By Steve Brand
Meb Keflezighi took a few seconds to scan the overflow crowd of 250 packing the San Diego Hall of Champions on Friday.
The graduate of nearby San Diego High saw his elementary school teacher, his junior high coach, longtime friends and former rivals, members of a local track club and members of the media—all there to welcome him “home” following his extremely popular New York City Marathon victory the previous Sunday.
His eyes welled up with tears.
Regaining his composure, he spoke of the victory, the first by an American since Alberto Salazar in 1982, of how many had written him off as an international force in distance running and admitted having serious doubts himself just 18 months ago and of what it means running with a U.S.A. singlet.
“When you achieve your dream, it’s special,” said the native of Eritrea, who moved to San Diego when he was 12 after the civil war with Ethiopia made his family flee through Sudan first to Italy and then to the United States.
“It means even more when you wear the U.S.A. jersey. That’s why I pointed to it approaching the finish line.”
It was Meb’s fifth time running the NYC race that drew a record 43,000 competitors and his coach, Bob Larsen, who was also in attendance Friday, said Meb learned well from previous efforts of when to make his move and when not to surge.
“There is a tendency for the leaders to surge along First Avenue because of the size of the crowd,” said Larsen. “He learned before that it’s too early there, you have to wait for the right moment.”
Meb said that he and four-time Boston winner Robert Cheruiyot traded bursts to see if the other would respond and when he made a move with five miles remaining in the 26.2-mile race, he was surprised when Cheruiyot did not respond.
“He wanted me to lead a lot of the race and I thought to myself, “I don’t think so,’ “ said Meb, who used the Kenyan to shield him from the 14 mile-per-hour wind that buffeted the runners and undoubtedly prevented him from breaking 2:09.
“I packed in behind him and made sure I was ready to go when he made a move. When I made that last move and he let me go, I couldn’t believe it.”
Marathoners are famous for “hitting the wall,” usually at about the 20-mile mark, and Meb said that happened in his first NYC race in 2002, so it was in the back of his mind as he steadily pulled away, before crossing the finish line and falling to his knees to kiss the ground.
It was a celebration of winning his first marathon title, getting a personal best time and love of country. The media gathered at the finish line forgot their neutrality, joining the applause.
Larsen clearly recalls that 2002 race.
“I remember coming up to Meb afterward and he was suffering. He was huddled in a blanket shivering and he said that would be his first and last marathon,” said Larsen, who himself has enjoyed legendary success at high school, college and international levels.
Taking questions from the crowd, Meb said his goal is to not only to compete in the 2012 Olympic marathon in London, but the World Championships the year after, when he will be 38.
Someone asked if that might be a bit old, and he laughed. Considering what he’d been through the five years after capturing the silver medal in Athens, he feels confident that health-willing, he will still be among the elite four years from now.
In 2007 he was running in the U.S. Olympic Trials for the Marathon when his calves cramped up. Although the prudent thing to do would have been to stop, this was the Trials, so he tried running the final five miles with just his upper body strength and finished eighth.
Only later would he discover the effort produce a hip fracture that would also knock him out of the 10,000 meters on the track. Hurt both mentally and physically, he considered quitting.
“It was a dark time,” admitted Meb. “After they carried me to the hotel following the 10,000, coach Larsen said, ‘Meb, it’s always an honor to coach you.’ I took that as an OK to quit if that’s what I wanted, that I didn’t have to run for anyone but myself.
“But I prayed and I thought of when I was at UCLA and we’d say ‘fight, fight fight.’ I couldn’t quit.”
So he returned to high-altitude training with Larsen in Mammoth, Ca., and much to his delight, he found the injury was healed and he could still train at the highest level. This year he won the U.S. National Cross Country title and a month before NYC, he captured the San Jose Rock ‘n Roll half-marathon, setting an American 20K road-running record at 57:52 along the way.
He knew he was ready, even if he only had the 11th fastest time among the entrants in New York City.
And as he looked over the enthusiastic crowd at the San Diego Hall of Champions, he tried to thank everyone and again found himself at a loss for words. But not emotion.
“I just want to say ‘thank you’ to all of you,” said the runner who gives meaning to the word “humble.’ He exited the San Diego Hall of Champions podium to a standing ovation.
Posted on November 7, 2009 by Christian Deleon
Sorry, commenting is not available for this item
