Chepkurui builds big lead, defends women’s title

Lineth Chepkurui won the 2008 Lilac Bloomsday Women’s Open division. She displayed just how much she learned a year ago by repeating as champion Sunday.

“My first time (at Bloomsday) was last year,” the 22-year-old Kenyan said. “I had no tricks like today. The hills were the only chance for me to escape because I was feeling better than the rest when I was climbing on the hills. Before I came here, my coach was training us on climbing up hills.”

Nothing too tricky about that. Chepkurui seemingly added to her lead on every hill, up or down, and cemented her position on Doomsday Hill, more than doubling her already comfortable lead over Teyba Erkesso of Ethiopia.

“She’s tough, I know,” Erkesso said.

Chepkurui never strayed from her smooth stride and finished the scenic 7.46-mile course in 38 minutes, 37 seconds to claim the first-place purse of $7,000. Kenya’s Delillah Asiago won in 38:19 in 1995, but organizers later discovered the course in 1995 measured less than 12 full kilometers (7.46 miles) and her time was adjusted to 38:31. Kenya’s Isabella Ochichi won the 2006 Bloomsday in 38:38.

The 26-year-old Erkesso, who was second in 2007, took second again, 40 seconds behind Chepkurui. Kenya’s Genoveva Kigen (39:30) and Rose Kosgei (39:47) placed third and fourth, respectively.

The top four finishers joined a pack of perhaps 15 who quickly moved to the front. In the second mile, the pack was down to 10 and Chepkurui and Erkesso opened up a small cushion on a short incline. The two were nearly 50 yards clear of the field in the third mile when Chepkurui pushed the pace and took a 10-yard edge over Erkesso as they passed by Spokane Falls Community College.

Chepkurui crossed the T.J. Meenach Drive Bridge 30 yards in front of Erkesso and expanded her lead to 80 yards by the top of Doomsday Hill. In the sixth mile, Chepkurui’s lead had grown so large that at times she disappeared from the view of Erkesso, who was busy trying to hold off Kigen for second.

Many expected a closely contested race, but Chepkurui was comfortably ahead before the halfway point and seemed to get stronger with every step.

“(Saturday) morning everyone was saying the ladies’ race was very tough,” said Chepkurui, who won Bloomsday a year ago in 39:47. “Even myself, I knew it was very tough, so I had to use my tricks.”

Translation: Dust the competition on the hills.

Chepkurui, who won the 2009 Crescent City 10K and the 2009 Cherry Blossom 10-mile, hopes to return for a chance at a third consecutive Bloomsday title.

“The people of Spokane are very welcoming, they’re happy,” she said. “It’s very beautiful and very interesting (course). I like this course and I like Spokane, more than anywhere else.”

Asked about her celebration plans, Chepkurui said she wanted something warm to drink to heat up on a breezy, chilly morning.

Then she added, “I dedicate this to my mom, yes, (with) Mother’s Day approaching.”