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Mutai runs world best 2:03:01 to win Boston Marathon

Posted by Tom Held of the Journal Sentinel on April 18, 2011

running, marathons

Geoffrey Mutai, of Kenya, ran the fastest marathon in the world to win the 115th Boston Marathon.

His 2:03:01 (unofficial) carved nearly three minutes out of the course record set by Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot in 2010. Mutai had a tail wind and near perfect conditions, plus the challenge presented by fellow Kenyan Moses Mosop over the final miles.

Because of the significant downhill on the Boston course, Mutai's time will not be recognized as the world record. That remains the 2:03:59 set by Haile Gebrselassie in the 2008 Berlin Marathon.

Ryan Hall ran near the lead for much of the race, and finished fourth, to lead the U.S. contingent. His 2:04:58 (unofficial) is the fastest marathon for a U.S. runner. His pace was 4 minutes 46 seconds per mile.

Desiree Davila, from the Michigan-based Hansons-Brooks squad, led in the final miles but lost her battle with Caroline Kilel at the finish. Davila finished second, one of the strongest showings by a U.S. woman in decades.

Kilel, of Kenya, finished in 2:22:36, with Davila two seconds behind.