During the long months of training over the winter, Galen Rupp’s goal was to win a marathon. That mission was accomplished on Sunday—but it happened in Prague, Czech Republic, instead of Boston, a few weeks later than planned.
Rupp, 31, lined up on April 16 for the Boston Marathon with what he said were more miles in his legs than ever before, on top of speed workouts that built the confidence that allowed him to believe he could contend for a victory on Marathon Monday. But the historically dreadful weather—icy rain, headwinds, and temperatures just above freezing—triggered asthma and symptoms of hypothermia, he said, and he dropped out around the 19-mile mark.
He and his Oregon Project coach Alberto Salazar made a quick exit from New England to head home to Portland and regroup. Rupp, the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist in the marathon, then decided to compete in Prague on Sunday, where he captured the win and took more than three minutes off his personal record, finishing in 2:06:07. (His previous best was 2:09:20, when he won the 2017 Chicago Marathon.)
Rupp and Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia battled until Rupp broke away with about 4K to go. Lemma placed second in 2:07:03. Stephen Kwelio Chemlany from Kenya was third in 2:09:42.
“Sisay is a really great marathon runner,” Rupp said, according to a press release. “It was no easy feat and I’m really pleased I managed to defeat him and win.”
The time makes Rupp the second-fastest American marathoner in history, behind Khalid Khannouchi, who holds the American record of 2:05:38, which he set at the 2002 London Marathon.
In other notable weekend racing, Americans competed for the U.S. half marathon title on Sunday in Pittsburgh. Chris Derrick, 27, from the Bowerman Track Club, in Portland, won the men’s race in 1:02:37 and Aliphine Tuliamuk, 29, from Northern Arizona Elite, in Flagstaff, was first for the women in 1:10:04.
It is Derrick’s first national title on the roads and he took home $15,750 for his efforts. Parker Stinson was second and Andrew Colley was third. Tuliamuk has now won eight U.S. championships and her paycheck on Sunday was $16,000. Sara Hall was second and Rochelle Kanuho was third.
“I didn’t plan on going out that fast, but I kept looking back at the lead I built up and could feel Sara gaining,” Tuliamuk said, according to Race Results Weekly. “I know how strong she is and has a great kick, but I didn’t realize how close she was behind me at the finish. It was my lucky day.”
