KIMbia Athletics

John Korir and Lineth Chepkurui won this morning’s Bay to Breakers 12K in San Francisco, often called the world’s largest road race (once you factor in the thousands of unofficial entrants–it is San Francisco, after all). Korir ran 34:24 to repeat his victory of last year. For good measure, he was also the first man to the top of the infamous Hayes Street Hill. John Yuda was third in 35:03, behind Moroccan Ridouane Harroufi (34:28), who won the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler last month over Johns Korir and Yuda. Our Julius Koskei was 4th in 35:56.

Lineth won yet another major American race, adding the Bay to Breakers title to victories at Cherry Blossom in April and the Bloomsday 12K two weeks ago. She ran 39:22 to keep the women’s title in the KIMbia family one year after Edna Kiplagat, who recently gave birth, won here.

Lineth was among the elite women given a headstart of 4 minutes and 40 seconds over the rest of the field. Korir caught her in the last mile to win the race-within-a-race equalizer bonus.

Richard Kiplagat continued his strong spring season with a solid third-place run at this morning’s Healthy Kidney 10K in Central Park. Richard ran 29:08 over the hilly course to finish behind half marathon ace Patrick Makau (28:19) and 2006 New York City Marathon winner Marilson Gomes dos Santos (28:31). In humid weather, times were slower than at last year’s race, when Richard was 5th in 28:51. Here’s a post-race video of Richard.

Jason Hartmann was the top American, finishing 10th in 29:38. Results are here.

Check back tomorrow for reports from the Bay to Breakers 12K, where Lineth Chepkurui will try to add to her spring win streak.

Lineth Chepkurui continued her winning ways on Sunday, taking the title at the Bloomsday 12K in Spokane, Washington. The race just happens to be the largest timed running event in the world. Lineth pulled away from the pack, which included Olympic medalist Catherine Ndereba, on the toughest part of the course, Doomsday Hill. She increased her lead in the remaining miles to win in 39:47, 25 seconds ahead of Ndereba. Four weeks ago, Lineth won the Cherry Blossom 10-miler in Washington, D.C.

KIMbia had two former Bloomsday champions in the men’s race. John Korir finished third in 34:17, behind Micah Kogo (33:51) and Ridouane Harroufi (34:14). Our other former champion, Gilbert Okari, returned to action by placing 12th in 35:11. John Yuda was 6th in 34:39, and Luke Kipkosgei was 15th in 35:49.

Results

Lineth Chepkurui won this morning’s Cherry Blossom 10-miler in Washington, D.C. over a field that included Olympic and World Championship marathon medalists Catherine Ndereba and Lidia Simon.

The elite women started 10 minutes before the rest of the field, which might partially explain the surprisingly slow opening mile of 5:50. Things got more normal after that, with Lineth breaking away for good in the eighth mile to win comfortably in 54:21.

John Yuda was part of a three-man pack sharing the lead with less than a mile to go, but then stopped briefly to tend to a thigh cramp. When he resumed running, the chase pack had caught him. In a sprint finish among that pack, Yuda and Charles Munyeki were almost the fastest–they finished together in 46:22, tied for fourth overall. Three-time Cherry Blossom champ John Korir was seventh in 46:30. Moroccan Ridouane Harroufi outsprinted Kenyan Nicholas Kamakya for the win, 46:14 to 46:15.

Women’s results | Men’s results