Paula Radcliffe showed the world that she is back in top form this morning as she blew away the best women’s elite field in the world to win the ING New York City Marathon. She outsprinted Berlin Marathon champion Gete Wami to win the race in 2:23:09, barely missing the course record of 2:22:30.

Martin Lel outsprinted Abderrahim Gourmi to win the men’s race in 2:09:04. Lel makes it his second ING New York City Marathon victory, beating one of the toughest men’s fields ever assembled.

Radcliffe returns to form
Paula Radcliffe took the pace from the opening step off the starting line. By mile 2, she was all alone at the front with Gete Wami who had won the Berlin Marathon only 34 days earlier. Radcliffe appeared to have her sights set on the course record from the opening miles. As the two stretched out their lead, the world’s best women runners, flagged behind them first one minute back, then two and a half, then three and a half.

The story of Paula Radcliffe’s return to racing started last month after a 22 month lay-off from racing. Radcliffe, often known simply as Paula, is the owner of four of the five fastest times in marathon history, including the current world record. Her world record time of 2:15:25, set in London in 2003, is perhaps one of the greatest sporting feats in history. That world mark remains 3 minutes and 22 seconds faster than any other woman has ever run, which is simply astonishing. (Paula has twice run in the 2:17s, Catherine N’dereba is the only other runner to have run under 2:19.)

Radcliffe left racing nearly two years ago to have a baby and then struggled with injuries during her return to racing.

Radcliffe led Wami through the entire race, which she seemed to be running as a solo time trial. The much smaller Wami was tucked behind Paula. Wami’s stride was long, compared with the choppy shorter stride of the much taller Radcliffe.

The pace may have slowed slightly crossing the two bridges in and out of the Bronx, but Paula kept the hammer down, raising the pace on every down hill section of the course. She was totally in control, clearly keeping a mental note of Wami, but never using her to take a turn at pace setting duties. This was Paula’s day to show that she was not only in top form again, but that she didn’t need anyone’s help to win the race.

In the 23rd mile, Radcliffe began to push the pace down, dropping 10 seconds per mile off the tempo. It was an effort to see if Wami would crack. Wami dropped at most 15 meters behind, but then regained contact. As the two entered Central Park, Paula’s head began to bob a bit and her faced started to show the effort on the hills. She twice tried to drop Wami, each time Wami returned to her side.

Then, running past the 800M to go banners, came the ultimate move of the race. Paula looked over her shoulder at Wami for perhaps the first time all day. She hit the gas, but it was Wami that responded. Wami shot past Paula and took a 5 meter lead. It was the only time all day that Wami would lead the race. But this was Paula’s day. The world record holder was not going to lead the race for 25 3/4 miles, only to be outsprinted. Paula dropped her foot on the gas and blew past Wami.

Coming down the final hill toward the finish, Wami simply had nothing left to counter. Paula opened up a 50 meter gap and a smile broke across her face. She closed the final meters with a tremendous sprint, perhaps gunning for her previous mark on this New York Course. She missed Margaret Okayo’s 2003 Course Record by about 40 seconds, and finished just one second shy of her own last winning time here in New York.

With today’s win, Paula Radcliffe is cemented back into the forefront of women’s marathon running. She’ll now set her sights perhaps on a London Marathon bid next Spring and then the Beijing Olympic Games next Summer. After crossing the finish-line, her new baby was there to greet her, perhaps bringing her short leave from racing into perspective for her. She is now back on top and has the love her new baby to savor as well.

Gete Wami will be remembered for her stride-for-stride pursuit of Radcliffe today, on only 34 days rest from her last win in Berlin.

Lel wins a tactical men’s race
The men’s race may not have had the color of the women’s race, but it also concluded with a two man finale in Central Park.

With one of the strongest elite men’s fields in history, the race started as a tactical one. The lead group may have had as many as 27 men in it through the first seven miles or so.

At mile 7, a small group of Hendrick Ramala, Rogers Rop and Martin Lel began to assert themselves. But several runners re-established contact and reformed a large lead group. It wasn’t until mile 17 that we saw a serious move at the front, as they dropped the pace down to 4:25/mile and saw the pack finally stretch out behind them.

Finally at mile 23, two men broke clear: Martin Lel and Abderrahim Gourmi, in a repeat of their showdown at the Flora London Marathon this past April. They tested each other stride for stride in the last three miles. Lel finally made a move coming down the final hill of the race, and it was clear that he was going to be gone. He pulled himself at least 100 meters ahead of Goumri in the final meters of the race, showing his incredible closing speed. He would end the race with a 13 second advantage, all of that earned in the final sprint of the day.

Martin Lel wins his second ING New York City Marathon in 2:09:04.

Live play-by-play
To read the live play-by-play of the race, click here.

Elite Results:
Women
1. Paula Radcliffe – 2:23:09.
2. Gete Wami – 2:23:32.
3. Jelena Prokopcuka – 2:26:13.
4. Lidiya Grigoryeva – 2:28:37.
5. Catherine Ndereba – 2:29:08.

Men
1. Martin Lel – 2:09:04.
2. Abderrahim Goumri – 2:09:16.
3. Hendrick Ramaala – 2:11:25.
4. Stefano Baldini – 2:11:58.
5. James Kwambai – 2:12:25.

For complete individual results from the New York City Marathon, please click here.

For information on broadcasts of the race click here.

Coach Joe English, Portland Oregon USA

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