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2018 TCS New York City Marathon

Play-By-Play: 2018 TCS New York City Marathon

Play-By-Play: 2018 TCS New York City Marathon

Live play-by-play updates from the 2018 TCS New York City Marathon.

Nov 4, 2018 by Johanna Gretschel
Play-By-Play: 2018 TCS New York City Marathon

Follow along with FloTrack's live play-by-play updates of the 2018 TCS New York City Marathon below. 

Can American Shalane Flanagan defend her groundbreaking title? Will defending men's Geoffrey Kamworor hold off the surging Ethiopian, Shura Kitata? Catch up on the top competitors in the race preview here and the pre-race interviews here.

The professional women begin at 9:20 a.m. and the professional men begin at 9:50 a.m. along with Wave 1.

WOMEN
MILE
1Stephanie Bruce goes straight to the front, splits 6:41 for the opening mile with Des Linden, Mary Keitany, Allie Kieffer leading the chase pack. This might sound slow, but keep in mind they're running straight uphill! Last year, the elite women split 6:43 for the first mile.
It's 47 degrees on Staten Island.
2Stephanie Bruce, Des Linden and Allie Kieffer lead the pack. The second mile is a full minute faster than the first, 5:44, for a total elapsed time of 12:35
3Mile 3 split is 5:47 for a total elapsed time of 18:12 and 18:45 at 5K. The entire elite field is running straight across with Linden front-stepping the group.
424:22 total elapsed time (6:09 split) with Bruce still leading the field with Ethiopia's Netsanet Gudeta right behind.
5American Brittany Charboneau and three-time champ Mary Keitany lead the pack now with a 5:49 mile split for a total elapsed time of 30:11.
65:45 split/35:56 total elapsed time.

Linden is back to the front, putting a few strides on the field with an Ethiopian trio of Mamitu Daska, Rahma Tusa and Netsanet Gudeta following.
10K split is 37:05, with the lead attributed to Gudeta, the 2018 World Half Marathon champion.
75:46 split/41:42 total elapsed time.

Unknown American Brittany Charboneau has been hanging right in the front for some time now, and she has moved into the lead. She has no listed age on Tilastopaja but she lives and trains in Denver, Colorado, where she performs a one-woman comedy show about...running!
85:50 split/47:32 total elapsed time

Charboneau is still leading the elite field and I've managed to learn a bit more about her. She's around 31, walked on to the Colorado State team as a junior and in the past year, improved her marathon PB from 2:51 to 2:36. Here's her website if you want to check out her comedy videos.
95:48 split/53:20 total elapsed time

Des Linden has moved to the lead and she is more than a few strides in front of the pack, defintiely opening more of a gap than Charboneau—who basically seemed pushed to the front due to a lagging pace

Linden passes through 15K in 55:08 (18:03 5K split) with Keitany and Cheruiyot—the co-favorites in NYC—a full two seconds behind at the front of the chase pack. 
105:31 split/58:50 total elapsed time

Linden is still leading, but the field is running closer to her now with Keitany moving up and Daska drafting off the Brooks athlete
115:37 split/1:04:28 total elapsed time

Linden is no longer the sure leader as Keitany and Gudeta have surged to run even with the Boston Marathon champion. Flangan and Huddle are still running with the lead pack, which has dwindled to nine women. Allie Kieffer has dropped off and leads the chase pack, about 10 seconds behind in 1:04:37
125:21 split/1:09:49 total elapsed time

This is the fastest split of the race so far by about 10 seconds. Gudeta and Tusa are pushing the pace now and the lead pack is beginning to string out for the first time this morning.

At 20K, Mamitu Daska, Gudeta and Tusa run 1:12:08. Flanagan, Huddle and Linden are still in the lead pack.
13Gudeta, Tusa and Flanagan split 1:15:49 through half marathon. Cheruiyot, Keitany, Huddle and Linden still with the nine-person lead pack.
145:14 split/1:20:24 total elapsed time

Tusa, Gudeta and Keitany have put in a surge to drop the field. Molly Huddle is currently leading the chase pack but these ladies up front are absolutely flying.
155:08 split/1:25:32 total elapsed time

Gudeta, Keitany and Tusa have now put 10 seconds on the chase pack, which is currently led by Flanagan and Cheruiyot.

