News12 Oct 2002


Chicago awaits a classic, which seemingly only the weather can spoil

FacebookTwitterEmail

Catherina Ndereba in Chacago (© Victah Sailor)

Chicago, USAOn the eve of one of the finest ever gatherings of distance talent, "caution" seemed to be the attitude of choice, as competitors eagerly awaited the start of Sunday morning's 25th LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

While the buzz among organizers and journalists that packed the crowded media room --the largest such convergence in the "Windy City" in recent memory-- revolved around the possibility of assaults on the world best in both the men's and women's races, the key players in the unfolding Chicago drama are playing down talk of unprecedented performances.

"You never know what can happen in a marathon race," said two-time Flora London Marathon champion Abdelkader El Mouaziz, speaking through an interpreter. "A marathon is not like a 1500m when you can push yourself a little harder to try for a record. It's 42km. Even (Khalid) Khannouchi didn't expect the record in London."

Khannouchi, the Moroccan-born American who improved the world best to 2:05:38 in London in April, said his focus is not on times, but on the main issue at hand: in his case, winning a fourth Chicago title. "The most important thing is how smart you run," he said, reiterating that world best attempts cannot be predicted.

To Khannouchi, running smart means, among other things, not allowing panic to set in as the 26.2 mile race unfolds.  In his last race, the Philadelphia Distance Run Half-Marathon, Khannouchi felt flat, but refused to lose his cool.  "I didn't panic. If you panic," he says of the marathon, "just don't come here."
  
Briton Paula Radcliffe, anointed by many as the inevitable conqueror of Catherine Ndereba's World best of 2:18:47 after her stunning debut in London left her just nine seconds shy of the Kenyan's mark, is also avoiding the barrage of talk about a world best. "I'm just really pleased to be here," adding that the goal of her first visit to Chicago is "to win the race."

Speaking to a large afternoon gathering at the Niketown store on downtown Chicago's Magnificent Mile, Radcliffe shared her respect not only for Ndereba, but for the race's other competitors as well.
  
"It's not just me and Catherine," Radcliffe, thetwo-time World Cross Country and World Half-Marathon champion, said.  "There's the Japanese, Svetlana (Zakharova), Deena (Drossin).  Sometimes (such fields) produce good times, sometimes good races."

Ndereba, the two-time defending Chicago champion, churned out 120 mile weeks at home in Kenya and at her US base in Norristown, Pennsylvania to prepare for her attempt at a third consecutive win.  A devout Christian, the 30-year-old Kenyan avoids any confrontational pre-race analysis, offering simply that the marathon always poses unparalleled challenges.

"The race will not be easy,”  Ndereba said, and that while she "gave it her all" during last year's record performance, "there is always room for improvement."

Talk of world bests aside, many of the runners who will line up in Grant Park Sunday morning were also in the highly-touted London field, and are eager to move forward from their experience last Spring.

Svetlana Zakharova, who finished second behind Radcliffe's stunning 2:18:56, said only one aspect of her preparation has changed. "In London, I honestly didn't take her seriously," the 32-year-old Russian national record holder admitted, recalling the Briton's aggressive front-running.  Zakharova added with a laugh, "Now I take her seriously."

Running up to 140 miles per week while splitting her training time between her home in Cheboksary and her altitude base near Chechnya, Zakharova said that her preparation, which included training runs up to 40kms in length, coupled with "ideal conditions" similar to those in London, could result in another national best.  "Perhaps even more."

While virtually unknown in the distance world prior to his 2:07:06 fifth place finish in London, 26 year-old South African Ian Syster insists that he was not surprised with his performance in April, and added that he is in condition for a similar effort here. "I was not surprised in London.  I knew if I was injury-free I could run between 2:07 and 2:06."

Syster, who only began running in 1999, trains with South African record holder Gert Thys, and prefers a quality over quantity training approach.  Unlike most of his rivals who focus on high mileage during peak training periods, Syster limited preparation for his fourth marathon to 80 to 90 miles per week, focusing instead on long sustained runs.

"It's like Khalid (Khannouchi) says, 'It's all in the long run.'  When you do it in training, it's not a problem in the race." Syster is hoping for a first half pace of 62:47, similar to the London race, which will allow him to stay in the lead pack, before deciding to make any moves. "The important thing in a marathon is to be patient."

Moroccan El Mouaziz, among the most consistent marathons of the last half dozen years, isn't at all concerned with fast times.  "I came here to race," said Mouaziz, whose impressive marathon resume includes the 2000 New York City Marathon title.  "I'm not concerned with times, and I am not bothered by the others."

Known as an agressive, gutsy racer, the 33-year-old two-time Olympian hasn't entirely worked out his strategy, hoping to keep his main challengers guessing.

"I might stay with the pack, or try to control the other runners.  Only then can I know when to make a move."

As he did prior to the London race where he lowered his personal best to 2:06:52 despite a fall midway through the race, El Mouaziz trained mainly at altitude in the Atlas Mountains of northern Morocco, but also added more speed-work on the track to his training regime.

In the end, it might be the elements that impact the race most dramatically.  The latest forecast calls for a chance of rain, high winds, and start-time temperatures round 3 degrees Celsius.

Bob Ramsak for the IAAF

Pages related to this article
Disciplines
Loading...