FOR MUINDI, HONOLULU LOVE AFFAIR STILL BURNING AFTER 15 YEARS
By David Monti
(c) 2008 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Used with permission.
HONOLULU
(09-Dec) -- Jimmy Muindi has been happily married for 14 years, but he
has carried on a love affair with the Honolulu Marathon one year longer.
In
1993 he first came here with Benson Masya, another Kamba tribesman who
had already won Honolulu twice in 1991 and 1992. Masya's agent, Zane
Branson, brought Muindi, the 1992 world junior steeplechase champion,
to be a pacemaker. Muindi liked this tropical city, the capital of the
state of Hawaii, immediately. He's come back every year since.
"I felt a lot of warmth," said a relaxed-looking Muindi, sitting in the lobby of the Outrigger Reef Hotel on Waikiki Beach.
Muindi
made it to 30-K that year --Korea's Lee Bong-ju got the win-- but it
would be another six years before he would make it to the top of the
podium of America's third largest marathon. That happened in 1999, one
year after falling apart with victory well within his grasp. He was
with the lead pack descending Diamond Head Avenue with just two
kilometers to go and the wheels fell off.
"In 1998 I was about
to win it and I had a problem," said Muindi shaking his head. "My
stomach was having a problem. I was vomiting."
Muindi's body
seized up, and Mbarak Hussein got his first of three Honolulu
victories. Muindi said this was his worst year ever at Honolulu.
"It was MY victory," he said. "I was so disappointed."
But
the next year, in his seventh appearance at the race in 1999, Muindi
had his big breakthrough. He was running with Hussein and three-time
Boston Marathon champion Cosmas Ndeti in the final kilometers of the
race. Victory was possible for all three of them.
"There came
three of us," said Muindi, recalling his effort over the long
straightaway to the finish in Kapiolani Park. "The finishing line at
the Honolulu Marathon is very long."
Muindi got the best of his compatriots registering the first of his eventual six victories here.
"It was my best moment," he said smiling. "It was my first big win. It was very emotional."
Muindi
defended his title in 2000, then Hussein won again the next two years.
In 2003, Muindi won for the second time, then defended his title in
both 2004 and 2005. In 2006 Ethiopian Ambesse Tolosa broke Muindi's
streak after the two traded elbows coming down Diamond Head. There was
no love lost between the two athletes.
"He was trying to mess me up," Muindi said after finishing second that year.
Tolosa
crossed the finish line first again last year, one place ahead of
Muindi, but was later disqualified for a doping violation. That
elevated Muindi to the winner's circle for the sixth time, easily
making him the winningest man in the 36-year history of the race
(Dutchwoman Carla Beurskens won the women's race eight times).
This
year, Muindi's toughest challenge comes from his brother-in-law, 2007
Bank of America Chicago Marathon champion Patrick Ivuti, who is married
to Muindi's sister, Marietta. Branson and Muindi joked that Ivuti
tried to keep his participation in the race a secret.
"Patrick didn't tell Jimmy that he was running here," said Branson.
Muindi,
who wears his game face most of the time, broke into a smile of
appreciation. "He is the toughest guy," he said. "We know each other
very much. He's going to be good."
Also in the field is 2005
Boston Marathon champion Hailu Negussie of Ethiopia, who is trying to
get his career back on track after failing to finish three of his last
four marathons. He's the third-fastest man in the field (2:08:16 PB),
so he can't be counted out.
Muindi, however, is quietly confident. No elite athlete has more experience with the course and he said his training went well.
"It is very much possible to win it," he said. "My training was very fine."
While
Muindi's training was fine, the weather might not be. Heavy rain is
predicted for the next two days here, and those rains may stick around
through Sunday. Forecasters are also calling for strong trade winds
which could also slow the race.
PHOTO: Jimmy Muindi on Waikiki Beach with Diamond Head in the background (photo by David Monti)