Martin Lel Withdraws from NYC Marathon
The 2007 champ is out yet again with injury
As featured in the issue of Running Times Magazine
Martin Lel has withdrawn from the New York City Marathon for the second year in a row with a lingering injury.
Lel is a three-time winner of the London Marathon and two-time New York City champ, most recently in 2007. The last marathon he finished was the 2008 Olympic race, in which he placed 5th. Last year he also withdrew from New York soon before the race with a lingering hip problem.
Lel recently set a half marathon PR of 59:32, and perhaps adds to the theory that eiltes who run great half marathons soon before a marathon have peaked too early. After all, in the spring he ran a sub-60:00 half marathon in March and then withdrew from the London Marathon rather than defend his title.
Hendrick Ramaala, the 2004 New York winner, had pegged Lel as the favorite for Sunday's race, and his withdrawal certainly opens the chance of victory to many more of the men in the strong field.