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Kemoi Goes to Work, Repeats as Champion at Broad Street

By mitchpa on May 7, 2019 • ( 0 )

By Clay Shaw

PHILADELPHIA PA, May 5, 2019—The 40^th Blue Cross Broad Street Run was rainy and chilly, but that didn’t stop 40,000 runners in one of the largest road races in the country. Daniel Kemoi of Kenya, and this year based in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, won easily in 47:20. Kemoi was quoted as saying “This is my job, so I must do it.” He added, “I started running in 2012, this is like work, so you come, you run, and come again.” “It’s a job,” Kemoi remarked to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Last year Kemoi was living in nearby Elkton, Maryland, and his first USA race was a record breaking 13:58 at the Race Against Racism 5K in Lancaster. When I saw him in the field prior to the BSR in 2018, I knew he would win. Simion Chirchir of Kenya, and Chapel Hill, NC hung tough for a few miles before Kemoi ran alone most of the race. Tariku Demelash Abera of Ethiopia was third in 48:11. Sergio Reyes of Palmdale, CA won a sprint finish with Urgesa Kedir Figa of Ethiopia; both were timed at 48:11. Brock Butler of Chester Springs, PA was the top Master in 52:14, placing 23^rd overall, and recovered from the Boston Marathon.

Susan Jerotrich of Kenya and Chapel Hill, NC was the top woman in 54:48. Pamela Cherotich, with the same address and MarathonGuide.com sponsorship, was second in 54:54. Grace Kahura from Kenya, and a pink MarathonGuide.com kit, was third in 55:35, making a 1-2-3 MarathonGuide.com sweep. Grace is based in Boulder, Colorado. The first USA female was Samantha Roecker of Philadelphia in 55:39. Fifth overall was 49-year-old Kenyan, Margaret Njuguna (who was top Master at Boston Marathon), in 55:49. Christy Peterson of North Wales, PA was second Master and 22^nd overall in 61 minutes even.

Never Give Up, is a good motto for running. But your photo-journalists had to make a run for it from the Olney SEPTA station, on side streets, to get on the press truck moments before the start. It’s a good thing yours truly is “city smart.” It would have been really lame to miss the start on a point-to-point course.