So, where was I? Ah, yeah, now the men… I see Lagat and Laalou ahead, but it was a very tight pack, just 50 meters from the finish line.
Laalou takes over. He wins. I have barely heard of him before this. He talks through a translator but he seems super excited for the win.
I always feel for Lagat though. He is such a nice guy, besides being a great runner, and he’s been through so much… I’ve heard him talking a few times before, and he’s just the sweetest and funniest man! And to top if off, he eats a steak the night before a race, my type of man!!!
That is Andy Baddeley, who won the race last year. I was so impressed with his performance last year that I thought and wished he’d win again. I said that to him and I told him I’d be cheering for him again next year. So, see you soon enough!
Crowds were super excited, and tired, and crazy. Yo boys!
So, we headed towards the finish line and I got to catch up with Shannon, who is just SO SO nice!
And this is Sara, you know, HALL.
First and Second place, just like last year. Check out my 2009’s picture! Pretty similar, just different weather!
As my friends took pictures, people were asking them who I was… Ah!
And, for some reason, they had the Argentinian flag hanging there, PICTURE!!!!
Off to the Awards Ceremony.
I love this picture, two of my idols sharing a great moment. Priceless:
The Top Three!
Then the other Top Three:
Lagat is the man. He is super popular and people scream when he is around like he’s Justin Bieber (or Justin Timberlake???). On top of his fabulousness, he had big news to drive the crowd wild! Check out Mary’s face on the right… He said that he is going to do the New York City Marathon, probably next year. !!!!!. MAJOR CROWD ROAR! (are you screaming too?). Mary wins, as usual! He also said he would keep doing the Fifth Avenue Mile until he wins it!
Then we got to hear from Laalou, through his interpreter, and though I had no clue what he was saying, you could just see this guy was just so happy to have won and to be in NYC! He was gesturing like it was all enormous here. Which is true. Minus my apartment. And everybody else’s.
He was explaining, with a lot of (nutella-hyped-up) excitement, how this was his first time in NYC and he loved it, that the city was impressive and he wanted to come back. He said it was beautiful. Amine, you are SO right!
That’s my coverage. How did I do?
runningandthecity 