How the 2010 Houston Marathon was won

By DALE ROBERTSON Copyright 2010 Houston Chronicle

Men
Through six miles: Heading south on Studemont under Interstate 10, a pack of seven runners that included eventual champion Teshome Gelana passed the 10K mark in just over 30 minutes, a heady pace. American Brett Gotcher was about 20 seconds back but holding his own.
At the midpoint: As the course turned north on Weslayan going toward the Galleria after the 13-mile mark, the same seven still were bunched together with Gotcher trailing by 22 seconds. Zembaba Yigeze was nominally out front.
Through 18.6 miles: Turning east onto Woodway from Chimney Rock, six runners remained in a virtual dead heat (last year’s runner-up, Benson Cheruiyot, had dropped out because of injury) with Yigeze just a step ahead. Gotcher was 19 seconds back.
Down the stretch: At the 22-mile mark, on Memorial Drive just east of the Shepherd Street bridge over Buffalo Bayou, Gelana made his move. He ran the next mile in a blistering 4:40 and, despite slowing to a 4:50 pace the rest of the way, he streaked by his lonesome to the finish line, finishing 50 seconds ahead of Yigeze with an overall pace of 4:53 per mile. But Yigeze and four other runners broke 2:10 and Gotcher finished seventh in 2:10:36, the fastest ever by an American on the course.
Women
Through six miles: Eventual champion Teyba Erkesso, 34 minutes out and running side by side with her husband/pacer Kisime Adilo, was a step ahead of Alemitu Abera as they passed under Interstate 10 with Paige Higgins, the No. 2-seeded American, and Lydia Kurgat trailing by 1:37.
At the midpoint: With 13.1 miles to go and the Galleria-area roads ahead, Erkesso had increased her lead over Abera to more than a minute. Margarita Plaksina, who had made the move that would position her for a runner-up finish, was another 1:44 behind in third.
Through 18.6 miles: Coming onto Woodway, Erkesso still was striding in lockstep with Adilo at 1:41:36, more than three minutes ahead of the second-place Plaksina.
Down the stretch: Erkesso came down Allen Parkway and into downtown with no other woman in sight, winning by more than five minutes over Plaksina, who ran 2:28:44. Abera was third and Higgins fourth, missing a personal best by 16 seconds with her 2:33:22. Erkesso ran at a 5½-minute-per-mile pace for a course-record 2:23:53.