Rotterdam Marathon

Women's Race - Magdalena Lewy Boulet Runs 2:26:20

courtesy of LetsRun.com

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Poland-born Magdalena Lewy Boulet proved that it is possible to run well at World Cross-Country and the marathon distance by running a strong 2:26:20 for 2nd place only fourteen days after helping the US senior women's team to a bronze medal in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Almost a minute ahead of Boulet was Ethiopian Aberu Kebede, who ran unchallenged for essentially the entire race.

For 2008 Olympic marathoner Lewy Boulet, a decade of improvement continues in sweet fashion, as the 36-year-old is now the 5th-fastest American female of all time at the marathon and a World Championships medalist - all in the span of 14 days. Lewy Boulet was 20th at World Cross and on Sunday, she was unfazed by the 20k-30k headwind, as she recorded a 1:13:55-1:12:25 negative split (that's 90 seconds faster over the second half of the race).

For those of you looking for inspiration, Lewy Boulet's first marathon came in 2001 when she was 3rd in the Cleveland Marathon in 2:44. In 2006, Lewy Boulet ran 2 marathons in 2:40 and 2:50.

Men's Results (From IAAF)
1. Patrick Makau KEN 2:04:48 PB
(splits: 14:48-29; 16-43:57; 58:40; 1:02:08; 1:13:51; 1:28:58; 1:43:52; 1:58:38)

2. Geoffrey Mutai KEN 2:04:55 PB
3. Vincent Kipruto KEN 2:05:13 PB
4. Feyisa Lelisa ETH 2:05:23 PB *fastest-ever 4th-placer
5. Bernard Kipyego KEN 2:07:01 PB debut
6. Francis Kiprop KEN 2:08:53
7. Daniel Rono KEN 2:09:49
8. Elias Chelimo Kemboi KEN 2:10:29
9. Koen Raymaekers NED 2:11:09 PB Dutch champion
10. Yared Dagnaw Sharew ERI 2:11:28
11. Jonathan Maiyo KEN 2:12:45 PB debut
12. Michael Shelley AUS 2:13:05 PB debut
13. James Carney USA 2:15:50 PB
14. Evans Kiplagat KEN 2:16:25
15. Ronals Schroer NED 2:16:28 PB second in Dutch championship
16. Rens Dekkers NED 2:17:10 PB third in Dutch championship
17. Jeppe Farsoeht DEN 2:18:47 PB
18. Jason Warick CAN 2:21:09
19. Rachid Benjira SWE 2:21:20
20. James Kwambai KEN 2:24:07 (second last year in 2:04:27)

Women's Results (From IAAF)

1. Aberu Kebede ETH 2:25:25 PB
(splits: 17:03; 33:57; 51:10; 1:08:02; 1:11:59; 1:24:58; 1:42:00; 1:59:17; 2:17:15)
2. Magdalena Lewy-Boulet USA 2:26:22 PB
3. Xialin Zhu CHN 2:29:42
4. Yevgenia Danilova RUS 2:31:44 PB
5. Beatriz Ros Blanco ESP 2:32:28
6. Alina Istadura ROM 2:33:36 PB
7. Zoila Gomez USA 2:33:54
8. Meseret Mengistu ETH 2:34:07 PB Debut
9. Olga Glok RUS 2:38:10
10. Merel de Knegt NED 2:38:41 PB Dutch champion
11. Xenia Luxem BEL 2:39:01 PB Debut
12. Anna von Schenk SWE 2:39:20
13. Inge de Jong NED 2:40:55 PB Debut, second in Dutch championship
14. Miriam van Reijen NED 2:41:24 PB third in Dutch championship
15. Colette Fagan GBR 2:46:32