In April 2011,Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya won the Boston Marathon in a time of 2:03:02,covering the 42.195 km distance faster than anyone in history. This time is not recognized as the standing world record because Boston’s 139 m* netdrop does not conform to international road-running course standards. Six months after his victory in Boston, Mutai ran the ING New York CityMarathon in 2:05:06, winning the race and crushing the former course record of 2:07:43 (2001).
The current world record stands at 2:03:38, set by Kenyan Patrick Makauat the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON in 2011. Geoffrey Mutai ran the Berlin coursein 2010, finishing only two seconds behind Makau in a fast 2:05:10 despitepersistent rain throughout the race. Earlier that year, Mutai ran 2:04:55to finish second in the Rotterdam Marathon (behind Makau).
“We are pleased to have Geoffrey Mutai run the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. Heis one of the best athletes in the world and will have the opportunity toprove it on the fast Berlin course,” said race director Mark Milde.
Surprisingly, Geoffrey Mutai was not nominated to participate in theOlympic marathon team in London (Patrick Makau was also sidelined). Mutairegards this decision as a challenge to run a strong race in Berlin.“I amfamiliar with the Berlin course and know that you can run very fast here.If the weather is good, there is nothing in the way of a fast time,” saidthe Kenyan. His performance in a late-June 10 km road race showed him tobe in top competitive form when he won the Boston race unchallenged in27:29.
*Records may be sanctioned only when set on courses that conformto certain criteria. The finish line must be located no more than half thecourse distance from the start line (21 km). Additionally, the netelevation change between start and finish must not exceed 1 meter perkilometer (42 m).
Started in the late 19th century, the Boston Marathon course wasbased on the first modern-day marathon held in the 1896 Summer Olympics inAthens. The course is more or less flat from the start to the halfwaypoint before sloping upward at 26 kilometers from which point the courseincludes notable slopes (Newton Hills, “Heartbreak Hill”) untilapproximately the 34 kilometer mark. The last 8 kilometers have a slightdecline.