The 25K split is 1:28:23 with Keitany leading the Ethiopian duo of Gudeta and Tusa. Cheruiyot and Flanagan are now 20 seconds behind.
165:09 split/1:30:41 total elapsed time

Keitany, Gudeta and Tusa continue their rapid pace. Cheruiyot is pulling away in fourth, with Daska, Flanagan and Huddle running in a secondary pack. Linden is 30 seconds behind them.
174:55 split/1:35:36 total elapsed time

Keitany, Gudeta and Tusa ratchet up the pace even more! It's downhill, but still... they can't hang on for multiple sub-5s with another 10 miles still left to run. Cheruiyot, Flanagan, Daska and Huddle just split a 5:08 to keep them somewhat within sights though they're more than 30 seconds back now.

Gudeta has now dropped back, it's three-time champion Mary Keitany and Rahma Tusa, a three-time champion in Rome who owns a PB of 2:23. Keitany has run 2:17, the women's-only world record.
184:58 split/1:40:34

Mary Keitany drops Tusa with two sub-5 minute miles. Gudeta is 14 seconds back, and Cheruyiot, Flanagan and Huddle are another 40 seconds back.

At 30K, Keitany splits 1:43:42 and has already put 17 seconds on Tusa
194:55 split/1:45:28 total elapsed time

Keitany is not slowing up; she records her third straight sub-5 mile as Tusa (1:45:55), Gudeta (1:46:12), Cheruiyot (1:46:36), Flanagan (1:46:44) and Huddle (1:46:51) have become very strung out. Tusa and Gudeta may regret that early surge and it's certainly stll possible for Flanagan or Huddle to muscle themselves into that top three.
205:01 split/1:50:28 total elapsed time

Keitany "slows" slightly to 5:01and now has a full minute on Tusa, who in turn has 30 seconds on Gudeta. Cheruiyot is about to pass Gudeta, and has about 10 seconds on Flanagan, who currently runs in fifth. Huddle is about 15 seconds down from Flanagan.
215:01 split/1:55:29 total elapsed time for Mary Keitany, who is currently running in another dimension. She's on pace for 2:24:10, which would be the fastest time of her previous three victories in New York.

Rahma Tusa is currently in second but rapidly slowing down and likely will be passed soon by Vivan Cheruiyot. How much will she pay for trying to keep pace with Keitany? Flanagan is in fourth and could certainly take advantage of Tusa's fatigue to move into a podium position.
225:06 split/2:00:34 total elapsed time for Mary Keitany

Tusa is still holding on for second place with five seconds on Cheruiyot. Flanagan is 20 seconds behind Cheruyiot—if Tusa cracks, the defending NYC champion still has a chance to podium.
235:13 split/2:05:47 total elapsed time for Mary Keitany, who is currently on pace for 2:23:23

Cheruiyot has offically surpassed Tusa for second place; Flanagan is 16 seconds behind Tusa—she still has a chance to make the podium! Her last mile split was 5:27 compared to Tusa's 5:39.

Huddle and Linden are now running close together, 30 seconds back.
245:20 split/2:11:06 total elapsed time for Mary Keitany

Shalane Flanagan is moving within striking distance of Tusa! She's just five seconds back of the Ethiopian and ran 5:48 for that last mile compared to Tusa's 5:59
255:09 split/2:16:15 total elapsed time for Keitany

It's so nerve-wracking watching Flanagan try to stalk down Tusa right now! She did it! She's going another mile in Central Park to hang on for this podium spot LEGGOOOO
26.2Mary Keitany finishes her fabulous run with her fourth victory at the New York City Marathon in 2:22:48, the second-fastest winning time in race history. Vivan Cheruiyot takes second in 2:26:02 and Shalane Flanagan, the defending champion, crosses the line in 2:26:22 and makes the podium again in what could be her final race as a professional.

In three appearances, Flanagan has placed first (2017), second (2010) and third (2018) at the New York City Marathon.

Huddle takes fourth in 2:26:44, Tusa fades to fifth in 2:27:13 and Des Linden ends up sixth in 2:27:51. Allie Kieffer takes seventh in 2:28:12.


