Meb Keflezighi to run 2015 New York City Marathon
Meb Keflezighi will return to the New York City Marathon for the 10th time in his career on Nov. 1, Keflezighi announced at the New York Road Runners Fifth Avenue Mile.
Keflezighi became the first American man since 1983 to win the Boston Marathon in 2014 and followed that performance up with a fourth place finish in New York City last fall. He returned to Boston in April and finished in eighth place overall.
Keflezighi is the only man in history to have won the Boston Marathon, New York City Marathon (2009) and own an Olympic medal (silver at the 2004 Olympic marathon in Athens. The former U.S. 10,000-meter American record holder also owns more than 20 national titles on the track, cross country courses and roads.
New York holds a special place in Keflezighi’s career as he first contested the 26.2-mile distance at the 2002 New York City Marathon with a ninth place, 2:12:35 finish. Keflezighi owns a 2:09.13 personal best on the course from 2011. He set his personal best of 2:08:37 in his Boston Marathon victory.
“As an athlete, I've accomplished what everyone wants to do in New York, which was to win it,” Keflezighi told SI. “Would you like to win it again and again? Of course. But I like to get challenged and go for the win again. That would be nice.”
November’s race will be Keflezighi’s last marathon before the 2016 U.S. Olympic marathon trials in Los Angeles on Feb. 13, where he looks to make his third Olympic team. Keflezighi will turn 41 in May and looks to become the oldest U.S. Olympic runner of all time, if he makes the team. He will have 104 days to recover for the Olympic Trials.
“I've done this in the past and I think I can do it,” Keflezighi said.
Keflezighi is not ready to call this year's New York City Marathon run his swan song in New York.
“Eventually, hopefully New York will be my last marathon,” Keflezighi said. “If I'm fortunate enough to make the Olympic team in Rio that would be great."
Before retiring, Keflezighi says that he would like to run 26 marathons as a tribute to the race distance.
"I have to stop at 26. For the mileage, I have to stop at 26,” Keflezighi said. “Hopefully, I'll be 42 or 42 in age and maybe I'll have to do one next year and one in 2017. It's not my last New York.”
Meb Keflezighi’s finishes at the New York City Marathon:
2002 – 2:12:35, 9th place
2004 – 2:09.53, 2nd place
2005 – 2:09:56, 3rd place
2006 – 2:22:02, 21st place
2009 – 2:09:15, 1st place
2010 – 2:11:38, 5th place
2011 - 2:09:13, 6th place
2013 – 2:23:47, 23rd place
2014 – 2:13:18, 4th place
