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The last half of 2000 Falmouth Road Race This was my fourth Falmouth with a personal best there and a third place finish it was very motivating. I was quite happy with the results. I was proud to be the first American for the first time. With a half mile to go the three of us were together and I took my chances by taking the lead. The crowd was so supportive, I thought that I was going to win the race. I had given most of myself early in the race and when they went by me I had nothing left to chase them with. I knew they were in better shape than me and I didn’t have my usual kick. Coming back from injury, this was a good effort for me. Race
for
the
Cure
in
Boston This was my first win since coming back from injury, since the season started in may and so was a big relief. I hadn’t had a win as an American, so it was very special because of that. Winning always builds confidence and motivation. Even thought the time was 1:01:17 and I was hoping to run under 61 minutes, I was satisfied with it because I took the race from start to finish as none of my competitors was willing to help. This win was a sign to me that I would be fit to run in Chicago. Syracuse Festival of Races The morning of this 5K I didn’t feel well. We had traveled the afternoon before and it was my first 5K of the year. With that and my marathon training, I had trouble adjusting to the fast pace. I finished in fourth with a time of 13:58 and I thought that I should have done better. It was perfect weather and almost flat, it just wasn’t a good day for me. This was the site of my first win in the United States in 1993 and in coming back I was able to see some friends I hadn’t seen in a long time. LaSalle Banks Chicago Marathon I felt a lot of responsibility and pressure as defending champion and US citizen. I was a little scared because it was a new experience as always: a marathon is an event that you can’t trust or predict. Even though that I had done enough training to have a good race, not necessarily win, but to perform well, with the quality of the field they had it seemed like it would be a tough race to win. There were seven runners there who had run under 2:07. In the last week before a marathon, the runners with the strong minds can retain focus. The winner would likely be the mentally toughest. I went with the idea of winning, but I wasn’t thinking of a world record: the win was most important. We ran the first half in 1:03, which felt okay for everyone. The pace was good due to the good job being done my the rabbits. Moses Tanui, just like last year, lagged 20-30 seconds behind us. The rabbits were asked to go for a 2:06 pace and they were on the mark, but after the 15 mile mark they gradually pulled ahead since none of us would follow. From that point the race turned tactical. You could on everyone’s faces that they were looking for a win in the most important marathon in the world. At 17 miles Tanui caught up with the leaders, but stayed with us this time. At 20 it was Tanui, Kiprono, Githuka, Kiprop and myself. Kiprono was pushing the pace. Shortly after this, Tanui and Kiprono were talking together in Swahili and I couldn’t understand them. Kiprono continued to lead and make surges, and Githuka and Kiprop dropped off the back of the pack. I had planned to push the pace after 23 miles. With my sore hamstring, I didn’t think I could push it any earlier. So at 23 miles I started taking the lead. I could tell Tanui was in trouble and he dropped back. I had confidence I could beat Kiprono in a sprint, but didn’t want it to get to that point and I pushed the pace. By 24 miles I was alone and held the pace to the finish. It was a very emotional finish: the American Flag and my tears are the things I remember the most. Last year’s world record didn’t bring the tears. I wish this moment had come at the Olympics, but that didn’t work out. This was a very important win for all of us. Since
the
Marathon After returning home, we went to Puerto Rico for a short vacation, then over to Ireland for 10 days of treatment. Then on to Tampa for their first year marathon and now I am back home. While we were in Ireland I learned that I had been invited to be on the USA’s marathon team at the world championships in Edmonton on the strength of the American record in Chicago. This is the first time this event is in North America and it is very important to me. Winning this race is my main goal for next year. I will be honored to finally be representing my country. I will put a lot of focus and hard work to fulfill my dream. I hope in God that I can stay healthy. I am very excited. To
all
the
fans About
the
Falmouth
Road
Race
(August
20th)
–
This
is
one
of
my
favorites.
It’s
hard
to
tell
how
I
will
run;
it’s
most
important
to
run
a
hard
race.
There
is
very
good
competition,
but
of
course
I
will
go
with
the
dream
of
winning
for
the
third
time.
The
group
for
the
first
three
miles
is
very
big,
the
road
curves
and
rolls
and
all
this
interferes
with
the
focus.
Then
it’s
flat
into
wind
and
sun
along
the
ocean.
The
last
mile
is
very
tough.
I
was
so
happy
to
win
my
first
year
and
then
the
second
year
I
ran
I
dedicated
to
my
brother
who
had
died
a
week
before.
Last
year
was
very
strange-very
windy,
very
rainy
with
lots
of
pooled
water
to
run
through. In
general:
I’m
happy
to
be
back
racing,
but
not
that
excited
because
I
want
to
take
it
one
race
at
a
time
and
run
a
healthy
Falmouth,
then
decide
what
to
do
next. Stay
health
and
I
hope
to
see
you
on
the
road… San Blas Half Marathon-00 Khalid entered this race in the best shape he's been this early in the year and found some bumps in the road to victory. For the first time in three years, he was not injured over the winter and had a successful 2 months of training at altitude in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was a little nervous, not having raced in three months. Last year the course was thought to be short, so the start was moved back this year. It's possible the course was too long this time! Khalid found himself racing against seven Kenyans, 4 motorcycles, a pace car, a press truck, about 90 degrees and the sun. So it was no wonder than 1:05:02, two minutes slower than his half marathon split in Chicago, was the winning time, and by almost a minute. The lead runners were crowded by the motorcycles, with dirt from the road blown up into their faces. Khalid was nonetheless happy with the results. It was the first victory of the millenium and he hopes that this is the start of something better for the future. He will be focusing on the London Marathon, still hoping for his US citizenship to come through in time to switch to the US trials in Pittsburgh. The next two races, a 10K in Puerto Rico and a half marathon in Lisbon hold the promise for great times. Great fields in these races, especially in Lisbon, should threaten the world records, if the weather and the traffic don't slow them down. |
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| ©2002 Khannouchi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||