his 2018 Boston Marathon performance (2:12:45) was impacted by the overwhelming conditions, his 6th place overall, 3rd American finish at the 2017 Boston Marathon and years of top performances on world stages (Olympics, IAAF, World Marathon Majors) clearly establish him as a top American contender at this year's event.

Photo Credit: Victah Sailer

Dathan Ritzenhein
Country: USA
PB: 2:07:47, 2012 Chicago Marathon
Boston Best: 2:11:20, 2015 Boston Marathon

Ritzenhein, a three-time Olympian and storied American distance runner, has emerged from semi-retirement from the marathon with new sponsorship, a new coaching team, and a stretch goal of making one last Olympic Team. Ritzenhein, a University of Colorado alumni who came of running age with fellow high school phenoms Alan Webb and Ryan Hall in the early 2000's, was the 2003 NCAA and Big 12 Conference Cross-Country Champion and won multiple national championships in his post-collegiate years. He qualified for, but did not compete in, the 2004 Olympic Games in the 10,000m event; he then placed 2nd in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 2007 (2:11:07) and 4th in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 2012 (2:09:55). He placed 1st American and 9th overall at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Marathon (2:11:59), and competed in the 10,000m event in the 2012 London Olympics following his semi-retirement.

Now part of the Hansons-Brooks team and training in Michigan and looking to re-assert himself as one of the U.S.'s most distinguished marathoners, Ritzenhein knows what it takes to compete at the very top, but will need to overcome his age and his years in semi-retirement for a top performance in Boston.
With a PR of 2:07:47 (2012 Bank of America Chicago Marathon), a top American performance at the 2015 Boston Marathon and a recent 1:01:24 Half Marathon win at the Rock n' Roll New Orleans Marathon, "Ritz," the fourth fastest American marathoner in history, appears in fighting shape.