FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Lagat Posts 4-Second Win in QC Men's Marathon,
Guangul Sets Record in Women's Race
MOLINE, IL - Kenya's Philip Lagat and Ethiopia's Hirut Beyene Guangul
captured wins at the 2012 Quad Cities Marathon, presented by THE National
Bank. The 26.2-mile race toured each of the Quad Cities and was run under
sunny and calm conditions with temperatures in the upper 30's and lower
40's. Throughout the day four of the event's eight course records were
established.
Lagat made his marathon debut memorable with his victory and 2:19:41 finish
time (5:20/pace). Ethiopia's Demesse Tefera was a close second in 2:19:45.
It was the closest men's finish in the 15-year history of the event. Lagat
and Tefera were part of a five-man chase pack for much of the race. Kenya's
Nixon Cherutich held leads of 40 to 60 seconds during a good portion of the
race; he took a lead in the sixth mile that he would not relinquish until
the 24th mile. Cherutich surrendered the lead at this point and dropped
out, while Lagat and Tefera charged to the front. The runners battled in
the final miles, before Lagat moved in front just blocks from the finish
line. Edward Tabut (Kenya) finished just off the leaders in 2:20:28, while
Abraham Rutto (Kenya) held on to 4th-place in 2:21:14. Jacob Buhler
(Edmond, OK) moved up during the race to capture fifth overall and first
American in 2:22:18.
In the women's race, Guangul and Mary Akor (Hawthorn, CA) ran stride for
stride for most of the second half of the race. Guangul's surge in the
final miles pushed her to a new course record in 2:35:07 (5:56/pace). Akor
finished a very solid second (third best time in race history) in 2:36:27.
The previous course record was 2:36:26, from 2004, by Halina Karnatsevich
(Belarus).
Tatyana Byelovol (Ukraine) captured third overall, and first master's, with
her 2:42:00. Kaci Lickteig (Omaha, NE) moved up during the second part of
the race to finish fourth at 2:45:46. Muliye Gurmu (Ethiopia) rounded out
the top-5 with a 2:47:05.
The women's race had a deeper field compared to the past with three of the
top-7 times ever posted: Guangul (1st/CR), Akor (3rd) and Byelovol (7th).
John Piggott (Williamsburg, VA) posted his first master's win at the QCM,
running 2:43:30. He was just in front of Gilbert Kipchirchir's (Kenya)
2:46:03. David Swanson (Iowa City, IA) rounded out the top-3 in 3:00:33.
Byelovol's 2:42:00 set a course record in the women's master's race. She
broke the 2010 record by Elena Orlova (Russia) of 2:42:31. Elena Shemyakina
(Geneva, IL) ran 3:10:17 and Kelly Sorensen (W. Des Moines, IA) ran 3:16:20
to round out the top-3 master's.
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S COURSE RECORDS SET IN 2012 RUHL & RUHL HALF MARATHON
Both course records were set in the QCM's Ruhl & Ruhl Half Marathon. Robert
Wambua (Kenya) was 1:42 better than the old mark, while Pauline Mutwa
(Kenya) was 3:15 faster than the previous women's record.
Wambua hammered out an early lead, running through his first 10k in 31:02,
and never looked back en route to his 1:05:03 (4:58/pace). Dan Kremske
(Woodstock, IL) moved up during the race to take second overall in 1:06:26.
Festus Kigen (Kenya) was a solid third-place finisher at 1:07:00.
Mutwa surged out to an opening 35:37 10k en route to her 1:16:16 record
(5:50/pace). Jen Paul (LeClaire, IA) recorded a runner-up finish, for the
second straight year, running a personal best 1:19:18. Kristy Feldman
(Ankeny, IA) ran 1:23:42 to round out the top-3.
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