Haile Gebrselassie ran the second fastest time in history to win the Dubai Marathon on Friday, finishing in an unofficial time of two hours four minutes 53 seconds, missing his own world record mark by 27 seconds.
Gebrselassie, who was chasing a one million dollar incentive to break his own world record, paid the price for an energetic start, running inside world record pace right up until the final seven kilometres.
Coming through 10km in 28.39, Gebrselassie was 45 seconds up on his Berlin Marathon pace, and at the half in 61.27, that had stretched to 61 seconds, putting him on target for a potential finishing time of well under 2.03. Since Gebreselassie himself had suggested that 2.03 was his limit, he had in effect predicted his own demise. He maintained his advance on a new World Recond until 35km, when he still was 25 seconds up on the record.
The race was held under almost perfect conditions on one of the flattest courses in the world.
Gebs still takes home $250,000 for winning the race, but he missed out on the $1 million premium offered for setting a new world mark.
Coach Joe English, Portland Oregon USA
Running Advice and News
Ummm, could I run ONE 10k at his pace please? With his 10k split ALONE only 25 Americans beat it last year???? And that is for an all out 10k! Oh ya, then he went on to run 20 more miles!
By: coachdeanhebert on January 18, 2008
at 5:11 pm
[...] are some items of interest that you may have missed: Gebrselassie misses world mark in Dubai – Yes, it’s true that Haile didn’t hit a new world record in the Dubai Marathon, but he [...]
By: Marathon News: January 2008 in review « Running Advice and News on February 1, 2008
at 11:27 am