Rita Jeptoo Takes FloRunner of the Week

Rita Jeptoo Takes FloRunner of the Week

Oct 14, 2014 by Taylor Dutch
Rita Jeptoo Takes FloRunner of the Week


Rita Jeptoo crushed the competition Sunday at the Chicago Marathon with her fourth straight major marathon win and the 2013-14 World Marathon Majors title. That’s a $100,000 winner’s purse plus an extra $500,000 for winning the series championship. Not too shabby Rita.

She pulled away from the field around the 23-mile mark for her second straight Chicago win in 2:24:35, over a minute ahead of Mare Dibaba (2:25:37) and Florence Kiplagat (2:25:57).

Jeptoo hasn’t lost a major marathon since she finished second to Ethiopia’s Atsede Baysa at the 2012 Chicago Marathon, and she’s definitely not going anywhere.



Other FloRunner nominees:

Lincoln's pick: Eliud Kipchoge
Kipchoge won the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, running 2:04:11. The victory was the Kenyan’s first major marathon title, and he took down 5k/10k world record holder Kenenisa Bekele in doing so. Kipchoge separated himself by throwing down a 14:32 5k late in the race, and finished with the 3rd fastest time ever run in Chicago.


Gordon's pick: Jake Riley
Jake Riley is my FloRunner of the Week because he ran 2:13:16 in his marathon debut, which was 11th overall HOWEVER he was 2nd overall in the American League. I believe if he works hard this next year he can overtake the LA Angels’ Mike Trout as the American League MVP.



Meg's pick: Amy Hastings
Amy Hastings proved that she's back with her fourth place finish at the 2014 Chicago Marathon. The 2012 Olympian made it a gutsy comeback, leading for much of the race before falling to the lead pack of East Africans at mile 8. What's more impressive is that she tied her PR of 2:27:03 (Exact PR. In a 26.2 mile race. Like, what?), set back in LA in 2011. Hastings has officially returned!

Joe’s pick: Joyce Chepkirui 
The Asics Grand 10 in Berlin was billed as a race against history, specifically Paula Radcliffe’s world-record of 30:21. While a strong headwind in the second half derailed those plans, the race did produce the best finish of the weekend, perhaps the year, as Joyce Chepkirui and Emily Chebet of Kenya crossed the tape simultaneously. Chepkirui was given the win in 31:02.


James' pick: Jordan Hasay
My FloRunner of the week is Jordan Hasay. Jordan capped off her last race of the season with a win at the Tufts 10k in Boston, taking down marathoners Caroline Rotich and Risper Gesabwa. Her time of 31:38 was a personal best and now she can relax and prepare for a big 2015.