On The Run

Jay Kumar

It's a great week for the American long-distance running community.

Meb Keflezighi won the New York City Marathon on Sunday in 2:09:15, the first American to win the race since Alberto Salazar in 1982.

Cue the celebrations, right? Certainly, this is a big deal for everyone interested in American marathoning. After years of African runners winning the big events, an American finally broke through.

Well, some folks didn't quite see it that way.

Some writers and bloggers, most notably CNBC business writer Darren Rovell, felt Keflezighi's win wasn't really a win for the U.S. because he wasn't born here.

True enough, Meb was born in the African nation of Eritrea and became a naturalized citizen in 1998. It doesn't help that he has a funny sounding name and speaks with an accent.

Rovell compared the win to hiring a ringer to work a few hours in an office so he could play for the softball team.

As it turns out, Keflezighi moved to the U.S. in 1987 when he was 12, meaning all his training has been done here as a youth in San Diego, in college at UCLA and as an elite runner.

And besides, wasn't this country built by people who came from all over the world? How is a guy who's lived here 22 years any less of an American runner than Ryan Hall, the American runner who finished fourth in New York?

Oh, and the last American male to win the NYC Marathon, Salazar, happened to be born in Havana, but nobody questions his credentials.

Keflezighi is no flash in the pan. He won the silver medal in the men's marathon in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens (similar opinions were raised then as well).

Part of the problem is American running has declined since the mid-1980s, when runners like Bill Rodgers and Alberto Salazar were among the elites. East African runners have dominated long-distance events since the 1990s. But in recent years, Americans like Keflezighi and Hall have begun to assert themselves, while on the women's side, Deena Kastor and Kara Goucher are among the elites.

I can relate to Keflezighi because I moved to the U.S. in 1981 from Canada and became a citizen in 1989. And while I'll always have a warm place in my heart for my hometown and birth country, I'm an American now and nobody can question that. The same should go for Keflezighi.

After catching serious heat on Monday, Rovell and others who questioned the validity of Keflezighi's win have apologized. And Meb went on to celebrate in a distinctly American fashion: He read a top 10 list on the "Late Show with David Letterman."

Starts and stops:

The Marine Corps JROTC at Beverly High School is holding a 5K race on Sunday, Nov. 15. It starts at Cooney Field and ends at Hurd Stadium in Beverly. For more information, contact Major T.G. Ellis (tellis@beverlyschools.org) or call 978-921-6132. First place wins a $100 American Express gift certificate. A map of the race route can be viewed at www.mapmyrun.com. Key word: MCJROTC.

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Not content to rest on the laurels of a successful 2009 race series, the Salem Park, Recreation and Community Services Department has announced its 2010 road races. Runners who complete all six races will receive a commemorative hooded sweatshirt with logos from the various events.

The races include: The Frosty Four New Year's Day race (Jan. 1, 4 miles); 5K Cross Country Run at Olde Salem Greens (March 21); Derby Street Mile (Aug. 20); Wicked Half Marathon (Sept. 25); Run with the Devil (Oct. 31, 6.66 miles); and the Wild Turkey 5-Mile Run (Nov. 25). Visit www.salemroadraces.com for more information.

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On the Run is a biweekly column about the North Shore running scene. Send any questions, comments, or news to jay.kumar@gmail.com.

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Upcoming races

Sunday, Nov. 8

*Brenda's Bosom Buddies 5K Cancer Run, Champions Pub, 114 Foster St., 10 a.m. All runners receive hydration back packs. Contact: Gary Leavitt (North Medford Club at 1-617-947-0351 or e-mail Gary.Leavitt@comcast.net.

Wednesday, Nov. 11, 18

*Danvers 5K Fun Run, Sweet William's Garden Center, 141 Pine St., Danvers, 7 p.m. Free, timed run. All welcome. These events are part of a weekly 52-race series. E-mail adam@danvers5k.com.

Visit http://coolrunning.com/eventcal/index.php for more race listings.