Runnersweb.com Athletics: This Week in Running for Week Ending April 17th

From The Analytical Distance Runner, the newsletter for the Association of Road Racing Statisticians with a focus on races, 3000m and longer, including road, track, and cross-country events. The ARRS has a website at ARRS.net.

From Ken Young - kenyoung@wildblue.net

10 Years Ago- Robert Cheruiyot Kipkoech (KEN) won the BAA Boston (MA/USA) Marathon by more than a minute over Benjamin Maiyo (KEN), 2:07:14 to 2:08:21. A trio of Americans followed, led by Mebrahtom Keflezighi (CA/USA) at 2:09:56. He was followed by Brian Sell (MI/USA) at 2:10:55 and Alan Culpepper (CO/USA) at 2:11:02. Rita Cheptoo Sitienei (KEN) won the women's race by ten seconds over Jelena Prokopcuka (LAT), 2:23:38 to 2:23:48. Reiko Tosa (JPN) was 3rd at 2:24:11 and Bruna Genovese (ITA) was 4th at 2:25:28. Prokopcuka was 4th this year with a 2:32:28.

20 Years Ago- Kenyans swept the first five places in the men's race at the Boston (MA/USA) Marathon, led by Moses Tanui at 2:09:16. Ezekiel Bitok was next at 2:09:26 and Cosmas Ndeti was 3rd at 2:09:51. Uta Pippig (CO/GER) won the women's race by more than a minute over Tegla Loroupe (KEN), 2:27:13 to 2:28:37 while Nobuko Fujimura (JPN) was 3rd at 2:29:24.

30 Years Ago- Rob deCastella (AUS) won the the Boston (MA/USA) Marathon by a huge margin with a 2:07:51 course record. Way back in 2nd place was Art Boileau (BC/CAN) at 2:11:15 and 3rd place went to Orlando Pizzolato (ITA). Former course record holder, Bill Rodgers (MA/USA), was 4th at 2:13:36. Arturo Barrios (CO/MEX) was 5th at 2:14:09. Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) won the women's race, also by a wide margin, with her 2:24:55 clocking. Carla Beurskens (NED) was next at 2:27:35 and Lizanne Bussieres (CAN) was 3rd at 2:32:16. Christa Vahlensieck (GER) was 7th at 2:34:50.

40 Years Ago- Jack Fultz (MA/USA) ran 2:20:19 to win the Boston (MA/USA) Marathon on a very hot day. Mario Cuevas (MEX) was 2nd at 2:21:13, Jose deJesus (PUR) was 3rd at 2:22:10, and Jack Foster (NZL) was 4th at 2:22:30. Your editor managed a 2:37:33 for 64th place. Kim Merritt (WI/USA) won the women's race by more than five minutes over Miki Gorman (CA/USA), 2:47:10 to 2:52:27. Dorothy Doolittle (TX/USA) was 3rd at 2:56:26 and Gayle Barron (GA/USA) was 4th at 2:58:23.

50 Years Ago- Japanese runners swept the first four places at the 69th running of the Boston (MA/USA) Marathon, led by Kenji Kimihara (JPN) at 2:17:11. Seiichiro Sasaki (JPN) was 2nd at 2:17:24 and Toru Terasawa (JPN) was 3rd at 2:17:46. Norm Higgins (CA/USA) was first USA at 2:18:26. Ron Daws (MN/USA) was 9th at 2:24:27 and former RRCA president Gar Williams (VA/USA) was 12th at 2:26:54. Roberta Louise Gibb (MA/USA) ran unofficially to become the first woman to finish the Boston Marathon. Her time was 3:21:25.

60 Years Ago- Antti Viskari (FIN) ran 2:14:14 to win the 59th edition of the Boston (MA/USA) Marathon, besting John J Kelley (CT/USA) by 19 seconds (2:14:33). Eino Oksanen (FIN) was 3rd at 2:17:56. Course certification guru Ted Corbitt (NY/USA) was 6th at 2:28:06 while Long Distance Log editor Browning Ross (NJ/USA) was 13th at 2:31:38. The course was short by an estimated 1000 meters.

70 Years Ago- Stylianos Kyriakides (GRE) ran two minutes faster than Johnny A Kelley (MA/USA) to win the 49th edition of the Boston (MA/USA) Marathon,2:29:27 to 2:31:27. Gerard Cote (PQ/CAN) was 3rd at 2::34, Louis Gregory (FL/USA) was 4th at 2:37:23, and seven-time Boston winner Clarence DeMar (MA/USA) was 32nd at 3:09:55 (at age 57). The course was significantly short.

80 Years Ago- Ellison "Tarzan" Brown (USA) won the 39th edition of the Boston (MA/USA) Marathon over William McMahon (USA), 2:33:40.8 to 2:35:27.6. Mel Porter (NY/USA) was 3rd at 2:36:48, Johnny A Kelley (MA/USA) was 5th at 2:38:49, and Clarence DeMar (MA/USA) was 16th at 2:49:08. The course was about 41.1 km.

90 Years Ago- Johnny Miles (ON/CAN) was four minutes ahead of Albin Stenroos (FIN) at the finish of the 29th edition of the Boston (MA/USA) Marathon, 2:25:40.4 to 2:29:40. Clarence DeMar (MA/USA) was 3rd at 2:32:15. The course was about 40.1 km.

100 Years Ago- Arthur Roth (MA/USA) edged Ville Kyronen (FIN), 2:27:16.4 to 2:27:27 to win the 19th edition of the Boston (MA/USA) Marathon. Sidney Hatch (IL/USA) was 3rd at 2:28:30. The course was about 38 km.

110 Years Ago- Tim Ford (MA/USA) won the 10th edition of the Boston (MA/USA) Marathon with a 2:45:45. David Kneeland (MA/USA) was close behind in 2nd at 2:45:51 while Thomas Morrisey (NY/USA) came in 3rd at 2:53:41. The course was about 40 km.