|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brian
Sell's form began to deteriorate, and by the 20-mile
mark...
|
...his
lead was down to 22 seconds.
|
Alan
Culpepper, Meb Keflezighi, and Dan Browne finally
caught Sell early in the 22nd mile.
|
The
lead trio had dropped Trent Briney shortly before
this point.
|
Briney
and Sell ran together briefly, and then Briney pulled
ahead.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As
they passed the Bakery Thrift Store one last time,
just past the 22 mile...
|
...mark,
it looked like we might have our Olympic team.
|
Culpepper
and Keflezighi seemed very much in control, and Browne...
|
...seemed
to be hanging in there. Culpepper seemed the most...
|
...energetic,
putting small gaps on Keflezighi from time to time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Culpepper
later said that even though Keflezighi wasn't in his
best shape...
|
...he's
too tough of a competitor to let Culpepper run away
from him.
|
Browne
lost contact with the two leaders in the 23 mile when
Keflezighi...
|
...caught
back up to Culpepper and left Browne behind.
|
Browne
later said that he was running for two of his former
West Point classmates...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
...who
had died in Iraq. Thinking of them, he said that hey
knew he wasn't going to quit.
|
Keflezighi
also refused to quite, despite having to battle the
flu and tendinitis...
|
...during
his marathon buildup.
|
By
the 24th mile, the only question that remained was
who would finish first.
|
Culpepper
seemed to have the most left in his legs, but that
didn't stop Keflezighi from trying to win.
|
