Rookie Wins With Breakaway

Some friendships last only so long.

In the case of Sunday’s 24th annual Lilac Bloomsday run, that was about 25 minutes or 5 miles.

That’s when Bloomsday rookie Reuben Cheruiyot broke away from countrymen and training partners Lazarus Nyakeraka and Dominic Kirui to win the men’s elite race Sunday morning.

“I was planning to leave friends (on Doomsday) because I’m not very fast on the flat,” Cheruiyot, 26, said. “I like the hills.”

He pulled away to finish in 34 minutes, 10 seconds, the fastest Bloomsday since 1996 and tied for the fifth fastest ever over the 12 kilometer (7.4 miles) course. The seventh straight winner from Kenya, Cheruiyot earned $7,000.

Nyakeraka, 24, the 1996 and 1997 champion and runnerup to absent Joshua Chelenga, finished in 34:30 and picked up $4,500.

Kirui, 33, was 5 seconds behind Nyakeraka and received $3,000.

The top American finisher was Eric Tollefson of Tacoma, who was ninth in 36:10. That made him the Washington State Men’s Champion. He earned $700 for his open finish, which was doubled for American runners.

That left the $1,000 check for the state champion for Corey Brantley, 27, of Spokane. He was 16th overall in 37:59.

Cheruiyot didn’t break away on the hill, but he did break spirits.

There was a four-man pack that included Stephen Kiogora of Kenya when they hit the bottom of Doomsday Hill just before the 5-mile mark. Kiogora quickly faded as Cheruiyot pushed the pace.

There were three at the top but moments later when Cheruiyot turned onto Mission, he had opened a quickly growing 10-meter lead on Nyakeraka and Kirui.

“One mile, two mile, three mile not so bad,” Kirui said. “Middle of last hill not good for me. I’m happy. He’s my countryman and we train together. I was not surprised.”

It was that sixth mile, which included most of Doomsday, that decided the race. Cheruiyot ran the mile in 4:44, probably the fastest ever for that stretch.

“The race was good but Reuben ran so smart,” Nyakeraka said. “I tried to stay with him at the top of the mountain but he was stronger than me.”

When Josephat Machuka set the course record of 33:52 in 1995, his sixth mile was 4:48. Machuka, who had not raced here since that 1995 title made him the first back-to-back Bloomsday winner at age 19, was never in contention and finish sixth.

Cheruiyot ran the seventh mile in 4:22, leaving Nyakeraka and Kirui to battle for second.

“It was a surprise,” said Cheruiyot, who runs with his elbows out in the style that seems to mark many Kenyans. “The race was good … the weather was good. I’m happy, I’m feeling good.”

Shortly after the first mile, just an an average 4:30, Ellensburg native and former Pullman resident Buck Jones surged. The lead pack was already down to nine.

Jones led downhill to Latah Creek but as soon as he crossed the bridge and headed uphill, he was reeled in. By the second mile, run in 4:22, the lead group was already down to four.

“They have the ability to surge and recover quickly,” said Jones, who moved to Columbus, Ohio, last summer after getting a doctorate from Washington State.

“I probably could have hung with them for 3-1/2 miles but you’d be seeing me finish (way back).”

Buck ended up 12th, the No. 2 American, in 36:37, good for $1,000.

As the runners turned onto Goverment Way, Machuka seemed to make one final desperate push to regain contact with the leaders to no avail.

Cheruiyot, Nyakeraka and Kirui, with Kiogora tucked in behind, steadily pulled away. The most impressive sight was the four Kenyans four-abreast across T.J. Meenach Bridge before turning up Pettet Drive, which is called Doomsday Hill for a reason.

It’s where friendships are broken, at least temporarily.

Graphic: How Bloomsday was won