A 4:23 mile is faster than most American high school boys will accomplish in their high school track careers.
John Korir averaged 4:41 per mile for 26.2 miles, running the 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon in 2:02:44, the second fastest time ever on the streets of Chicago.
Running with ten of the finest male marathoners in the world, hitting the half marathon in 1:02:19 (14:43 for 5k, 29:27 for 10k, 44:15 for 15k and 59:03 for 20k, the pack was relentless.
The weather—60 degrees outside, Midwestern humidity, and a wind out of the Northwest at 10 miles per hour—gave the runners some wonderful conditions.
Upfront was John Korir, younger brother of Boston and LA Marathon champion Wesley Korir, who has won LA twice himself, Amos Kipruto, a 2:03:13 PB, Vincent Ngetich, 2:03:13 PB, Huseydin Esa, a 2:05:05 PB, and debut marathoner Daniel Ebenyo, who has run 27:11 on the track and was 2023 Budapest silver medalist at the 10,000m. Oh, and we did not even talk about two time Tokyo champion, Birhanu Legesse.
The pacemakers did their work, and took the pack through 1:02:19, 25k at 1:3;47, 30k at 1:28:18.
The race changed after 20 miles, where seven men were in contention.
At 22 miles, John Korir, whose coach, Ron Mann, one of the most respected coaches in American distance runner, had told John he could run 2:02, a three minute PB, started to play his cards. First, the younger brother of Wesley Korir ran a 4:23 mile, at mile 24, he ran a 4:26. That 5k was covered in 14:01, and he went from a thirty second lead at 35k to 90 seconds at 40k!
John Korir told the assembled media that his brother Wesley had told him to “Be Patient, believe in yourself, and believe in God.” After the race, this writer alerted John Korir that he now had the family record (Wesley had run 2:06:13) with his fine 2:02:44, John smiled, but would not tease his brother nor brag to his brother about his achievement.
“Wesley Korir is a bit more more jovial, ” noted Jordan Guenther, a long time Kenyan running observer. ” John Korir is a little more to himself.”
John Korir’s win gives him $100,000 U.S. a fine prize purse from th 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
John also had just run the second fastest time EVER on the Chicago course, only behind the late Kelvin Kiptum, who had run the WR 2:00:53 in…
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