Kipkemboi and Malot Win Philadelphia Distance Run
by David Block

When Hurricane Isabel swept into the Delaware last Thursday, she did some serious damage. Thousands of people were without power. Numerous trains were cancelled. Yet the Philadelphia Distance Run race course was untouched. "The hurricane did no damage," said Chris Reynolds, Public Relations Director of the Jefferson Hospital Philadelphia Distance Run. "The only thing we did (as a result of the hurricane) was cancel the press conference on Friday."

The 26th annual Philadelphia Distance Run began with John Kagwe bursting out front. Kagwe had a slight lead at the 1 mile mark, 4:48.

Kagwe then faded and ultimately finished 6th, 1:02:47. The two-time defending Philadelphia Distance Run champion Ronald Mogaka took the lead after the first mile. Mogaka, who won in 2001 (1:01:25) and last year (1:02:22), was looking for a triple crown.

"Ronald's been focusing on this race for a long time," said his manager Lisa Buster from the press truck.

Another one of Buster's runners, Gilbert Koech pulled up alongside Mogaka after 2 miles. Koech was supposed to race in Virginia this weekend, but Hurricane Isabel's damage to the train lines forced him to settle for the Philadelphia Distance Run as a consolation.

From the 3 mile mark to the 8 mile mark, Mogaka and Koech were in front with Laban Kipkemboi and El Arbi Khattabi right behind them.

Going over the East Falls Bridge at 8 miles with the leaders clocking 37:23, Koech pulled ahead without Mogaka responding. Mogaka dropped back and finished 4th, 1:02:22.

Koech failed to shake off Laban Kipkemboi and El Arbi Khattabi. Among those in the press truck watching the drama unfold was Alan Webb who in high school made a name for himself by running the mile under 4 minutes. The lead runners' mile splits ranged from 4:30 to 4:50, and when asked what he thought his mile splits would be if he were in the race Webb laughed and said, "I can't run sub 4 for more than a mile." He did say that if he were semi retired and running long road races, he'd consider the Philadelphia Distance Run.

Toward 11 miles, Kipkemboi broke away from the lead pack and met no resistance, winning in 1:01:29. Two years ago, Kipkemboi finished the Philadelphia Distance Run in third place, 1:02:21. "I wanted to move at 10 miles," he said. He moved ahead at a slight hill. "I train in Colorado. I am used to high altitude," said the 25-year-old Kenyan. Kipkemboi decided to run the Philadelphia Distance Run this year to test his conditioning for the New York Marathon this November. Last year he was third at New York, 2:08:39.

The Philadelphia Distance Run runner up, El Arbi Khattabi clocked 1:01:39; Koech was third, 1:02:05.

Leah Malot was the first woman to cross the finish line, 1:11:20. The 2000 Olympian Jennifer Rhines started out in front and was leading for 8 miles. Malot caught up and was running next to Rhines until about the 12-mile point where she pulled away.

"I wasn't feeling that great," said Rhines who finished second, 1:11:45. For Rhines, running alongside Malot was good practice because this November she will run the New York Marathon and Malot will be a pacer.

The third woman finisher was Kayoko Obata, 1:12:05.

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