2006 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon

Posted by Gabriel Rodriguez Oct 18, 2006

The 2006 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon takes place on Sunday, October 22nd, as elite athletes throughout the world attempt to win one of the Marathon Majors on a traditionally blistering fast and flat 26.2 mile course through the windy streets of Chicago, Illinois.

Leading the men's field is Japan-based Kenyan Daniel Njenga. Njenga is the fastest entrant, with a personal best of 2h06'16" set while placing second in the 2002 Chicago Marathon. His performances at Chicago, he was third last year, solidify Njenga as the most experienced marathoner in the field for Chicago with four top-three finishes.

Njenga will be challenged by fellow Kenyans Robert Cheboror (2h06'23" personal best), Wilson Onsare (2h06'47"), and Charles Kibiwott (2h06'52"), as well as a slew of Americans led by Brian Sell (2h10'55") and Abdi Abdirahman (2h11'42"). Perhaps the most intriguing entry is the late-entrant Ethiopian Dejene Berhanu (2h08'46"), who is taking the place of world-record holder and injured Kenyan, Paul Tergat.

I foresee a slew of Kenyans pushing the pace in an effort to dismiss the Ethiopian, but I predict Berhanu prevailing against the East Africans. Abdi Abdirahman has a breakthrough race and places in the top three with a sub-2h09' performance.

The women's field is just as deep with four women who have run sub-2h22' times, including Russians Ludmila Petrova (2h21'29") and Galina Bogomolova (2h21'58"), recent World Road Running Championship runner-up and Romanian Constantina Tomescu-Dita (2h21'30"), and Ethiopian Berhane Adere (2h21'52").

I believe this is Tomescu-Dita's race to lose, as her improving fitness over 20 kilometers bodes well for the marathon, especially with her experience and history at Chicago (she won in 2004). However, she will have to break early one of the most talented distance runners to ever attempt the marathon in the Ethiopian Adere. Adere's fourth place finish deubt at this year's London Marathon opened some eyes as to what her potential may be and the flat, track-like Chicago Marathon course suits her style well. We could very well witness a sub-2h20' clocking for the women on Sunday.