2014 Boston Marathon BAA 5k and Invitational Road Mile

Jeptoo course record, Flanagan 7th

Apr 21, 2014 by FloTrack Staff

Rita Jeptoo won the 2014 Boston Marathon in a course record time of 2:18:57 while American Shalane Flanagan finished 7th. Flanagan's finishing time of 2:22:02 is the fastest by an American on the Boston Marathon course.

In an inspired and gutsy run, Flanagan, who finished 4th at last year's Boston Marathon, lead for just over the first 30-kilometers and set the tone for a course record chase with blazing opening 5K splits.

Below are Flanagan's and Jeptoo's compared to those of Margaret Okayo’s 2002 record run:

	Shalane Flanagan	Rita Jeptoo	Margaret Okayo
5K	16:12 (16:12)	16:13 (16:13)	17:03
10K	16:22 (32:34)	32:35 (16:22)	33:43
15K	16:34 (49:08)	49:09 (16:34)	50:24
20K	16:41 (1:05:49)	1:05:50 (16:41)	1:07:06
Half	1:09:27	1:09:28 (3:38)	1:10:43
25K	1:22:26	1:22:26 (12:58)	1:23:32
30K	16:54 (1:39:20)	1:39:20 (16:54)	1:40:16
35K	17:18 (1:56:38)	1:56:22 (17:02)	1:57:10
40K	17:22 (2:14:00)	2:12:06 (15:44)	2:13:39
Finish	2:22:02	2:18:57 (6:51)	2:20:43

Though Flanagan set a historic pace, the other pre-race favorites had still hung tight. At 10K, Flanagan was joined by 11 challengers, but by the 25K mark, 7 still remained.

The next 5K saw another woman drop from the group and it looked as if an American woman might win in Boston for the first time in 29 years.

But as the leaders approached the 30K mark, the broadcast returned to show Flanagan starting to fall off the pace. Buzunesh Deba was now at the front and was joined by Jemina Jelagat Sumgong, Jeptoo, Mare Dibaba, and Meselech Melkamu.

After Boston's Newton Hills, Jeptoo started to break clear of the pack and began to pull away.

At mile 23, Jeptoo had thrown down the gauntlet.

Successive mile splits of 5:01, 4:48, and 5:03 crippled the field and ensured that Jeptoo would not only defend her title and win a third Boston Marathon, but would break the course record.

As she made the turn for Boylston Street with no one in sight, Jeptoo "cruised" to victory in 2:18:57.

Note: Jeptoo's last 2,195-meters was 6:51 while Meb Keflezighi's was 6:48.

According to stat man Ken Nakamura, Jeptoo's win makes her the fourth woman behind Paula Radcliffe, Catherine Ndereba, and Mary Keitany to break the 2:20 barrier multiple times.

Deba, who lives and trains in New York, would finish second in 2:19:59 and also dip under the previous course record. According to Nakamura, Deba's run is the fastest marathon for a 26-year-old.

Deba's finish was followed by Mare Dibaba (2:20:35), Jemima Jelagat Sumgong (2:20:41), Meselech Melkamu (2:21:28), and Aleksandra Duliba (2:21:29).

For Flanagan, what more could she have done? Her 2:22:02 finish would have won the women's race every year but two. She nearly set a Half Marathon PR en route--her best is 68:31. She not only tested the field with the historic pace, but set a big personal best herself (her previous PR was 2:25:38 from the 2012 Olympic Trials in Houston, TX).

Still, Flanagan was disappointed to not have taken the win.

"I wanted to do it for my city," Flanagan said following the race. "I'm so sad I couldn't do it for Boston. I am really happy for the ladies who ran so fast. I ran everything I had in me today, right until the tape. I literally ran as hard as I could. I will take away a 3-minute PR and more."

"I'll be back to run here until I win it," she added at the post-race press conference.