Encore! Encore! Champions Tergat and Ramaala set to duel again at ING New York City Marathon

Any definition of the term “friendly rivalry” should include a picture of the last two ING New York City Marathon champions, Paul Tergat of Kenya and Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa.
But instead of showing the now-famous photo of last year’s finish in which Tergat broke the tape ahead of a fallen Ramaala by three tenths of a second—the closest result in the race’s history —
both men would prefer that you see the images from this year’s pre race news conference at Tavern on the Green, where Tergat put his arm around Ramaala as both men reminisced about an event that will forever link them.
“What we saw last year was stress,” Tergat said with a wide grin.
“I hope the winner this time has the last 100 meters to himself to just enjoy the win,” Ramaala said. “Not like last year.”

More like 2004 when Ramaala pulled away from American Meb Keflezighi in the 23rd mile and won his only marathon title by 25 seconds.
“I could enjoy the race,” said Ramaala, whose winning time in 2004 (2:09:28) nearly matched his second-place time last year (2:09:31). “I don’t think Paul could enjoy the race last year. It was good for the spectators, I’m sure.”

Those who viewed the finish in Central Park or on worldwide television found it breathtaking.
ING New York City Marathon race director Mary Wittenberg quipped that she’d like to see a reprise, but this time with three runners dueling to the finish line.
Given the depth of this year’s field, it could happen. While Ramaala proclaimed Tergat “the man to beat,” Tergat cited 2004 Olympic champion Stefano Baldini of Italy.
“Maybe 15 guys can win this race,” Ramaala told a group of reporters. “I think most of you would like to see an American win. I know Meb will try hard. He’s a big threat.”

To the rest of the field, Tergat and Ramaala undoubtedly loom as the major threats.
Sunday will mark the sixth time that Tergat, 37, and Ramaala, 34, race head-to-head. Tergat, who set the marathon world record of 2:04:55 at the real,- Berlin Marathon in 2003, leads Ramaala 4-1.
Tergat has not competed since his New York victory. A calf injury caused him to withdraw two days before the Flora London Marathon in April. His wife, Monica, then delivered the couple’s fourth child prematurely in New Jersey in August, prompting him to withdraw from several scheduled events, including the inaugural NYC Half-Marathon Presented by Nike on August 27. (Both mother and baby are doing fine.)

Although he has no points in the World Marathon Majors series (which began this year) and he’s the oldest of this year’s elite runners, Tergat says he is not concerned. He trained this summer with fellow Kenyan Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, the 2006 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon champion and World Marathon Majors series point leader.
“What matters most is my preparation,” Tergat said. “I know that I have worked so hard for this. If somebody wanted to go out hard [during the race], I would be there.”
Last year, Ramaala attempted to lose Tergat on First Avenue, with approximately 10 miles to go, posting an extraordinary 4:17 mile. But Tergat stayed in contact, nipping him at the end.

Ramaala, who earned a law degree from Witswatersrand University in his native Johannesburg, sounded an attorney giving a summation while defending his race strategy.
“First of all, I did nothing wrong,” he began. “If I were to face it again, I would do the same thing. I had a great competitor. I tried everything. But he was still there. But I got something out of it. I found out that my body can take pain. I dug deep. If you dig deep, you can always find a reserve somewhere.”
Added Tergat: “From 30K [around the 19-mile mark], that’s where the marathon begins. The sugar level is down, the fluid level is down, the muscle cramps come in. The mind now is going to push you. You don’t have anything left.”

That Tergat and Ramaala were able to find enough to push the other toward the finish line in the most dramatic finale ever at a major marathon only heightened the respect each already had for the other.
Asked how many times he has replayed last year’s finish in his mind, Ramaala smiled. “Thousands,” he said. “I don’t count them. But it’s always there.”

The finale, particularly the enduring image of two physically spent athletes, two immensely proud men, is never far from Tergat’s mind either.
“When you look at that picture,” Tergat says, “you can see that we didn’t have anything.”
Yet each man gave us so much, including a reason to hope for an encore on Sunday.

Tergat and Ramaala will discuss their lives, their sport, and that stunning 2005 finish at the expo on
Friday, November 3, at 6:00 p.m.

Courtesy:
https://www.ingnycmarathon.org/news/story_23.php