MEN
MILE
1Kitata, Desisa and Talam go straight to the front to attack the hill. They don't look like they'll be taking things as cautiously as the women have so far...5:14 is the reported opening split.
24:55 split/10:05 total elapsed time

Jared Ward, who almost withdrew from NYC after withdrawing from a half marathon in September, is running right up there Talam and Darie up front. Scott Fauble is also making a move now to pull up on Ward!
It's an American show up front now.. Fauble, Smith, Abdirahman, Ward are cruising alongside Kitata in the front line.
315:37 split for 5K with five Ethiopians, plus Americans Smith, Derrick, Ward and Vail right in it. Oh, also that guy Geoffrey Kamworor...
4Kitata and Tola up front
54:52 split/24:51 total elapsed time

Shura Kitata, the runner-up to Eliud Kipchoge at the 2018 London Marathon, is leading three more Ethiopians with Kamworor laying in wait
6Kitata still leads. NYC is the 22-year-old Ethiopian's 10th career marathon, but only his second major. He is communicating a bit with Tola and Talam as the trio pulls away from the rest of the field.
No Americans currently in the top 10.
74:49 split/34:36 total elapsed time

Festus Talam runs alongside Kitata with a slight gap back to Tola in third.
84:48 split/39:24 total elapsed time

Kitata has really strung this field out as the men are currently running in single file. Tola follows in second with Kamworor three seconds back in third.

Shadrack Biwott of the U.S. has moved into 10th place, splitting 39:35 through eight miles—so he's about 10 seconds back.
94:52 split/44:15 total elapsed time

Kitata still has a slight lead; the other men appear to be drafting off Tola one second back of the leader.

Abdi Abdirahman has moved into ninth position alongside Shadrack Biwott. They are 44:36 through nine miles; the deficit to the lead pack is increasing.

45:47 split through 15K for Talam and Kitata
104:47 split/49:02 total elapsed time

Kitata is still flying solo, now he's put six seconds on Daniel Wanjiru and Geoffrey Kamworor, who lead a pack of six men. 
114:57 split/53:58 total elapsed time

Kitata is still running solo—it will be super impressive if he can pull off the win this way as he is essentially running a time trial out here. Kamworor is in fifth and Jared Ward has moved up to ninth and is currently the top American in the field.
124:35 split/58:33 total elapsed time
1:00:39 through 20K

Kitata now has five seconds on the field; Desisa, Kamworor, Tola and Talam are working together to keep him within their sights.
13Kitata passed through half marathon in 1:03:55, now just two seconds ahead of Desisa, Tola and the pack
144:43 split/1:08:03 total elapsed time
154:57 split/1:13:00 total elapsed time

Kamworor has led the pack back up to Kitata and the defending champion surely is in an ideal position. Kitata can't be feeling great after running the first half of this race by himself.
164:54 split/1:17:53 total elapsed time

Kitata is still hanging on to his slight lead with Kamworor content to draft off the young Ethiopian. Five men comprise the lead pack.
174:41 split/1:22:34 total elapsed time

The pack of five continues to grind along: Kitata, Desisa, Kamworor, Tola and Talam are on 2:07:20 pace. 
184:41 split/1:27:15 total elapsed time

The pack continues to grind. When will Kamworor make his move?
194:50 split/1:32:05 total elapsed time

Kamworor seems comfortable and situated perfectly to take advantage of Kitata when the time is right.

Americans Chris Derrick and Jared Ward are currently in ninth and tenth place, running 1:35:16 through 19 miles. They're on pace for 2:11:28, which would be a PB for both men.
204:53 split/1:36:57 total elapsed time

The lead pack is starting to string out a bit with Kitata and Kamworor at the front. For now, Desisa and Tola are still in it but Talam has fallen off and I predict this will soon turn into a two-man race.

Ward and Derrick have moved into eighth and ninth with fellow American Shadrack Biwott in 10th.
214:47 split/1:41:44 total elapsed time

It's still a solid four-man race with Kitata and Kamworor leading Tola and Desisa. Kitata loves running just a half-step ahead of Kamworor

At 35K, the pack drops Desisa and now the race is really starting as Kamworor takes the lead from Kitata for the first time this morning
224:47 split/1:46:30 total elapsed time

Kamworor has actually dropped Kitata and it's Desisa who is sticking behind him!
234:29 split/1:50:59 total elapsed time

Kamworor is ratcheting up the pace in an attempt to drop Desisa, who is still intently hanging on. Kitata is a few seconds back but completely out of sight in the camera shots. 
24Desisa throws the hat off! The Ethiopian literally throws his hat off and sprints past Kamworor (4:45 split/1:55:43 total elapsed time). The two-time Boston Marathon champion just dusted Kamworor but Kitata actually just came back into the picture and pulls even with Kamworor!

Kitata is right behind Desisa now—does he have enough room to hold him off??
25
26.2Desisa holds off Kitata, 2:05:58 unofficially! Insane finish and defending champion Kamworor takes third.

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