New York City Marathon 2011 - The Women's Race

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The 42nd Running of the New York City Marathon - The Women's Race
by Sharon Ekstrom

photo: Victah Sailer/PhotoRun Mary Keitany more than 2 minutes ahead of all others on 1st Avenue

The 2011 New York City Marathon started off with fireworks as the favorite in the field Mary Keitany (KEN), half marathon World Record Holder and 2011 London Marathon champion, blasted away from the women's field within the first two miles in the race on the Verrazano Bridge. With defending champion Edna Kiplagat absent with an injury, most felt that Keitany, the only runner in the field with a sub-2:20 marathon best, would dominate. Almost from the start, the field broke apart as the women knew they could not match Keitany's pace and the chase pack dwindled to five - two Ethiopians who live in New York City - Buzunesh Deba (ETH) and Shewarge Alena Amare (ETH) - along with Worknesh Kidane (ETH), Caroline Kilel (KEN) and Firehiwot Dado (ETH). Kim Smith (NZL) who employed a similar strategy - run to the front at the start - at the 2011 Boston Marathon could not hold onto the leaders and decided run her own race and pick off the carnage to the finish.

Keitany Makes an Early Break...
As the race progressed, Keitany grew her lead on those behind - running solo, well under course record and even well ahead of world record pace (2:17 and change) - She reached 5K at 16:04, a split nearly as fast as the men had reached the same point at 15:34! Following her debut in New York last year, Keitany felt confident she could set a new course record and had told MarathonGuide.com prior to the race that she aimed to hit the halfway mark in 70:00 minutes. As a comparison, the course record split set by Margaret Okayo at the Half was 1:12:07 in 2003. Keitany believed that 68-69:00 might not be reasonable on this course, but defied all reason by reaching halfway at 67:56 - 2:15:52 if that pace were continued to the finish, yet the world record is 2:17:42. The strategy seemed foolhardy - running that fast! - despite a nearly 2 minute 20 second lead on the chase group. The chase pack at 1:10:13 was also on course record time. Things would soon change for the fastest woman in the field whose personal best of 2:19:19 seemed so far superior to the other ladies in the field.

photo: Victah Sailer/PhotoRun Firehwot Dado Champion

...Broken by Deba
By mile 17, the chase pack began gaining on Keitany as Deba, an Ethiopian native living in the Bronx near the race route and a winner of many New York Road Runner local races, pushed the pace. At mile 20, Deba threw in a hard surge breaking up the pack of Firehiwot Dado, Caroline Kilel and Worknesh Kidane. Dado was the only runner to respond and the duo of Deba and Dado quickly gained ground on Keitany. Many were in disbelief that Dado, a three-time winner of the Rome Marathon whose personal best of 2:24:13, could hold the pace.

The race entered Central Park and at mile 22, Deba and Dado saw Keitany who was slowing with each mile. The duo was closing in as Keitany struggled to maintain her lead. Keitany later cited that fatigue in her left leg prevented her from responding to her challengers.

Yet, Dado takes the Win
While it seemed that Deba, who was controlling the surges, would have a victory in the bag, Dado managed to break away taking a surprise victory in 2:23:15, a personal best by almost a minute, with Deba four seconds behind. The finish was the second closest ever at the event. With spectacular weather conditions and a field of eight sub 2:25 marathoners, it's no surprise that it was a day of personal bests. Deba's 2:23:19 was also a a best by 12 seconds. Keitany failed to clock a personal best having faded after such hard work and finished in a disappointing third place (2:23:39). Ana Dulce Felix (POR) finished fourth (2:25:40, personal best by 50 seconds). Kim Smith was fifth for the second year in a row in 2:25:46, more than four minutes better than her 2010 New York City Marathon finish.

While the leaders all seemed on target to beat the old course record of 2:22:31, the runners failed and it was clear, in hindsight that Keitany's blistering pace was not the wisest strategy. At the post-race press conference, among other things, the women would talk about the fast pace.

photo: MarathonGuide.com The Top 3 Women

Top Finishers
1. Dado, Firehiwot (ETH) - 2:23:15 / $170,000
2. Deba, Buzunesh (ETH) - 2:23:19 / $105,000
3. Keitany, Mary (KEN) - 2:23:38 / $75,000
4. Felix, Ana Dulce (POR) - 2:25:40 / $50,000
5. Smith, Kim (NZL) - 2:25:46 / $40,000
6. Kilel, Caroline Cheptonui (KEN) - 2:25:57 / $35,000
7. Rotich, Caroline (KEN) - 2:27:06 / $17,000
8. Andersson, Isabellah (SWE) - 2:28:29 / $10,000
9. Pavey, Jo (GBR) - 2:28:42 / $7,000
10. Bogomolova, Galina (RUS) - 2:29:03 / $1,000

Coverage Homepage

Post Race: Men's Post-Race | Women's Post-Race | Complete Searchable Results

Pre-Race:
Men: Men's Preview & Starter List | Men's Athlete Bios | Men's Pre-Race Quotes
Women: Women's Preview & Starter List | Women's Athlete Bios | Women's Pre-Race Quotes
Head-to-Heads: Elite Athlete Past Matchups
Extras: Pace Calculator/Pace Guide/Viewing | Videos (Athletes/Archival/More...)
More News: Press Releases | News
Featured Book/Movie: Run For Your Life | A Race Like No Other