Runnersweb.com Athletics: This Week in Running for Week Ending December 4th

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- Haile Gebreselasie (ETH) ran 2:06:52 to win the 60th edition of the Fukuoka (JPN) Marathon over Dmitriy Baranovskiy who set the still-standing UKR record at 2:07:15. Jaouad Gharib (MAR) was 3rd at 2:07:19 while Wataru Okutani (JPN) finished 4th at 2:08:49.

20 Years Ago- Bong-Ju Lee (KOR) edged Alberto Juzdado Lopez (ESP) by two seconds to win the 50th edition of the Fukuoka (JPN) Marathon, 2:10:48 to 2:10:50. Luiz-Antonio dosSantos (BRA) ran 2:11:24 for 3rd place. Other notables included Domingos Castro (POR) in 5th (2:11:57) and marathon world record holder (at that time) Belayneh Dinsamo (ETH) in 11th (2:13:25).

30 Years Ago- Christa Vahlensieck (GER) ran 2:39:31 to win the women's race at the California International (CA/USA) Marathon over Gabriele Andersen (SUI) who finished at 2:41:09. Maria Trujillo deRios (MEX) ran 3rd at 2:42:05 and Sharlet Gilbert (USA) was 4th at 2:42:27. Gilbert ran 3:30:55 in this year's race at age 65 which ranks #18 on the world all-time list for the V65 age group. In the men's race, Daniel Gonzalez (USA) defeated Allan Zachariasen (DEN), 2:13:20 to 2:13:44 with Geoffrey Koech (KEN) in 3rd at 2:14:44.

40 Years Ago- Julie Brown (USA) ran 2:45:32.2 ahead of Diane Barrett's (USA) 2:46:23 to win the Western Hemisphere (CA/USA) Marathon and the USA marathon title. Leal-Ann Reinhart (USA) was 3rd (2:50:36) while Joan Ullyot (CA/USA) was 4th (2:51;15). Lionel Ortega (USA) won the men's race in 2:18:19 (no title, the men's championship was held in October).

50 Years Ago- William Baillie (NZL) outran Patrick Sale (NZL) 2:22:07 to 2:22:32 to win the Owairaka Lovelock Track (NZL) Marathon.

60 Years Ago- Alain Mimoun (FRA) won the Olympic (AUS) marathon gold medal with a 2:25:00. Franjo Mihalic (SER) got the silver medal at 2:26:32 while the bronze medal went to Veikko Karvonen (FIN) who came in at 2:27:47. Defending champion Emil Zatopek (CZE) finished 6th at 2:29:34.