Weekend race round-up: Chicago, Boston, The Netherlands and Melbourne

The Chicago Marathon was the main event over Thanksgiving weekend, seeing some quick Canadians run the race and, as is usual at world marathon major events, some of the fastest runners in the world fought for the top spot.

Rita Jeptoo defended her title in Chicago with 2:24:35 win over a strong women’s field. She won the Sunday race by over a minute. The Kenyan has now won her last four marathons: both the 2013 and 2014 Boston and Chicago Marathons. The win locks up her World Marathon Majors title that comes with a US$500,000 prize purse. She also takes home $100,000 for the race win.

On the men’s side, Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge in 2:04:11, his first Marathon Major title, though he has long been one of the world’s top runners on the track, often playing second fiddle to Ethiopian star Kenenisa Bekele who finished fifth on Sunday in the his first Major appearance. Bekele won the Paris Marathon in his debut at the distance last spring after dominating on the track for a decade. Kipchoge led a Kenyan sweep of the podium with compatriots Sammy Kitwara and Dickson Chumba.

The top Canadian finishers were Matt Suda, who ran 2:27:45, and Lyndsay Tessier, who ran 2:45:39.

The BAA Half-Marathon was also held over the weekend where two Ethiopians took the titles. Lelisa Desisa won the men’s race in 1:01:38 to defend his title. Desisa is no stranger to Boston races, having won the 2013 Boston Marathon.

Mamitu Daska broke the course record to win the women’s race in 1:08:20, bettering the wold record by almost a minute. The win also secured her the BAA’s distance medley series after also winning the spring’s BAA 10K.

Also in Boston over the weekend, American runner Jordan Hassay won the Tufts 10K women’s-only race. The event is one of the oldest of its kind, starting in 1977. Hassay won in 31:38, beating out a world class field.

Across the pond, Kenenisa Bekele’s training partner Tilahun Regassa  had a good day, winning the Eindhoven Marathon in 2:06:21. The Dutch race has functioned as a proving ground for many up-and-coming marathoners over the years. Poland’s Iwona Lewandowska won the women’s race in 2:28:33.

In Australia, more than 30,000 participated in the Melbourne Marathon’s events. Kenya’s Dominic Ondoro won for a second year in a row in 2:11:30. Local Nikki Chapple won the women’s race in 2:31:05. It was a hot day for running in Melbourne, with temperatures reaching 27 C.