By Dick Patrick, USA TODAY NEW YORK — Meb Keflezighi has become a streak buster in the marathon. In the 2004 Olympics, his silver medal ended a 28-year U.S. drought in the event. When he won Sunday's 40th New York City Marathon, he became the first U.S. champ in the race in 27 years, since Alberto Salazar in 1982.
He had a question Monday when his legs were feeling surprisingly fresh from his personal-best 2 hours, 9 minutes, 15 seconds over the 26.2 miles: Who was the last American to win Boston?
The answer: Greg Meyer, in 1983.
Keflezighi posed another question: who has won both Boston and New York? The Americans are Bill Rodgers, who won each race four times, and Salazar, who won NYC three times and Boston once. Kenyans Ibrahim Hussein, Joseph Chebet and Rodgers Rop also completed the double.
Could his questions signal which way Keflezighi's leaning for a spring marathon? Assuming he's healthy, he's got two choices, either Boston or London, both in April.
After his win on Sunday — worth $200,000 in prize money on top of a six-figure appearance fee — he's in a great financial position. He can expect six-figure appearance fees for both races, with London known as the bigger spender.
Keflezighi wasn't providing indicators Monday, since both races are attractive.
"What a great way to fill out the resume by winning Boston," he said. "That would be huge."
But London has the lure of a flat, fast course, unlike hilly Boston. Both Keflezighi, 34, and his coach of 15 years, Bob Larsen, believe he's capable of running 2:07 or faster. "The engine is there," Keflezighi said. "I just have to fine tune it."
A fast time is most likely to come in London, where last April Keflezighi was ninth.
"London has offered me lots of shots," said Keflezighi, who has run London and Boston once apiece. "Part of the marathon is getting to the starting line healthy. I was only able to do that this year. If I decide to do a fast marathon, London would be great."
Larsen said a decision "won't be made for some time." Until then, Keflezighi can savor his NYC win, which he said ranks slightly ahead of his silver medal because it was also a U.S. championship. It was the 20th national title of his career, two years after a hip stress fracture from the 2007 Olympic trials marathon in Central Park prompted thoughts of retirement
Keflezighi seemed spry Monday. "This race, Chicago '03, Athens and New York '04 were marathons where I felt like jogging the next day and I could go upstairs and downstairs comfortably," he said. "When the training is done right, I recover much more faster."
Spring fling: Ryan Hall, disappointed in his fourth place (2:10:36) Sunday, is likely to have the same options as his Mammoth Lakes, Calif., neighbor and occasional training partner Keflezighi about a spring marathon. Either London, where Hall has run a personal-best 2:06:17, or Boston, where he was third in April.
"It's good to have a humbling experience once in a while," Hall said. "I always run my best races after a humbling experience."
After Boston, Hall second guessed himself for doing a lot of leading into a headwind. After New York, he wondered if he should have spent more time in the front of the lead pack.
"He can have trouble in races where there are no pacemakers," said his coach, Terrence Mahon. "He just needs some experience at it."
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