Mary Keitany, Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Advertisement - Continue Reading Below, announced her spring goal on Thursday, and it’s a big one: She wants to beat Paula Radcliffe’s world record of 2:15:25 on April 22, with the help of male pacesetters at the London Marathon.
For those who like doing the math, it means that Keitany will need to average faster than 5:09.8 pace per mile. In London last year, Keitany won in 2:17:01, which is a world record for a women’s-only race (meaning she did not have any male pacers).
In setting the mark in 2017, Keitany was one minute ahead of Radcliffe’s record pace at halfway but fell off shortly after that. Radcliffe set the record at the 2003 London Marathon, also with the help of rabbits.
“Obviously, any world record is contingent on everything being right on the day,” Keitany, 36, of Kenya, said in a written statement. “London has shown it has the course for world records to be broken and I hope my form and health stay strong and the weather is kind on the day.”
Keitany was second at the 2017 Advertisement - Continue Reading Below, behind American winner Shalane Flanagan, A Part of Hearst Digital Media Tirunesh Dibaba, 32, of Ethiopia, who ran 2:17:56 last year in London and is the world record holder for 5,000 meters (14:11.15). Gladys Cherono of Kenya and Mare Dibaba of Ethiopia are also competing, with personal bests of 2:19.
Americans who are planning to compete in London this year include Stephanie Bruce, Allie Kieffer, Alia Gray, and Liz Costello. In her announcement on social media on Thursday, Bruce said her goal is to lower her personal best of 2:29:35, which she set in 2011 prior to having two children.
The men’s race will not be a dawdling affair, either. Eliud Kipchoge, 33, from Kenya will compete again. Last year he participated in the Nike Breaking2 experiment, finishing the run in 2:00:25. (It was not record-eligible.) Later he went for the world record of 2:02:57 at the Berlin Marathon, but he ended up finishing first in 2:03:32.
Kipchoge faces Kenenisa Bekele, 35, of Ethiopia, who is the world record holder at 5,000 and 10,000 meters and owns a marathon best of 2:03:05. The defending London Marathon champion, Daniel Wanjiru, of Kenya, is back with a PR of 2:05:21. Guye Adola (Ethiopia) and Stanley Biwott (Kenya) also line up with 2:03 personal bests.
Keitany was second at the 2017 Advertisement - Continue Reading Below, behind American winner Mo Farah had previously announced his intention to race after the quadruple Olympic gold medalist at 5,000 and 10,000 meters retired from track competition. He ran the 26.2-mile distance once before—the 2014 London Marathon—which he finished in 2:08:21.
Sam Chelanga (2:15:02) and Fernando Cabada (2:11:26) are the lone Americans on the men’s elite list.
