Utica Boilermaker 15k

UTICA, TheItacaJournal — On a day more suitable for lounging, runners took to the streets in the 33rd Boilermaker Road Race, setting records in the men's and women's divisions.

Men's open winner Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia won in 42 minutes, 46 seconds breaking the previous best of 42:54 set by Joseph Kimani in 1997.

Kenyan Edna Kiplagat's 47:57 lowered the women's record, which was previously held by Catherine Ndereba, who finished the 2001 race in 48:06.

"It's outstanding; incredible," race executive director Tim Reed told the Utica Observer-Dispatch. "I was worried about the humidity, but apparently it was a non-factor."

Desisa, who ran a 4:37 first mile, broke away early and was in a pack with Peter Kirui and Hadrack Kosgei ahead of the field six miles into the race.

Desisa sprinted the last 100 yards to set the record. Kirui (42:48) and Kosgei (42:50) also got under Kimani's record time.

Desisa said the weather — 64 degrees at race time, with rising humidity — was good for him, and so were the hills.

Setting a record wasn't on the mind of Kiplagat, 30, until late in the race.

"The last two miles, I thought, 'Maybe I'd like to run as fast as I can,'" she said, and she did.

Kiplagat had the benefit of competition from defending Boilermaker champion Alice Timbilili, whose own very hot time of 48:15 was a 77 seconds faster than her 2009 winning time.