Keflezighi Hopes To End Kenyan Dominance

     It’s been a long, long time since a runner from the United State of America has taken home first place at one of the premier American road races, the Falmouth Road Race. The last US citizen to cross the finish line first was Mark Curp of Lees Summit, Missouri, back in 1988.
     Over the past 20 years the road race has become a proving ground for the best runners in the world, and for the most part they have hailed from Kenya. The last nine champions in a row have been from Kenya and 15 of the past 20 have called the African nation home.
     But this year could be different. This year an American has a chance to win it all, and that’s what his plan to do is.
     Meb Keflezighi’s name sounds like he might be another one of the Kenyans, but he’s an American living the American dream. Keflezighi’s parents fled war-torn Eritrea back in the 1980s and found their way to San Diego. Keflezighi grew up in the United States and became a citizen 10 years ago. He has been running for the American flag ever since and hopes to end the reign of the Kenyans on Sunday.
     “Every time I shoulder the line, I go to win the race,” he said. “I like to compete, and compete against the best in the world. It’s going to be interesting this year.”
     Keflezighi, who graduated from UCLA in 1998, had originally planned to be thousands of miles away from Falmouth this weekend, as several others who would have normally contended for the title will be. He attempted to make the United States Olympics team as a marathoner last year, but finished a disappointing eighth place overall in New York City and also suffered an injury during the race.
     That injury has made 2008 a nearly lost season. Trying to battle through the pain, Keflezighi attempted to make the US Olympic team in the 10,000-meter, a distance at which he had twice set US trials records, but it was not meant to be.
     That leaves the Falmouth Road Race as a bit of a test for the 2004 Olympic silver medalist in the marathon. For the first time in a while, Keflezighi feels like he has something to prove, and would like to not only have a good showing, but also make a little history. “My body’s (feeling better), but I just started running on May 9, so I’m working hard and trying to play catch-up,” he said.
     The 33-year-old said that he thoroughly enjoyed running in the Falmouth Road Race for the first time last year, when he was the runner-up. He said that Falmouth has a number of factors that make it a race that is quite special to him.
     “The run itself is awesome, and the people, and the crowd, and the host (families). Last year was the first time that I had stayed with a family I had not met before, and I think it was a neat opportunity,” he said.
     The Womboldt family of Falmouth hosted Keflezighi last year. He said that he plans on staying with them again this year. “I’m looking forward to seeing them again,” he said. “I had a great time with them last year.”
     Like any world class runner, Keflezighi has a plan in mind when he comes to a big race. For Falmouth it’s rather simple: stay up front early, and then make a move at the right time.
     “I think last year it came down to the last four or five miles and (Micah Kogo, who is running at the Olympics this year) had a better move and won it,” he said. “I wasn’t slow, or anything like that.”
     And he plans on being fast again this Sunday, and hopefully move up one place in the standings over a year ago. “I would love to come up and win it. It’s an internationally known race. I’m going to come up and do the best that I can do,” he said.
     And making history would be nice, too.