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See Also: Men's Race Coverage |
Men's Preview |
Women's Preview
2009 Bank of America Chicago Marathon - Women's Preview
by John Elliott & Sharon Ekstrom
With a world record attempt in place for the Chicago Marathon men's race, the women's race would play second fiddle. But the women's field assembled for the 2009 Chicago Marathon was worthy of a World Marathon Majors top marathon. Irina Mikitenko - the two-time London Marathon champion and arguably one of the best women's marathoners currently running; Deena Kastor - America's best marathoner, 2004 Olympic Bronze medalist and 2005 Chicago Marathon champion; Lidiya Grigoryeva - the defending champion and 2007 Boston Marathon champion; and a cast of others including 2006/2007 champion Berhane Adere, 2009 London Marathon third finisher (debut at 2:24:24) Liliya Shobukhova...
photo: Scott Winnier for MarathonGuide.com
The Women's Lead Pack
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As we've seen at recent women's marathons - most notably the 2008 Olympics and 2009 Boston Marathon - the women started their race terribly slowly. Leading the marathon for the first eight miles was Tera Moody, an accomplished American whose personal best of 2:33 meant there was an unlikely chance she could compete with the top women with personal bests nearly fifteen minutes better. Moody's projected pace forecasted a sub-2:33; this was not a case of Moody running outside herself, but a case of the others running conservatively. After the race Moody told us that she was surprised to be leading, but she was just running her race, which turned out to be a PR in 2:32:59 - her second marathon in seven weeks as Moody completed the 2009 World Championships Marathon in Berlin in 2:36:39.
Through 30K (1:45:44), seven women remained in the lead pack: Irina Mikitenko, Berhane Adere, Deena Kastor, Teyba Erkesso, Lidiya Grigoryeva, Liliya Shobukhova and Mizuho Nasukawa. The pace suggested that the finish would be just under 2:28 - the pace had increased, but the pack remained large. Kastor had a slight problem at mile 15 when a runner ahead inadvertently knocked Kastor's fluid bottle off the table and Kastor needed to stop to pick up the bottle and seemed to be off the pack, but she did regain the leaders.
photo: Scott Winnier for MarathonGuide.com
Liliya Shobukhov Winning the Chicago Marathon
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Through the next 5K (35K in 2:02:42), the pace remained the same but two runners, Deena Kastor and Mizuho Nasukawa, would drop back behind the main pack and then the race was down to four women - and it was a real race, a close race and it could be anyone's. Liliya Shobukhova was nominally the leader with Teyba Erkesso, Irina Mikitenko and Berhane Adere all together. At the final fluid station, Shobukhova was the sole woman to take fluids - we'd think that might mean she was tiring, but no. Following the fluid station, Shobukhova surged - and no one could follow her. As the final mile played out, Shobukhova extended her lead - and as a track specialist turned on the jets and laid down a 4:35 final mile - the fastest mile of the race by far...
Irina Mikitenko, pushed strongly to second place - looking as happy as if she had won the race. Mikitenko, who had lost her father earlier in the year, was running the marathon on her mother's birthday. Lidiya Grigoryeva, running her second fastest marathon ever, finished in third place in 2:26:47.
photo: Scott Winnier for MarathonGuide.com
Deena Kastor - First American and back in form
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Deena Kastor finished as first American in 2:28:50. She told us that after her lay-off (she has been injured and had not completed a marathon since the USA Olympic Marathon Trials in April 2008) she was incredibly happy with her performance and inspired going forward.
The final results - (top 4 determined in the final mile):
Liliya Shobukhova (RUS) - 2:25:56 ($75,000)
Irina Mikitenko (GER) - 2:26:31 ($50,000)
Lidiya Grigoryeva (RUS) - 2:26:47 ($25,000)
Teyba Erkesso (ETH) - 2:26:56 ($15,000)
Berhane Adere (ETH) - 2:28:38 ($10,000)
Deena Kastor (USA) - 2:28:50 ($10,000+$2,500)
Mizuho Nasukawa (JPN) - 2:29:22
Melissa White (USA) - 2:32:55 ($8,000+$2,500)
Tera Moody (USA) - 2:32:59 ($6,500+$2,500)
Adriana Pirtea (ROM) - 2:34:07
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