One year removed from the inspired victory of Meb Keflezighi in the men’s field and Rita Jeptoo’s domination on the women’s race, 2015 will surely be a change in course. Clearly, Jeptoo is unable to defend her win and course record due to the two year suspension she’s serving for performance enhancing drugs. And Keflezighi will not be able to sneak up on other contenders again as he did last year. In fact, this year he’ll be a marked man by some very talented and motivated marathoners.
Looking at the contenders for the Boston Marathon, the men’s field is laden with quality and motivation. After an almost unbroken run of success from Ethiopian and Kenyan runners in Boston for multiple decades, Keflezighi’s victory for U.S. runners was a wakeup call for them. It’s very likely that the traditional contenders will exact their revenge.
That said, the women’s field (due to the Rita Jeptoo effect) is a wide open race. This could prove to be the opening that U.S. runners need, opening the possibility of ending a 30-year drought.
Here are the main contenders for the 2015 Boston Marathon:
Men’s race
Meb Keflezighi/USA: The defending champion and crowd favorite, Keflezighi has not taken his preparations lightly in 2015. After a fourth place finish in New York last fall, he still very likely to do well and will be tough to dislodge as a returning winner.
Wilson Chebet/Kenya: Finishing second last year, Chebet has probably thought of little more than the sight of Keflezighi stealing what was surely his race. He was the most talented, fit runner in 2014, and will be out for serious revenge this year.
Lelisa Desisa/Ethiopia: The consensus favorite, arguably Desisa’s only bad marathon as a professional came in Boston last year. After winning in 2013, look for him to be back on the podium, possibly on top of of it.
Abel Kirui/Kenya: He could be the best blend of talent and tactical ability other than Keflezighi. This lends perfectly to the unique challenges of the Boston race route. As a two-time world champion, Kirui has all the makings of a confident contender.
Patrick Makau/Kenya: After taking first in the marathon at Fukuoka, Japan in 2014, his recent race form is clearly where it needs to be. He has the fastest personal best of anyone in the field (2:03:38), but is more used to the flat courses and could find the undulations of Boston challenging.
Women’s race
Shalane Flanagan/USA: The top American in the field, the 33-year-old Flanagan has never had a better opportunity to claim the prize she’s coveted for years. Adopting what is expected to be a more balanced strategy this year after two straight years of very radical tactics (waiting too late to make a move in 2013, and starting too strong in 2014), Flanagan is just as talented as her rivals and should be among the contenders near the end.
Mare Dibaba/Ethiopia: Dibaba won her last marathon earlier in 2015 in Xiamen, China. Also, she has the fastest personal best time of anyone in the field (2:19:52). With Jeptoo not in this year’s race, Dibaba is the favorite. The only potential problem for her is that she’s run four major marathons in the last calendar year, and may not be in top form.
Caroline Kilel/Kenya: Following a disappointing 17th place in Boston last year, Kilel (the 2011 winner) is highly motivated. Her recent finishes have been more promising, and a return to the top five is very likely.
Shure Demise Ware/Ethiopia: The most intriguing entry of the women’s contenders, Ware is only 19, yet has the talent to win it all. Her personal best time (2:20:59) is close to her veteran peers. Ware’s inexperience could either be a major asset, or a serious hinderance.
Desiree Linden/USA: The 2011 runner-up is still trying to prove that she can go one better, and sees 2015 is her time to prove it. After training in the winter by running 100-mile weeks in Kenya, Linden is going to enter the race not only in some of the best shape of her life, but also confident that she can match her rivals.
