While some of the top runners in the world produced some of the top times in the world at the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, many American runners were running new personal bests as well.The highest American finisher of the day was Deena Kastor, finishing sixth in the women’s race in 2:28:50. While Kastor was far off her personal best, the finish marked an incredible comeback for the veteran, who broke her foot at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It’s been a long road back for Kastor, but her performance over the weekend showed that she’s back, running healthy and with another cycle of marathon training, she should put herself back up into the world’s elite marathoners.
Two more American women finished in the top ten, as Melissa White and Tera Moody finished eighth and ninth respectively. Both women ran strong races from start to finish, both finishing with new personal bests. White’s time of 2:32:55 was nearly a five minute PR from her U.S. Olympic Trials race back in early 2008. Meanwhile, Moody improved her best by nearly a minute, finishing in 2:32:59. One has to remember that Moody ran the IAAF World Marathon Championships only a few short months ago, meaning she ran two marathons at a high level over the past three months.
On the men’s side, Sergio Reyes set a new personal best with his eighth place performance of 2:15:30. Running incredibly even and incredibly strong, Reyes came through the half-way point in 1:07:42. Showing the same type of discipline, Hanson’s Pat Rizzo ran a nearly two minute personal best to finish as the second American in tenth place, crossing the line in 2:15:48. The hometown favorite, Rizzo ran through the half-marathon in 1:07:20, fading ever so slightly over the final few miles of the race.
Chicago Marathon Top 30 Results
Men - Top 10 Americans: Sergio Reyes (8th, 2:15:30), Pat Rizzo (10th, 2:15:48), Mike McKeeman (12th, 2:17:42), Drew Shackleton (13th, 2:17:56), Kyle Shackleton (14th, 2:17:59), Jeff Jonaitis (15th, 2:18:01), John Lucas (16th, 2:18:51), Bret Schoolmeester (19th, 2:19:16), Matt Bartlebaugh (20th, 2:19:21), Brandon Mull (21st, 2:20:03).
Women - Top 10 Americans: Deena Kastor (6th, 2:28:50), Melissa White (8th, 2:32:55), Tera Moody (9th, 2:32:59), Carol Jefferson (12th, 2:41:15), Amanda Trotter (13th, 2:42:38), Katy Trotter (14th, 2:43:00), Mary Palmer (15th, 2:46:21), Kristen Fryburg (17th, 2:48:40), Lindsay Hattendorf (18th, 2:48:46), Adrian Chouinard (19th, 2:49:20).
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