Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot

ROBERT KIPKOECH CHERUIYOT
KENYA

BIRTHDATE:
26 September 1978

PERSONAL BEST:
2:07:14 (Boston, 2006)

WORLD MARATHON MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS:

16Apr07 Boston Marathon 1st 2:14:13
22Oct06 The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon 1st 2:07:35
17Apr06 Boston Marathon 1st 2:07:14
06Nov05 ING New York City Marathon 4th 2:11:01
18Apr05 Boston Marathon 5th 2:14:30
10Oct04 The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon 12th 2:14:23
19Apr04 Boston Marathon DNF
21Apr03 Boston Marathon 1st 2:10:11

CAREER NOTES:

Robert K. Cheruiyot first made news in February 2002 with his second-place finish at the Discovery Kenya Half Marathon (1:03:09). Later that same month he won the Roma-Ostia Half Marathon and set a then personal record and course record with his time of 1:00:06. In March of 2002 he placed third in the Berkane International 9.46K (26:57). The next month he placed fifth at the Stramilano Half Marathon with a time of 1:02:37. Later that same year he won the Milano City Marathon in 2:08:59.

In 2003 Cheruiyot placed third at the Lisbon Half Marathon in 1:00:24 and had a major victory at the Boston Marathon in 2:10:11. He also went on to win the Peachtree 10K with a time of 28:23. In the fall of 2003 he returned to the Milano City Marathon for a third-place finish in 2:11:07.

In 2004 Cheruiyot placed third at the Lisbon Half Marathon in 59:54. In July he returned to the Peachtree 10K and finished third with a time of 28:11. In August, he finished third at the Beach to Beacon 10K (27:47.9) and second at the Falmouth Road Race 7 Mile (31:37). He also ran the fastest non point-to-point half marathon time of 2004 with a winning performance of 1:00:11 at the Rotterdam Half Marathon in September.

His superlative half marathon running continued in 2005 when he trailed only Paul Tergat at Lisbon in 59:21, a time only seven men in history have beaten.

In 2006 Cheruiyot finished second at the Lisbon Half Marathon in a fast time of 59:35. He then won his second Boston Marathon with a course record time of 2:07:14 and followed with a victory at The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in October, making the first man to win both Boston and Chicago in the same year.

Cheruiyot began 2007 with a third place at the Discovery Kenya Cross Country race on January 27. He was fifth at the Ras Al Khaimah International Half-Marathon (1:00:37) on February 9 and then in his last pre-Boston tune-up ran one second faster to finish as the runner-up at the Lisbon Half-Marathon. In the past five years at Lisbon he has been third-third-second-second-second.

Confronted by arguably the worst weather in the history of the Boston Marathon, Cheruiyot prevailed in 2:14:13, making him only the eighth man with three or more victories there. It also made him the second youngest man (to Alberto Salazar) to achieve four career World Marathon Major titles.

PERSONAL NOTES:

At six-feet, two inches tall and 143 pounds, Cheruiyot is not the typical runner and stands out when running with his teammates. He trains in the Ngong Hills near Nairobi with his teammates from Dr. Gabriele Rosa’s training camp including Marathon World Record holder Paul Tergat who is a frequent training partner. (He should also not be confused with a different Robert Cheruiyot, four years older, who has a 2:08:13 PR.). When not training, Cheruiyot spend times farming. He is married and has a daughter who he says is "the love of my life."

HIGHLIGHTS:

30Nov03 Milan City Marathon 3rd 2:11:07
01Dec02 Milan City Marathon 1st 2:08:59