After a two-year wait, the New York City Marathon was back, and Kenya turned Sunday’s race into a national showcase. Geoffrey Mutai used a bold move to defend his crown, and Priscah Jeptoo had to stave off an even bolder one from Bronx resident Buzunesh Deba to earn a stirring come-from-behind rally.
The race was run in honor of the victims of April’s Boston Marathon bombing and with the memory of the victims of and damage from Superstorm Sandy, which forced the cancellation of last year’s event. But under the specter of redoubled security to keep the record 50,740 runners safe, the Kenyans swept the event for the third time.
Jeptoo came from over a kilometer behind with less than half the race to go, winning in 2:25.07, while Mutai used a strong move after the Madison Avenue Bridge to cruise to a 2:08.24 victory. It was well off his course-record 2:05.06 in 2011, but Sunday’s 20 mph winds made it a more tactical race, and his time was more than good enough.
“It was the birthday of my manager Gerard,” Mutai said. “Even before I came here, he told me, ‘I want one thing only, a present [from] you, and that present is to win.’ I tell him winning is not easy, to defend your title is not easy. … The weather today, it was not easy.
“I try all what I can, even if I was not believing that I can finish like that. … It says a lot for me to defend my title.’’
The race was still bunched up until Mutai surged forward in The Bronx with a fast 4:46 for mile 20. Fellow Kenyan Stanley Biwott went with him until Mutai made another big move coming of the Madison Avenue Bridge and down Fifth Avenue blew it open. By Central Park, the race was his and he beat Ethiopia’s Tsegaye Kebede by 52 seconds.
Jeptoo’s win was a far more uphill climb. Deba, who regularly trains in Van Cortlandt Park and finished second in 2011, tried to steal the race early and nearly pulled it off. But she was passed by Jeptoo in Central Park and finishing second in 2:25:56. Latvian Jelena Prokopcuka — who won here in 2005 and 2006, but hadn’t run a marathon since 2008 and suffered through a miscarriage — came back after the birth of her son and placed third at the age of 37.
“I was very happy when I saw that I reached the finish line when I’m a winner, because I use a lot of energy chasing the leading group and there’s a very bad wind,” Jeptoo said. “But I was having a lot of confidence, and I was really prepared for this race, even mentally, so I had nothing to fear. I was coming here to fight.
“I didn’t know what the gap was, but there was a guy who was riding a bicycle. He told me you’re behind three minutes. Three minutes is almost one kilometer, so I started to push the pace. … I was having confidence that I will make it.’’
It took confidence to win the way she did. Training partners Deba and Tigist Tufa, Ethiopian émigrés living in The Bronx, jumped ahead in the first mile and built a huge 3:29 lead by mile 14 in a bid for one of them to be the first New Yorker to win since 1974.
Deba had seen Mary Keitany go out hard in 2011, but she and Firehiwot Dado — who finished 14th on Sunday — had to come from far behind to catch her. This time Deba turned the tables and tried the front-running tactic that had served her well in her San Diego win.
“Yes, that’s my plan. I need to run my best time. My training is very good. I prepared very good,’’ Deba said. “I thought I came first place, but I know [Jeptoo]. She’s very strong and I was cramping. I was sick, my pace goes down, it was too cold and windy. But I’m so happy I came second.’’
Jeptoo made her move on the Queensboro Bridge, breaking away from the pack in a lonely hunt. Slowly, inexorably, she chipped away at the lead for about six miles until she caught sight of Deba. Jeptoo passed her with two miles to go in Central Park, seizing the win and the $500,000 World Marathon Majors series bonus.
“I wanted it to be a win, but the way I started disappointed me,’’ said Jeptoo said . “This is a great moment for me and this is a day I will not forget for the rest of my life.’’