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Boston Marathon 2012 – The Preview
by Sharon Ekstrom

photo credit: Victah Sailer

The 2012 Boston Marathon promises excitement for the 116th year of the race with deep elite fields including nine men who have previously run 2:06 or faster and eight women who have run faster than 2:23. The men’s race will see the return of five 2011 competitors – defending champion Geoffrey Mutai, Gebre Gebremariam (3rd place), Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot (6th place), Peter Kamais (11th place) and Tadese Tola (DNF). Two other 2:05 marathoners Levy Matebo and Wilson Chebet will challenge the already fast field. While Geoffrey Mutai is the clear favorite with his 2:03:02 course and world’s best from the prior year’s Boston Marathon and a victory/course record at the 2011 New York City Marathon to solidify his status as “The One To Beat”, Mutai will be cautious – his 2012 London Olympic berth may be on the line if a Kenyan or two at the 2012 Boston Marathon and/or 2012 spring marathons in Europe bests his time. That is not to downplay the caliber of the other contenders in the field.

The women’s race will showcase an incredibly fast field in which there is no clear cut favorite to win. Defending champion Caroline Kilel, Sharon Cherop (3rd place) and Caroline Rotich (4th place) will be returning from the 2011 field. These three Kenyans who are from similar backgrounds will be joined by an Ethiopian contingent running the race for the first time: Mamitu Daska, Ashu Kasim, Firehiwot Dado and Buzunesh Deba – who will be looking to make their mark in Boston. Missing from the field is Desiree Davila, runner up from the 2011 Boston Marathon. Davila placed 3rd at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Marathon Trials in Houston in January qualifying her for the 2012 Olympic team. Davila’s next marathon will be the London Olympics.

History Made: 2011 Boston Marathon, a Race Which Will Never be Beaten?

To recap last year’s race, ideal marathon conditions and a tailwind contributed to the historic race in 2011 where course records fell even further in the men’s race. The men led by American Ryan Hall went out targeting a sub-2:03:59 finish (Haile Gebrselassie’s then world record). Only five runners could hold onto the pace and even Hall faded – left only to pick off runners and survive to the finish. In the Newton Hill, Geoffrey Mutai surged taking with Moses Mosop and Gebre Gebremariam. Gebremariam couldn’t hold the pace, but Mosop in his marathon debut remained to challenge Mutai. Mutai pressed ahead winning by four seconds followed by Mosop, Gebremariam and Hall. These top four men broke the course record. Over the past two editions of the race times fell from 2:07:14 (Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, 2006) to 2:05:52 (Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot, 2010) to 2:03:02 (Geoffrey Mutai, 2011). Since the Boston Marathon lacks pacemakers employed by world’s best record setting courses, the top athletes attributed the speedy successes of the day to Hall who led the fast pace from the fun.

Absence of Americans

There were will be few Americans at the 2012 Boston Marathon. Many cite the fact that the 2012 U.S. Olympic Marathon Team Trials in Houston were too close to spring marathon season and that the top Americans are focused on the US Olympic Team Track and Field Trials or focused on a long build up for 2012 London Olympics Marathon. But there are many who beg to differ. Where there are number of top Africans who run Dubai Marathon plus a spring marathon, there are also a few Americans who are not backing away.

Showcased on the elite roster are Nick Arciniaga who just ran a personal best at the 2012 US Trials (2:11:30, 8th place) and Jason Hartmann who also ran the Trials, but his personal best was from the 2010 Chicago Marathon (2:11:06, 8th Place). The American women’s field will feature Camille Herron, with a 2:37 personal best and Mary Akor

The Men’s Race

The 2012 Boston Marathon men’s field will showcase some familiar names – champions of other marathons worldwide including defending champion Geoffrey Mutai (of no relation to 2011 London Marathon champion Emmanuel Mutai), 2010 New York City Marathon champion Gebre Gebremariam, 2011 Frankfurt Marathon runner-up Levy Matebo, 2011 Rotterdam Marathon champion Wilson Chebet and 2010 Boston Marathon champion Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot. While the returning athletes are favored to win given their extensive marathon race history, these men will have other top athletes who are established as top competitors in other distances ready to take them on in the 26.2 miles. Challengers include two time winner of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon (2010 & 2011) Mathew Kisorio, two-time winner of the New York City Half (2008 & 2009) Tadese Tola, 2010 New York City Half Marathon champion Peter Kamais and silver medalist from the 2009 World Half Marathon Championships Bernard Kipyego.

Where the Boston Marathon had once been the unofficial trials/qualifier race for the Kenyan Olympic team, that honor will fall to the London Marathon for 2012. Nonetheless the 2012 Boston Marathon roster has no absence of fast Kenyans who still carry the dream; and a fast time by Mutai should still allow him a place on his country’s Olympic squad.

The Women’s Race

The 2011 women’s race saw a tough set of final miles between Caroline Kilel, Sharon Cherop and Desiree Davila. For 2012, two of the leaders from 2011 will return. Defending champion Caroline Kilel, fresh off a victory at the 2012 Houston Half Marathon will be expected to finish well. Sharon Cherop, third place in 2011, notched a recent personal best at the 2012 Dubai Marathon (2:22:39). Others expected to run well include 2012 Xiamen Marathon champion Ashu Kasim; 2012 New York City Half Marathon champion and 2011 New York City Marathon champion Firehiwot Dado and 2011 Los Angeles Marathon champion and 2011 New York City Marathon runner-up Buzunesh Deba. Mamitu Daska, with a 2:21:59 win at the 2011 Frankfurt Marathon, Daska has the fastest personal best in the field, but she is untried in the hills.

