Dylan Buell/Getty Images Galen Rupp’s true talent lies in the marathon, it was likely erased on Sunday when he won the Chicago Marathon in 2:09:20, becoming the first American man to win the event since 2002.
It’s Rupp’s fourth marathon, his best time and first World Marathon Majors victory. He crossed the finish line with a smile, greeted by his wife, Keara, and three young children.
“My wife has given up her life to support me and my kids. I work my butt off, and I don’t get to see them as much as I’d like. So it’s a real emotional thing,” Rupp said. “You put so much into this one race—to see them at the finish line, to see them happy, it means the world to me.”
In the days leading up to the race, Rupp, 31, hoped that it would result in a faster time, but the pack of men, which included the defending champion, Abel Kirui, and Dennis Kimetto, the world record holder, dawdled for more than half the distance, passing through the midway point in 1:05:49.
The competition ended up becoming another tactical affair, which played right into Rupp’s strengths. He has a 2012 Olympic silver medal in the 10,000 meters, along the with 2016 marathon bronze he earned in Rio, and has enough speed in his legs to unleash a fast finish should the race require it.
The lead group of about 17 runners largely stuck together right through the 25K mark, but began to string out in the following three miles. By 35K, it was down to Rupp, Kirui, Bernard Kipyego, and Sisay Lemma, but it was shortly after that it was just Rupp and Kirui in contention for the win. Rupp put in a surge, eventually splitting 13:40 for miles 24–26.
“I was a little surprised for sure that it went out slow,” Rupp said, later adding that he knew Kirui was also a threat in the final miles, “The important thing was just to be decisive. That’s what I tried to do. It kind of happened naturally. You gotta go and really put the hurt on [Kirui] and see how he responds. I was fortunate enough to get a gap. There’s no looking back. You gotta go all the way to the finish.”
Kirui, 35, of Kenya placed second in 2:09:48, and countryman Kipyego was third in 2:10:23.
Alberto Salazar, who is Rupp’s coach at the Oregon Project, based in Portland, was emotional at the finish, embracing his protégé with tears.
“The marathon you train so long for—six months—the time and energy and heart and soul put into it on that day you’re either going to be happy with it or not,” Salazar said. “Track you can always point for something else. There’s a lot of stress and nervousness [in the marathon]. I’m real happy to see it work out for him.”
Rupp credited Salazar for putting him in uncomfortable situations in training so that he could power through such circumstances in the race.
“Our workouts are brutal. When it comes to racing time, we’ve been through it all,” Rupp said. “Confidence comes from training your body and your mind, so that’s something that when we toe the line, I’m ready. I have a lot of confidence in the way that I’ve trained. I was able to show that today.”
The group, which includes Jordan Hasay, who finished third in Chicago on Sunday, also has relied upon their Catholic faith for support, Salazar said. The group brought Fr. Patrick Conroy to Chicago, who is the chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives.
“I know him from back in Portland,” Salazar said. “He’s been here with us since Thursday doing daily mass for us. He went out and blessed them before the race… those are the things that fuel both of them.”
Since his debut at 26.2 miles in February 2016, all of Rupp’s marathons have been strategic races that don’t produce the fastest times. His potential at the distance is still untapped, many believe, though his coach trusts that Rupp has a significant personal best at the ready.
“We don’t get preoccupied with time. Times will come,” Salazar said. “I don’t see any reason why he can’t run in the 2:05s. A lot of people can run in the 2:05s. If you’re running that, all you’re saying really is that you’re one of the top 15 in the world. I think he’s capable of being one of the top 15 in the world, certainly.”
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And while Rupp continues to prove his prowess on the roads, he and Salazar remain under investigation by the United States Anti-Doping Agency for alleged illegal use of supplemental injections. Rupp has never tested positive for a banned substance, and Salazar denies that he has ever broken anti-doping policies.
“As I’ve said before, I know that we’ve followed all the rules, we asked what all the rules were, and we haven’t broken any rules,” Salazar said. “I just gotta leave it there. Today’s about the race here.”