Prize Money – Bonuses

World best bonus of $50,000 for men breaking Geoffrey Mutai’s time of 2:03:02 from the 2011 Boston Marathon and women breaking Paula Radcliffe’s time of 2:15:25 from the 2003 London Marathon.

Course record bonus of $25,000 for men breaking Geoffrey Mutai’s time of 2:03:02 set at the 2011 race and women breaking Margaret Okayo’s time of 2:20:43 set at the 2002 race.

There are also Masters world record bonuses of $10,000 for men breaking 2:08:46 set by Andres Espinoza at the 2003 Berlin Marathon and 2:25:43 set by Ludmila Petrova at the 2008 New York City Marathon. Masters course record bonuses of $7,500 for men breaking 2:11:04 set by John Campbell in 1990 and 2:27:58 set by Firaya Sultanova-Zhdanova in 2002.

Prize Money
Prize Money – Overall

Place	Men	Women
1	$ 150,000	$ 150,000
2	$ 75,000	$ 75,000
3	$ 40,000	$ 40,000
4	$ 25,000	$ 25,000
5	$ 15,000	$ 15,000
6	$ 12,000	$ 12,000
7	$ 9,000	$ 9,000
8	$ 7,400	$ 7,400
9	$ 5,700	$ 5,700
10	$ 4,200	$ 4,200
11	$ 2,600	$ 2,600
12	$ 2,100	$ 2,100
13	$ 1,800	$ 1,800
14	$ 1,700	$ 1,700
15	$ 1,500	$ 1,500

Elite Lineup:

Male Elite Athletes

Athlete	Country	Bib	Personal Best	Boston
Geoffrey Mutai (30)	KEN	1	2:03:02, Boston, 2011	History
Gebre Gebremariam (27)	ETH	2	2:04:53, Boston, 2011	History
Tadese Tola (24)	KEN	DNS	2:05:10, Dubai, 2012	History
Levy Matebo (22)	KEN	4	2:07:31, Barcelona, 2011	History
Wilson Chebet (26)	KEN	5	2:05:27, Rotterdam, 2011	History
Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot (23)	KEN	DNS	2:05:52, Boston, 2010	History
Laban Korir (26)	KEN	7	2:06:05, Amsterdam, 2011	History
Wesley Korir (29)	KEN	8	2:06:15, Chicago, 2011	History
Bernard Kipyego (25)	KEN	9	2:06:29, Chicago, 2011	History
David Barmasai (23)	KEN	10	2:07:18, Dubai, 2011	History
Dickson Chumba (25)	KEN	11	2:07:23, Frankfurt, 2011	History
Josphat Ndambiri (27)	KEN	12	2:07:36, Fukuoka, 2011	History
Peter Kamais (35)	KEN	14	2:07:37, Xiamen, 2012	History
Mathew Kisorio (22)	KEN	15	2:10:58, New York City, 2011	History
Frankline Chepkwony (27)	KEN	16	2:11:00, Nairobi, 2011	History
Jason Hartmann (31)	USA	17	2:11:06, Chicago, 2010	History
Nicholas Arciniaga (28)	USA	18	2:11:30, Houston, 2011	History
Michel Butter (26)	NED	19	2:12:59, Amsterdam, 2011	History

Female Elite Athletes
Athlete	Country	Bib	Personal Best	Boston
Caroline Kilel (31)	KEN	1	2:22:36, Boston, 2011	History
Galina Bogomolova (34)	RUS	2	2:20:47, Chicago, 2006	History
Mamitu Daska (28)	ETH	DNS	2:21:59, Frankfurt, 2011	History
Sharon Cherop (28)	KEN	4	2:22:39, Dubai, 2012	History
Ashu Kasim (27)	ETH	5	2:23:09, Xiamen, 2012	History
Firehiwot Dado (28)	ETH	6	2:26:38, Toronto Waterfront Marathon, 2010	History
Buzunesh Deba (24)	ETH	DNS	2:23:19, New York City, 2011	History
Rita Jeptoo (31)	ETH	8	2:23:38, Boston, 2006	History
Agnes Kiprop (32)	KEN	9	2:23:54, Frankfurt, 2011	History
Caroline Rotich (27)	KEN	10	2:24:26, Boston, 2011	History
Georgina Rono (31)	KEN	11	2:24:33, Eindhoven, 2011	History
Alevtina Biktimirova (29)	RUS	12	2:25:12, Frankfurt, 2005	History
Genet Getaneh (26)	ETH	14	2:25:57, Amsterdam, 2011	History
Diana Sigei (24)	KEN	15	2:26:53, Dubai, 2011	History
Jemima Jelagat Sumgong (27)	KEN	16	2:28:32, Castellón, 2011	History
Nadezdha Leonteva (27)	RUS	17	2:32:53, Minneapolis-St. Paul, 2011	History